What Is A Brain Injury Residential Facility?

Texas’s Brain Injury Residential Facilities (BIRF) are a series of facilities dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of people with brain injuries. This series of facilities was created by the Texas Department of Health in accordance with a law passed in July of 2000. The law enables the creation and establishment of BIRFs to provide care, research, and public education to individuals who suffer from traumatic brain injury or any other catastrophic injury.

Brain Injury Rehab

How a Brain Injury Rehab Facility Can Help

There is a whole range of opinions on how long patients can live. Some say they can live up to ten years, someone to four. This is all based on the severity of the injury, which varies greatly between patients. One patient might have a mild injury that would take only two or three months to recover from and others who have more severe symptoms may take months or even years.

For example, in a recent study, one patient with an injury requiring rehabilitation took less than twenty-four hours to recover and another took six years. While these are extreme cases, in general, it is safe to say that the average recovery time for TBI depends upon the severity of the injury and the type of rehab program used.

What to Consider When Choosing a TBI Rehab Facility

Brain injury (TBI) is a complex condition that can have long-term and short-term effects on the brain and even lead to death. TBI is the most common cause of disability worldwide, with approximately 2 million people affected each year. Most brain injuries are single-celled (eg. mild traumatic brain injury), but some are multi-celled (eg. severe traumatic brain injury or subdural hematoma). The severity of the injury determines which type of care is required, whether inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation, how quickly someone recovers, and what steps they take to help them get better.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a series of guidelines for TBI rehabilitation based on a review of research literature. 

“Texas House Of Representatives (HB4406) -Appropriate Care Of Tx TBI Patients”

Best Practices for TBI Rehabilitation

TBI rehabilitation has become a hot topic, as many celebrities have had to undergo TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) treatments. What are the best practices for TBI rehabilitation treatment?

TBI rehabilitation is fundamentally different than traditional rehab. This type of rehab is not meant to be a quick fix, but a long-term solution that allows patients to function at their pre-injury level with minimal disabilities. The goal is to take the patient’s injured brain and turn it into an active and functional brain. In this way, TBI can be effectively treated as an injury that can be recovered from with proper rehabilitative treatment. The goal of TBI rehabilitation is not to make people better, but to make them better enough so that they can safely return to work or caregiving.

trauma side effect

Here is a little More About Texas House Of Representatives (HB4406) -Appropriate Care Of Tx TBI Patients

In February 2016, a bill was introduced in the Texas House of Representatives (HB 4406) to increase the amount of acute care beds available for the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). This bill would be the first in Texas to label TBI as a serious condition and require that such facilities have an appropriate level of care. In 2011, there were only 451 acute care bed days available for TBI patients statewide. The bill would increase this number to 772 and would add 25 additional beds in each emergency room or transport center at every hospital [that has at least 50 emergency room visits per year].

The bill passed through both chambers but was never sent to a vote in the Senate. 

Some say, The reason why this bill didn’t pass is that it requires “providers” (i.e., medical facilities) to have more money than they are willing to spend, which most aren’t willing to do because it will require them to change their business model, which everyone thinks is a bad thing.

 

Additional Tips for Recovering from a Brain Injury

Recovery from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex process. Recovery is only one part of this process, and recovery, though necessary, is far from the whole story.

While recovery is necessary in order to be on the road to full recovery, sometimes it can make it more difficult to get back on that road. The most effective way to get back on that road is with the right rehab inpatient or outpatient care.

The Texas Brain Injury Residential Facilities (MDT) program was established by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (TDAAS) and operates through three independent agencies: TDAAS, Department of Public Safety (DPS), and Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). These agencies have created a coordinated system for providing services for individuals with TBI.

The MDT program has two primary goals:

* Provide specialized rehabilitation for individuals with TBI who are at risk for future disability or death. * Assist individuals in their transition to community living including early independence activities such as employment, education, home health care, and family support.

About The Author

Tiffany Dyar

Tiffany Dyar is the former Executive Director for The Center for Health Innovation & Implementation Science, and the former Program Manager at Regenstrief Institute.Tiffany has co-authored several medical publications including The American Journal of Critical Care  Journal of General Internal Medicine Trials Journal  Best Practices in Mental Health  & The New England Journal of Medicine

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