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Advocacy

Midwest Advocacy Project Recruiting for 2011

Midwest Advocacy Project 2011

Want to get involved and learn more about improving brain injury services but not sure how to go about it?  

Becoming a successful advocate is an important way to improve services for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI), their family members, and significant others.  The Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin is partnering with the Mayo Clinic TBI Model System in a research study to identify how to best teach advocacy to people touched by TBI to improve their health and that of their communities.  This groundbreaking study is expected to advance the science of TBI research.      

If you are at least 18 years old and a person or family member/significant other affected by a moderate to severe TBI a year or more ago, you are invited to contact us about participating in this research study.  You will be asked to attend four monthly training sessions in Madison.  Some travel expenses will be covered for those residing 60 or more miles from the training site.  All participants will receive a research stipend upon completion of the four sessions.  

Please contact the Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin at 1-800-882-9282 or at admin@biaw.org  for additional information and/or an application.  Contribute to important TBI research and join with others eager to gain better advocacy skills and know-how.

Click HERE for a Midwest Advocacy Project Information Sheet

Click HERE for The Midwest Advocacy Project 2011 Application for Participation
 

Survival Coalition Ideas for DHS Town Hall Meetings

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is convening a series of Town Hall meetings around the state in March and April to receive public input on how to reduce Medicaid spending by $500 million in the 2011-2013 biennium.

It is important for DHS to hear from many people with disabilities and families. By clicking HERE you can view the highlights of the Survival Coalition's ideas.

February 22, 2011
Survival Coalition Statement on Medicaid Policy

Please click HERE to view the statement.

Urge Congress to Increase Funding for TBI Programs!

The Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education has begun it's consideration of the FY10 funding bill. They are considering a bill which will provide the funding allocation for programs authorized through the TBI Act and for NIDRR's TBI-related research programs, including TBI Model Systems of Care.

Federal funding for these important TBI programs has remained stagnant over the last several years, as Congress has not provided increases sufficient to keep up with the increasing cost of doing business. The urgent need for increased federal support for a national TBI public health infrastructure and TBI research is further heightened by the recognition of TBI as the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The time is now to urge Members of Congress to adequately fund TBI programs!

The Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin addresses the challenge of brain injury one individual or one family at a time. The aftermath of brain injury is often a journey marked with peaks, valleys and detours. We are available to listen, support and assist individuals with an injury and families in their efforts to achieve personalized goals. The association also collaborates with other organizations to support the development of public policies and systems that meet the need of individuals with brain injuries and their families in Wisconsin.

Advocacy is a type of problem solving designed to protect personal rights and to ensure a dignified existence. There are many types of advocacy:

• Systems Advocacy - is useful for changing "the system" and used to promote causes
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• Legal Advocacy - is what lawyers are paid to do
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• Legislative Advocacy - is designed to change laws and policies. There are important legislative initiatives that affect individuals with brain injury and their families. If you would like to be added to the action alert email listing concerning federal legislation from the Brain Injury Association of America, go to their website, www.biausa.org and click on Policy & Legislation, Legislative Action Center, and then the Action E-list (near page bottom).
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• Individual Advocacy - involves advocating for another
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• Self-Advocacy - involves advocating for oneself