The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) launched a new Oregon Brain Injury Program. The program is designed to help individuals with brain injuries navigate and access the services and supports available to them. Services are free and available to anyone in Oregon affected by a brain injury, including family members or others seeking information.

Free help is available through a toll-free phone line that accepts calls Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Services provided include:

• One-on-one, free and confidential support.
• Personalized referrals to resources specific to brain injury recovery and management.
• Comprehensive resource information to help navigate available services and options.

Brain injuries are occurring at more frequent rates in Oregon, according to data published on the Oregon Traumatic Brain Injury Safety Dashboard. In 2023 alone, there were 38,718 brain injuries that required hospital or emergency department intervention and 1,177 fatal brain injuries in Oregon.

“Oregon’s Brain Injury Program is a step forward in ensuring people in Oregon are supported at every level of need and through every stage of life,” said Nakeshia Knight-Coyle, Director of the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities. “This program will improve access to services for people with brain injuries and take the burden off families who are trying to find support.”

The Brain Injury Program serves people with brain injuries through four key areas:

• Advocacy: Helping people advocate for their needs and access essential supports.
• Options Counseling: Offering guidance on understanding and comparing available services and programs.
• Resource Navigation: Connecting individuals to the right resources, whether medical, therapeutic or social.
• Service Coordination: Facilitating connections between different service providers to ensure coordinated care and support.

Services are tailored to the needs of each person, ensuring they receive the help that best fits their situation.

The program also reduces barriers that exist as people seek help. Assistance and supports to people with brain injuries are not centralized under one government agency or program. Case managers or social workers who serve as guides for the people they serve are in short supply. The Brain Injury Program helps address these issues by helping people access services across agencies and programs.

“Without a resource like the Brain Injury Program help line, many individuals struggle to access services and resources that are available to them. Our goal with the program was to address the gaps,” said Jane-ellen Weidanz, Deputy Director of Policy for the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities.

Oregon’s Brain Injury Program was developed as a result of Senate Bill 420 (2023). Oregon's Brain Injury Advocate Coordinator at the Center on Brain Injury Research and Training (CBIRT) at the University of Oregon was among many advocates and organizations behind development and adoption of Senate Bill 420. "This new program would not exist without the incredible dedication and hard work of hundreds of Oregonians throughout the state who fought tirelessly to make this program a reality. Oregon's Brain Injury Program represents their commitment to making a better future for all of Oregon's brain injury survivors, their families, loved ones, and caregivers,” said David Kracke, Oregon's Brain Injury Advocate Coordinator at CBIRT.

The bill also calls for creation of a Brain Injury Program Advisory Committee, which will advise on the development of programs and activities to address the needs of individuals with brain injuries across the state. The Advisory Committee will be made up of 12 people who have knowledge and experience in brain injuries and who represent all of the geographic areas of Oregon. At least one-third of the members must have experienced a brain injury. Recruitment for the Advisory Committee is open now. Individuals can apply by submitting an application.

More information:

• Brain Injury Program phone number: 1-833-685-0848 (toll-free). Interpreting services are available at no cost for people who need help in a language other than English. The Brain Injury Program accepts TTY calls by dialing 711.
• Hours of operation: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Learn more on the Brain Injury Program webpage