Agencies, Community Groups Unite to Improve Care for Traumatic Brain Injury

06.23.2008 by KCPW

(KCPW News) Traumatic brain injury is so complicated it takes a team of medical and social service providers to care for the wounded and their families, says Dr. Jennifer Romesser, a clinical psychologist with the Salt Lake City Veterans Affairs Heath Care System.

"There's so many different areas that are impacted and all of this can lead to impairment and disability in so many different settings that sometimes vocational rehabilitation needs are necessary, there's medical needs, there's emotional and mental health needs that need to be addressed," Romesser says. "So really, it's a very complex system. And no one organization can possibly do that all."

Fortunately, there's a diverse network of services for Utahns with TBIs. But many who qualify for care don't know what's available, Romesser says. A recent conference organized by the local Veterans Administration brought together federal and state agencies, community organizations and medical providers who work with TBI patients so they can help steer their patients in the right direction.

"Something that often comes up when working with patients and families is how difficult it is to know about the different resources available," Romesser says. "And really what we were aiming to do with this conference was to try to educate providers about the difference services so they can help families and survivors navigate that really complex system of care.

Romesser says the group also plans to publish a handbook of services for Utahns diagnosed with TBIs this fall. Increasingly, these are veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Romesser says the VA has improved efforts to screen veterans for TBIs. They are now mandated to screen every veteran for the injury in their initial three visits to a VA facility.