Mission

The mission of the Arizona Governor’s Council on Spinal and Head Injuries is to enhance health, safety, and quality of life for children and adults with spinal cord and brain injuries, their families, and communities by building comprehensive and coordinated systems, facilitating access to services and full community participation, and promoting prevention of injuries and related subsequent conditions, in collaboration with persons with spinal cord and brain injuries, their families, government agencies, community organizations, and the business community.

The Council:

(1) Advises appropriate State agencies, the governor, and legislature on matters and issues relating to spinal cord and brain injuries and rehabilitation.

(2) Reviews and makes recommendations, plans, and strategies for meeting the needs, on a statewide basis, of persons with spinal cord or brain injuries and their families.

(3) Conducts activities that lead to the prevention of spinal cord and brain injuries and related subsequent conditions.

(4) In cooperation with related organizations, conducts comprehensive professional and public education to heighten awareness of the capabilities, potential, and needs of persons with spinal cord or brain injuries and their families.

(5) Gathers and provides information on spinal cord and brain injuries and available resources.

(6) Promotes efficient and coordinated use of resources in providing services for persons with spinal cord or brain injuries.

(7) Develops, implements, and monitors the plan for the expenditure of the Trust Fund in accordance with the Law, for such purposes as: public information, prevention, and education of the general public and professionals; information and referral; rehabilitation and related services; surveillance; and the administration of the Council.

Vision

Our vision is that there is a comprehensive, well-coordinated, easily accessible, and effective service delivery system for persons with spinal cord and brain injuries. We envision a system in which all partners understand their roles and accept responsibility for doing their part to create a seamless system. We envision a system that is responsive to and reflective of the diversity of people throughout Arizona. We envision a system in which injuries are identified early, needs are assessed regularly, and services and supports are planned, developed, and delivered to meet these needs and maximize quality of life.

Our vision is that policy makers recognize the capabilities, potential, and needs of persons with spinal cord and brain injuries and their families and that this heightened awareness has had a positive impact on public and private sector policies and practices.

Our vision is that all Arizonans are aware of spinal cord and brain injuries and work together to decrease the incidence and severity of these injuries and to ensure the full inclusion of persons who have sustained spinal cord and brain injuries in the life of the community.

Finally, we hope that the Arizona Governor’s Council will serve as model for others in its efforts to work collaboratively with persons with spinal cord and brain injuries, their families, government agencies, community organizations, and the business community in realizing this vision.

Values and Beliefs

#1: Spinal cord and brain injuries affect persons of all ages, and dealing with the consequences of these injuries is a lifelong process. Services and resources should be developed with an awareness of and sensitivity to both immediate and ongoing needs of children and adults and their changing needs over time.

#2: Persons who sustain spinal cord or brain injuries and their families need understanding, encouragement, and support in order to achieve ongoing quality of life. They also need information to make sound decisions and access to a comprehensive range of quality treatment and rehabilitation services and resources.

#3: Prevention is the best approach. Through education, heightened public awareness, sound public policy, and cooperation, the incidence of spinal cord and brain injuries can be reduced, as can the secondary disabling conditions which often follow these injuries.

#4: We all have a personal responsibility to become educated, to create a safe environment, and to behave responsibly to prevent spinal cord and brain injuries. Individuals and their families have a personal responsibility to learn about their injuries and to work with professionals and the community to maximize quality of life. In partnership, persons with spinal cord or brain injuries, families, and professionals working together can increase public awareness.

#5: We have an ethical responsibility to work together—persons with spinal cord or brain injuries, families, professionals, government, providers, funding sources, and advocates—to empower persons with spinal cord and brain injuries and their families, to eliminate barriers to independent living and full community presence and participation, and to develop an integrated service delivery system.

#6: The service delivery system should be comprehensive, coordinated, understandable, culturally sensitive, and should not create undue burden on persons with spinal cord or brain injuries and their families. Services should be individualized, accessible, available, and high quality. The focus of service delivery should be promotion of good health and quality of life for all persons with spinal cord or brain injuries, including those who are vulnerable and those who are likely to “fall through the cracks” in the system.

#7: In order to promote health and minimize the occurrence or progression of secondary conditions, we need research, technology, and ongoing professional education to ensure that we are using the best information and practices available.

#8: People should have equal opportunity to learn and to be productive, including access to quality public education and meaningful employment, and to contribute in their own unique ways to the life of the community.

#9: People should experience power, control, and ownership of their personal affairs and should have choice regarding supportive services when needed. They should be afforded the opportunity and resources to be as self-reliant as possible and to direct the support provided to them by others throughout their lives.

