February 2024

CALL TO ACTION!

Advocates Needed to Pass Reauthorization of the TBI Act!

This year, Congress will be considering legislation which would reauthorize the federal Traumatic Brain Injury Act. The bipartican bill, H.R. 7208, is sponsored by the two chairs of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force; Congressman Bill Pascrell (pictured right) from New Jersey and Congressman Don Bacon from Nebraska. The Act provides much-needed funding to improve rehabilitation and community support for people with brain injury, but it is set to expire in 2024. 

The legislation will:

• Increase the authorization level for the TBI State Partnership Program from $7.3 million to $19 million for fiscal years 2025 to 2029;
• Federally designate brain injury as a chronic condition;
• Prioritize clarifying service eligibility for the TBI Act to make distinctions between external force injuries and internal force injuries;
• Continue to Authorize the CDC TBI Programs and National Concussion Surveillance System; and,
• Include the Administration for Community Living Protection and Advocacy Program in any amended TBI Act.

To learn more about this important legislation and how you can help, contact Tom Grady, Director of Advocacy & Public Affairs at tgrady@bianj.org.

  Senate Law and Public Safety Releases Bill to Improve Disaster and Emergency Response for People with Access and Functional Needs

The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senators Linda Greenstein and Nellie Pou that would establish a permanent unit in the Office of Emergency Management to address the unique needs of residents with access and functional needs.

"During disasters and other emergencies, the government needs to be prepared to assist all of its residents, and that includes the needs of disabled residents, those who primarily speak languages other than English, and people with limited access to transportation," said Senator Greenstein, Chair of the Law and Public Safety Committee. "Nobody should be forgotten about during an emergency, and this bill will help ensure our state is as prepared as possible for the future."

The bill, S-991, would establish a unit meant to ensure that emergency response plans are tailored to the needs of residents with access and functional needs. Under the bill, the term "access and functional needs" would include a person with a disability, senior citizens, a person with limited English proficiency, a person with limited access to transportation, and a person with limited access to financial resources that would enable them to prepare and recover from the effects of a disaster or emergency.

"This legislation would help make us better prepared when hurricanes, extreme flooding, or other emergencies threaten our communities," said Senator Pou. "According to the Centers for Disease Control, roughly one in five New Jerseyans have a disability. The state needs to account for them in our emergency responses, and plan out ahead of time how to best keep them safe."

The unit established by the bill would consist of one full-time supervisor and a staff of three full-time planners to assist with the needs of the northern, central, and southern regions of the state in serving residents with access and functional needs.

Legislative Corner

The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey monitors and addresses a broad range of legislation that relates to brain injury. Legislation listed below has advanced in either the New Jersey State Legislature or United States Congress. We also appreciate those elected officials who support our positions on certain legislation. We acknowledge such support when it occurs through this monthly electronic newsletter.

Please contact Tom Grady, Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs if you would like more information about these bills at tgrady@bianj.org and/or whether you would like to contact your elected representatives to express your views on these bills. 

Bills Advanced

In the New Jersey Legislature

S991 - Establishes permanent unit in Office of Emergency Management to address access and functional needs of residents related to disasters and emergencies.

S1016 - Requires State agencies to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities and on mobile devices.

S2292 - Requires low-speed electric bicycles and low-speed electric scooters to be registered with MVC and to be insured.

S2449 - Establishes "New Jersey COVID-19 Long-Term Health Effects Task Force."

S2472 - Establishes minimum Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare reimbursement rate for pediatric special care nursing facilities.

S2493 - Establishes minimum base NJ FamilyCare per diem reimbursement rate of $1,100 for special care nursing facility with neurologically impaired young adult unit.

S2518 - Increases annual income limitation to receive senior and disabled citizens' property tax deduction to $15,000.

S2535 - Establishes minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate for structured day program services provided to beneficiary eligible for brain injury services.

S2559 - Requires State reimbursement to municipalities of cost of disabled veterans' total property tax exemption.

S2480 - Requires Commissioner of Education to prepare report on learning loss of students with developmental disabilities during COVID-19 public health emergency.

S2604 - Establishes program to incentivize hiring and continued employment of individuals with developmental disabilities.

