The Brain Injury Community is at risk! Your Voice is Needed – Today
Many survivors of brain injury may be negatively affected by active, paused, or proposed Federal funding changes. The actions, and even non-actions, by state and federal elected officials can cause the following for persons living with brain injury:
Loss of healthcare
Many survivors of brain injury rely on their healthcare to see a doctor, receive prescription medication, or manage their chronic health conditions through Medicare and/or Medicaid.
- Proposed reductions to CMS may leave them without critical medical care, prescriptions, and preventative care.
Limited work opportunities
Survivors of brain injury often struggle to learn new skills, earn a paycheck, and have a career. Others cannot return to work.
Vital vocational services include helping individuals discover new abilities, develop new skills, and succeed as members of our workforce.
- Cuts to the Department of Education may reduce support for vocational rehabilitation services that help survivors of brain injury be competitively employed within their communities.
Limited school success
Youth with brain injury may be unable to succeed in school without assistance for their cognitive deficits, physical abilities, behavior management, mental health disorders, and more. Concussions sustained by more youth have been shown to negatively impact their short- and long-term learning.
- Department of Education cuts can limit special education services for students with brain injury, autism, ADHD, and other disorders to grasp new lessons, learn with peers, and be a positive part of the school community.
- Essential concussion-related education for school nurses, counselors, coaches, administrators, athletic trainers, teachers, and others could be limited.
More isolation
Community services and support are vital for persons with brain injury to have opportunities to be active within their communities and live a quality life. Limiting community services for medical appointments, grocery shopping, employment training, education, independent living skills, personal care assistance, mental health counseling, social activities, and more can lead to survivors feeling isolated, lonely, and hopeless.
- Cuts to the department of HHS (Health and Human Services) and DEI/DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) programs reduce important services and support for persons with brain injury of all ages, various abilities, and differing needs.
Fewer farmers
Farmers, ranchers, and other agribusiness workers with brain injury could be forced out of agriculture. Assistive technology, connection to resources, training, and review of farming operation services may not be available for the farmer to modify equipment or operations to continue farming.
- USDA reductions may impact their livelihoods in rural Missouri through cuts to grant programs and services. Food safety for all Missourians would also be impacted.
Fewer medical advances
Individuals who sustain a brain injury may have fewer opportunities to benefit from cutting-edge treatments for better recovery and success in their lives.
Medical, rehabilitation, and community-integration research generates a better understanding of the brain, changes from brain injury, frequency of brain injury, and life with brain injury.
- Cuts to various research-supported departments such as ACL (Administration on Community Living), NIH (National Institute of Health), CDC (Center for Disease Control), and others may stall advances in medical care, rehabilitation techniques, treatments, and cures. Important studies of the prevalence of brain injury and its impact as a chronic health condition would also be stopped.
Congress and the U.S. Senate are starting to debate the next federal budget. Please contact your elected officials today.
Votes by Missouri elected officials in Washington DC are your voice on national issues. They need to hear from you about services for persons with brain injury.
Please contact your Missouri Elected Official in Washington D.C. with the message:
- Federal services are needed to help persons with brain injury live, work, and play in the community.
- Maintain full funding for programs and operations that serve persons with brain injury. Programs are within the departments of ACL, CDC, CMS, DE, HHS, NIH, and USDA.
- Full funding is an investment in the economy, workforce, and humanity of the United States and Missouri.
Share your message in the format(s) that work best for you – phone, email, letter, social media, and/or video.
Phone calls tend to have more “weight” with legislative offices. A phone call and an email or letter are recommended.
Social media is very helpful to educate others.
Josh Hawley:
Email Sen. Hawley
Washington DC Office – 202-224-6154
* Sen. Hawley has publicly committed to not cut Medicaid. Please thank him for this commitment.
Eric Schmitt:
Email Sen. Schmitt
Washington DC Office – 202-224-5721
Contact your U.S. Congressperson:
Wesley Bell – District 1
Email Rep. Bell
Washington DC Office – 202-225-2406
Mark Alford – District 4
Email Rep. Alford
Washington DC Office – 202-225-2876
Eric Burlison – District 7
Email Rep. Burlison
Washington DC Office – 202-225-6536
Ann Wagner – District 2
Email Rep. Wagner
Washington DC Office – 202-225-1621
Emanuel Cleaver – District 5
Email Rep. Cleaver
Washington DC Office – 202-225-4535
Jason Smith – District 8
Email Rep. Smith
Washington DC Office – 202-225-4404
Robert Onder – District 3
Email Rep. Onder
Washington DC Office – 202-225-2956
Sam Graves – District 6
Email Rep. Graves
Washington DC Office – 202-225-7041
Thank you in advance for contacting your elected officials to protect services for persons with brain injury.