Brain Injury Awareness Month

March was Brain Injury Awareness Month, and we hope you took time to recognize and learn about those in our community who have a brain injury.

Many people assume that brain injuries are the same or similar enough that care plans should be easy. In reality though, individuals with a brain injury may have a huge range of side effects that could include things like memory impairment to needing to use a wheelchair. 

“It’s very important to meet clients where they are and make sure the services match the need,” said RMHS Brain Injury Case Manager Bobbie Potter.

RMHS has many options to help individuals in Colorado with a brain injury through the Brain Injury Waiver (BI.) The waiver has services like Supported Living Placements for people with needs that can’t be met on their own, Independent Living Skills Training that can help those with a BI retrain themselves to do things that may have been impacted by the brain injury, and Adult Day Programs that can help with things like speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.

“The goal of BI waiver services is to help clients get at least some semblance of life back from prior to the injury,“ Potter said.

Potter works directly with individuals through the RMHS Single Entry Point service to make sure their needs are being met, and that they are working the way they should.

“I really enjoy talking to them and getting to know them, and I have built a good rapport with many of them, “ Potter said. “I have always wanted to help people, and that is by far the most rewarding part of this job, and why I do what I do.”

You can learn more about Brain Injury Awareness Month here: www.biausa.org/public-affairs/public-awareness/brain-injury-awareness

For anyone interested in the BI waiver, you can start the waiver process here: www.rmhumanservices.org/single-entry-point