Funding

Funding for the program is administered by the California Department of Mental Health (DMH).

This program for adults with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), caused as a result of an external force to the head, was initiated with the passage of Senate Bill 2232, (Chapter 1292, Statutes of 1988) which provided for a TBI pilot project. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a coordinated service approach to assist persons with TBI to attain productive, independent lives. DMH is required to contract with community organizations to develop and operate sites statewide. The sites demonstrate diverse approaches to service delivery and coordination. Two are hospital-based, Mercy Healthcare, Sacramento in Roseville and St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton while the other five are community-based, The Betty Clooney Foundation in Long Beach, Central Coast Center for Independent Living in Capitola, Making Headway in Eureka, Central Coast Neurobehavior Center in Morro Bay, and The Janet Pomeroy Center, serving San Francisco City and County.

Recent Legislation expanded the project to up to a total of eight sites, subject to available funding (seven sites are currently funded), extended the project to June 30, 2012, called for an independent evaluation of the efficacy of the services, and lifted a previously imposed funding limit. Additionally, the DMH has been directed to convene an advisory workgroup to assist with the development of requests for proposals and the evaluation of proposals, to assist in the independent evaluation and the collection of uniform data, and for the recommendation of strategies and guidelines for accident prevention as well as training for peace officers in awareness of brain injury issues. All the provisions for the TBI sites are contained in Welfare and Institutions Code Section 4354, et. seq.

Funding for services comes from fees paid for various violations of California's Vehicle Code, including the seatbelt law. The target population for site services is adults who have sustained an external blunt force to the head which has resulted in cognitive, psychological, neurological or anatomical changes in brain functions.