R 134

2017 -- H 5958 Enacted 03/21/2017

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING THE WEEK OF MARCH 12TH THROUGH 18TH OF 2017 TO BE "BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS WEEK" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Representatives Kazarian, Shekarchi, Morgan, Maldonado, and

Date Introduced: March 21, 2017

WHEREAS, The Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island has identified that more than

12,000 residents of Rhode Island will sustain a traumatic brain injury this year; and

WHEREAS, The Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island has identified brain injury as

the leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults in this country; and

WHEREAS, Brain injury is an extremely costly public health issue; and

WHEREAS, Advances in medical technology have enabled many persons with severe

brain injury to survive these injuries; and

WHEREAS, Persons with brain injury may need specialized rehabilitation programs and

other services to meet specific needs to live life to maximum potential; and

WHEREAS, Most forms of insurance, public and private, that are available to persons

with brain injuries may not cover the rehabilitative and long-term care needs of these individuals;

and

WHEREAS, People with brain injury and their families too often must choose financial

hardship and discontinuing critical treatment and services due to the substantial long-term costs;

and

WHEREAS, Without specialized community services, people with brain injury may

become inappropriately institutionalized; and

WHEREAS, Providing treatment methods and services to people with brain injury must

be a priority for the State of Rhode Island; and

WHEREAS, In partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Defense Veterans Brain Injury

Center (DVBIC), the Brain Injury Association of America and the Brain Injury Association of

Rhode Island strive to increase brain injury awareness, thus making prevention and safety

measures part of the American culture in an effort to decrease the number of brain injuries; now,

therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby proclaims the week of March 12th through 18th of 2017, to be

"Brain Injury Awareness Week" in the State of Rhode Island; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ms. Debra Sharpe, Executive Director of the

Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island.

========

LC002235

========