By Lucas Blankenship
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. In recognition of this, the OneOp Family Development and Military Caregiving concentrations have partnered with the Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (TBICoE) for a two-part webinar series on traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in order to raise awareness of the signs and possible effects of a TBI, treatment protocols, and resources available to caregivers, service members, and their families.
Key Session Takeaways from Part I of TBI Series
On March 17, 2022, the first of the two-part webinar series, Brain Health: Understanding Military-Related TBIs, was presented and featured Kristen Benson, Regional Education Coordinator for TBICoE. Focusing on the clinical aspects of treating TBIs, Benson reiterated the need for early recognition and treatment of TBIs by knowing the obvious and not-so-obvious causes, signs, and symptoms of TBIs and the assessment tools and treatment plans available.
The webinar offered practical insights on assessment, and treatment. For example, Benson explained that assessment tools like the second edition of the Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE2) are essential in the Military Health System’s (MHS) and Veterans Affairs’ (VA) TBI pathway of care. Providers use MACE2 to identify symptom clusters and risk factors to better tailor treatment of TBIs and is most helpful when performed as close to the injury event as possible.
Benson described that treatment programs like Progressive Return to Activity (PRA), are tailored to the service member and the TBI they’ve incurred. The PRA is focused on returning service members to full service as quickly and safely as possible.
If you missed part one on Brain Health, there is still time to go back and watch the recording, receive continuing education credit, and download additional resources.
RSVP for Part II: Support for Reintegration after TBI
OneOp teams and TBICoE will conclude their two-part series this Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET by focusing on Support for Reintegration after TBI: Strategies for Advocates, Care Coordinators, and Case Managers. To learn more about this upcoming webinar, and RSVP to join, go to Support for Reintegration after TBI.
