R 145

2019 -- H 5845 Enacted 03/13/2019

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING THE WEEK 0F MARCH 11TH THROUGH MARCH 17TH TO BE "BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS WEEK" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Representatives Kazarian, Casimiro, Alzate, Filippi, and Shekarchi

Date Introduced: March 13, 2019

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 people with severe

brain injury to survive these injuries; and

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

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

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

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 collaboration with community partners and 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 11 through March 17, 2019, 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 Debra Sharpe, Executive Director, of the Brain

Injury Association of Rhode Island.

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LC000967

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