Mission and Goals of the Center
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Community Integration of Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) was awarded to researchers at TIRR (The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research) and Baylor College of Medicine by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) on November 1, 2003.
The Center's Mission is:
- That all those affected by Traumatic Brain Injury, including traditionally under-served populations, have access to information, resources, and services that maximize participation in their communities and that treating professionals have the necessary information to meet the needs of persons with TBI
- That all areas of community integration, including traditionally under-emphasized areas such as friendship, intimacy, and creative expression, be addressed
- That attitudinal barriers to community integration of persons with TBI be reduced
- That new types of partnerships, such as those with the larger disability community, be established in order to empower persons with TBI to have a voice in creating community services and networks to facilitate maximal community participation.
Our goals include:
- Assessing and identifying community integration needs from traditionally under-served populations, including members of racial/ethnic minority groups, individuals from rural communities, and those with mild TBI
- Understanding environmental factors that either serve to better or worsen community participation for individuals with TBI
- Focusing on increasing the number and quality of social relationships for individuals with TBI, by developing and implementing new and innovative networking systems
- Decreasing attitudinal barriers to community integration by increasing community awareness of the impact of brain injury, dispelling myths about TBI, and increasing positive attitudes about individuals with brain injury in the community
- Providing a bridge from rehabilitation into the community by educating and training paraprofessionals, healthcare professionals, and peers in how to meet the needs of persons with TBI
- Including individuals with TBI and family members or friends of those individuals in all aspects of research, training, and education.
- Creating sustainable, community-based programs for those affected by TBI through working with community organizations.