A2769 - Establishes program in DOLWD to connect persons with disabilities with job training and employment.

S2796 - Increases amounts of property tax deductions for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, and veterans, from $250 to $500.

S2815 - Allows holder of disabled veteran or Purple Heart license plate or placard to park in parking spots for persons with disability.

A3462 - Allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credits to businesses employing certain persons with developmental disabilities.

A3470 - Provides gross income tax credit to certain totally and permanently disabled veterans for rent constituting property taxes.

A3477 - Requires certain accessible public restroom facilities be equipped with signs reserving use for persons with disabilities.

A3478 - Requires owners of certain multiple dwellings of three or more floors to provide priority status to senior citizens and disables residents moving to lower floors.

A3631 - Provides that persons between 18 and 21 years of age with disabilities are eligible to receive direct support professional services from DHS.

A3632 - Requires State employees to be trained in disability law and etiquette.

A3636 - Requires State agencies to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities and on mobile devices.

A3638 - Revises eligibility requirements for NJ Workability Program and Personal Assistance Services Program.

A3640 - Authorizes Assistant Commissioner of Division of Developmental Disabilities to establish exception rates, and programmatic and staffing requirements, for individuals with highly acute needs.

A3644 - Requires residential psychiatric and long-term care facilities to provide certain financial information to facility residents and other individuals.

A3688 - Authorizes proportional property tax exemption for honorably discharged veterans having a service-connected disability and requires State to reimburse municipalities for cost of exemption.

A2769 - Establishes program in DOLWD to connect persons with disabilities with job training and employment.

A3780 - Expands purpose of Traumatic Brain Injury Fund to support transportation costs incurred by eligible individuals in accessing support group meetings.

Thank you to the following legislators for supporting legislation endorsed by the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey!

S2518 - Increases annual income limitation to receive senior and disabled citizens’ property tax deduction to $15,000.

• Senator Patrick Diegnan.

S2535 - Establishes minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate for structured day program services provided to beneficiary eligible for brain injury services.

• Senators Brian Stack, Teresa Ruiz

A1476 - Establishes “New Jersey Target Zero Commission.”

• Assemblyman John Allen

A2633 - Allows gross income tax deduction for charitable contributions to certain New Jersey-based charitable organizations.

• Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis

A2867 - Increases annual income limitation to receive senior and disabled citizens’ property tax deduction to $15,000.

• Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul.

A3193 - Requires Adjutant General of DMVA create program for veterans to receive evaluation and treatment for PTSD and total brain injury.

• Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn

A3470 - Provides gross income tax credit to certain totally and permanently disabled veterans for rent constituting property taxes.

• Assemblyman Joe Danielsen

A3636 - Requires State agencies to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities and on mobile devices.

• Assemblywoman Carol Murphy.

A3780 - Expands purpose of Traumatic Brain Injury Fund to support transportation costs incurred by eligible individuals in accessing support group meetings.

• Assemblymembers Roy Freiman, Mitchelle Drulis

AJR14 - Designates October of each year as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month.”

• Assemblywoman Carmen Theresa Morales

AJR109 - Establishes “Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizen Transportation Services Task Force” to study and make recommendations concerning ways to improve transportation services for persons with disabilities and senior citizens.

• Assemblywomen Shana Haider, Michele Matsikoudis

The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey provides a broad range of programs and services. You may learn about these programs and services by clicking HERE.

Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey Conducting Needs Assessment

The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey is conducting a statewide needs assessment on Traumatic Brain Injury and quality of life and access to services amongst survivors, caregivers, and service providers. This study is supported by the Administration for Community Living, Traumatic Brain Injury State Partnership Program Grant and approved by the Rowan University Institutional Review Board (Study # PRO-2022-310).

With this needs assessment, the aim is to better understand the current picture of TBI in the state and direct efforts to areas that are the most in need of attention. The first part of the study will consist of individual surveys conducted online, over the phone, and on paper. After this, there will be focus groups in South, Central, and North Jersey.

The hope is to get a well-represented screenshot of the gaps in TBI services in New Jersey. The direct link to the surveys is HERE.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Sakina Ladha, MD, MPH by email at sladha@bianj.org or by phone at 609-480-2271.