About the
1st Annual Pacific Northwest Regional Conference on Brain Injury 2003
Portland, Oregon
The
conference will have an interstate focus as we build momentum for
interstate collaboration building stronger and more effective
resources to increase awareness and prevention for the western
region.
Presentations
will highlight the latest research and treatments in the brain injury field; best practices, and methods to promote
inter regional cooperation; model programs from communities across
the states, including Dr. Kathy
Bell, University of Washington's TBI Model System Grant; Dr. Randall
Chesnut discussing the Guidelines for the Management of Severe Head Injury;
and plans for strengthening inter and intra state brain injury support
and resources.
The conference will
begin with the 1st Annual Pacific Northwest Regional
Brain Injury Conference. Invited are a broad group of participants
from western states and British Columbia. Friday’s program,
featuring Keynote Speaker Geoffrey Lauer, Director of Affiliate Relations, from the
Brain Injury Association of America, will be
targeted to professionals, service providers, advocates and
government agency case staff with the theme “Pulling it All
Together.” The two tracks will include: Medical,
looking at what happens
after folks leave hospital, the aftermath of TBI; best ER
practices re: TBI or possible TBI; Dr. Randall Chesnut on
evidence-based approach to treating TBI during acute stage;
and
Collaborating to Increase Resources,
how to enhance
outcomes for persons with brain injury and their families through
improved communication and collaboration. Geoffrey M. Lauer, MA,
Director of Affiliate Relations for the Brain Injury Association of
America, will describe how lead agency staff,
advisory council members, & BIA Associations inter and intra state
can work together; Alta Bruce,
Chair, Indigenous BIA, Injury Prevention
Specialist, Indian Health Service, ND, addressing efforts to creates awareness of TBI among Native Americans; and Jane
Laciste, CA State TBI Project Coordinator, leading discussion on
coping mechanisms for providers when resources have been exhausted. We will be offering continuing education and medical credits for
professionals attending these sessions as well as Saturdays
sessions.
Saturday's program, “Realm
of the Senses,”
will have three topic tracks to appeal to both professionals as
well as persons with brain injury and their families. Keynote
Speaker, Dr. Claudia L. Osborn, author of Over
My Head, A Doctor's Own Story of Head Injury from the Inside Looking
Out, will talk with humorous insight about her life post-injury.
She will discuss the ingredients in a successful rehabilitation,
share her coping strategies and reveal the critical elements needed
to decrease disability and move on to a full and happy life.
Join national, state, and local policy makers, physicians, health care
professionals, health agencies, business and education communities,
Brain Injury Association members, survivors and family members, and advocates from 12 states and
leading health stakeholders at this pioneering Pacific Northwest regional
conference.
The conference program will enable health professionals to
discuss current
practices and state and community representatives to discuss strategies designed to significantly improve
access to resources, support mechanisms, and various marketing and
advocacy strategies for the next year or more for each states.
More specifically, with this vision in mind,
the 2003 Conference will
look at:
- Recent trends in Brain Injury diagnosis and treatment
- Cutting-edge basic and clinical research
- New therapies and medications
- Brain injury coalition efforts
- The demographics of brain injury
- Improving
communication and collaboration between state and
community
- Media campaigns, targeting and tailoring
- Physician and health care provider education and skill building
- School-based brain injury interventions
- Survivor education and skill building
- Community-based interventions-including for
indigenous people
- State and local legislation and advocacy
- Emergency department clinical practices
Who Should Attend
the 1st Annual Pacific Northwest Regional 2003? The Regional
Conference of 2003 targets a variety of health professionals,
providers, state case workers, BIA members, survivors and advocates who want to be
at the forefront of meeting the Brain Injury-related challenges of
Brain Injury survivors:
- Physicians
- Physician Assistants
- Nurses/Nurse Practitioners
- Public Health Professionals
- Community Health Specialists
- Family Practitioners
- Internists
- Health Educators
- Pharmacists
- Emergency Medical Care Providers
- Community Coalition Staff
- Managed Care Directors
- Program Administrators/Planners
- State Health Department Brain Injury Staff
- Lead State Agency staff
- Voc Rehab
Counselors-state and private
- Health Policy Officials
- Attorneys
- Brain Injury Association and
advisory council members
- Brain Injury Advocates
- Brain Injury Survivors and
Family