Key Directions and Strategies

Mission	Key Directions	Strategies
To enhance health, safety, and quality of life for children and adults with spinal cord and brain injuries, their families, and communities	Key Direction 1: Build comprehensive and coordinated systems	· Collaboration on policies, procedures, and practices · Education · Programs and services · Public information · Surveillance and data collection · Technical assistance · Planning and evaluation · Budget and administration of the Council
	Key Direction 2: Facilitate access to services and full community participation	· Collaboration on policies, procedures, and practices · Education · Information and referral · Programs and services · Public information · Surveillance and data collection · Technical assistance · Planning and evaluation · Budget and administration of the Council
	Key Direction 3: Promote prevention of injuries and subsequent conditions	· Collaboration on policies, procedures, and practices · Education · Programs and services · Public information · Surveillance and data collection · Technical assistance · Planning and evaluation · Budget and administration of the Council

2002 Major Actions

Major Action Number and Title	Major Action	Key Directions
#1 Direct Services	Provide and evaluate direct service.
#1A RSA/ILRS	Fund and evaluate services and provide ongoing training and technical assistance.	1,2
#1B RSA/TBI Specialists Project /Job Coach	Fund and evaluate services and provide ongoing training and technical assistance.	1,2
#1C RSA/ESS	Research effective service models; fund services; and provide ongoing training and technical assistance.	1,2
#1D OCSHCN	Complete the AZ Children with TBI Grant; finalize the evaluation report; prepare the final report; provide ongoing training and technical assistance; and apply for federal post-demonstration funding to expand the project.	1,2,3
#2 Policies, Procedures, and Practices	Promote policies, procedures, and practices for improved services for people with TBI and SCI. (Primary Partners = Arizona Departments of Corrections, Economic Security [Division of Developmental Disabilities and Rehabilitation Services Administration], Education, Health [Division of Behavioral Health Services and Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs], and Juvenile Corrections; AHCCCS/ALTCS [State Medicaid agency], Regional Behavioral Health Authorities, and local schools/school districts.)	1,2
#3 Education and Training	Use existing and develop new education and training materials and curricula for classroom use and for a variety of audiences and provide training.
#3A Training Plan	Develop a multi-agency training plan and structure to support it.	1,2
#3B1Curricula and Training: SCI	Develop and utilize SCI curricula.	1,2
#3B2 Curricula and Training: TBI	Continue to update, expand, and utilize TBI curricula.	1,2
#3C Resource Cards	Use TBI and SCI resource materials in training; distribute upon request; make family friendly information available in Spanish.	1,2
#3D BIRCs	Maintain, promote the use of, and evaluate BIRCs.	1,2
#3E Other Materials	Identify, procure, distribute, and evaluate other resource materials.	1,2
#4 Public Awareness	Develop, disseminate to the public, and evaluate print and electronic public awareness resources.	1,2,3
#5 Community Resources	Refine and enhance community resources for persons with TBI and SCI and their families.
#5A BIA	Maintain contact with the Brain Injury Association of Arizona.	2
#5B ASCIA	Provide funding and support to the Arizona Spinal Cord Injury Association and monitor the contract.	2
#5C Brain Injury RFP	Develop an RFP for a statewide brain injury resource agency and develop and implement a contract.	2
#5D Information and Referral	Continue to monitor and evaluate the existing I&R program; build I&R capacity of State Associations.	2
#6 Prevention	Implement, monitor, and evaluate prevention programs.
#6A Child Fatality Teams	Monitor prevention project contracts with local Child Fatality Teams.	3
#6B SCI Prevention	Support SCI prevention programs in partnership with ASCIA.	3
#7 Planning	Update and implement the strategic and operational plans.	1,2,3
#8 Budget	Update and monitor the budget expenditures and participate in the legislative appropriation process.	1,2,3
#9 Evaluation	Implement evaluation for Council programs and administration and develop new strategies for new initiatives.	1,2,3
#10 Operations	Manage Council operations and fulfill DES/RSA and Governor’s Office duties and responsibilities.	1,2,3
#11 Human Resources	Manage human resources.	1,2,3
#12 Linkages	Develop and maintain linkages with key partners by participating in conferences and organizations related to spinal and head injuries in ways that are consistent with available resources and the strategic plan.	1,2,3
#13 Technical Assistance	Upon request, provide technical assistance, information, and referrals that are consistent with available resources and the strategic plan.	1,2,3
#14 Needs Assessment	Complete the statewide needs assessment; utilize results to guide planning; and make decisions about next steps.	1,2,3
#15 Surveillance	Explore ways to refine reporting of surveillance data to the Council.	1,2,3