Advocacy
Every year, BIAV has conversations with people with brain injury, family members and caregivers, and others to gather information about their concerns, their service needs and what's important to them. This is how we develop our requests for the Virginia General Assembly.
Here are the budget amendments and bills we are asking for in the 2020 session.
BUDGET AMENDMENTS:
$6.3 million for a system of care that includes:
- 2,000,000 for in-state neurobehavioral care
- Del Mark Sickles: HB30; Item 313#6h
- Sen David Marsden: SB30: Item 313#17s
- $1,900,000 to provide specialized community based case management services
- Del Emily Brewer: HB30, Item 339#4h
- Sen Monty Mason: SB30; Item 339#7s
- $1,000,000 for supported living services
- Del Sam Rasoul: HB30; Item 339#3h
- Sen Jennifer McClellan: SB30; Item 339#6s
- $1,000,000 to address workforce retention issues
- Del David Bulova: HB30; Item 339#1h
- Sen Frank Ruff: SB30; Item 339#2s
- $400,000 to conduct brain injury screening and treatment for survivors of domestic violence
- Del Dawn Adams: HB30; Item 339#7h
- Sen Ghazala Hashmi: SB30; Item 339#4s
- Inclusion of full-time employees of state-funded Brain Injury Services programs in state employee raise categories
- Del Nick Rush HB30; Item 345#1h
- Sen Creigh Deeds: HB30; Item 477#17s
BILLS
What is the difference? These are requests to make changes to the current Virginia law.
PATRONS AND BILL NUMBERS:
- Del Tony Wilt: HB1231
- Sen John Edwards: SB494
This bill would require crisis intervention teams to receive specific training on brain injury
- Sen Creigh Deeds SB289
This bill will permit a designation for brain injury on drivers licenses
During the session, there are many opportunities for you to get involved, like coming to
BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS DAY
February 5, 2020
Senate Subcommittee Room #3
5th Floor - Pocahontas Building
9:15am - 10:15am
Join advocates gathering at the General Assembly building to fight for more funding and community based services for Virginians affected by brain injury.
BIAV will be there with everything you need to visit with your Delegate or Senator. You can download these documents ahead of time, or pick them up from us when you get there. We will provide:
- A Packet Introduction Page 2020
- A "Brain Injury in Virginia" Fact Sheet
- Our Needs Statement for each budget amendment and bill
Here's a handy little "What To Know" cheat sheet that tells you a bit about what to expect if you're joining us at the General Assembly Building.
Virtual Awareness Day
If you can't be there in person, you can certainly join our efforts from wherever you are by sending a letter, an email or a fax, and sharing your commitment to creating a better future on your social media accounts.
Here is the Virtual Awareness Day 2020 packet, which should tell you everything you might need to know about participating.
Social Media
Remember to follow us and tag us in your posts!
Facebook: @BrainInjuryAssociationofVirginia
Instagram: @braininjuryassociationva
Twitter: @biavirginia
Here's the social media messaging and hashtags we'll be using for Awareness Day:
28,000. That’s the number of Virginians who sustain brain injuries every year! It’s time to prioritize Brain Injury funding! #BIAwareness #BIFundingMatters #braininjury
Here's some graphics you can download for posts:
Other Resources:
We have put together some resources to help you better understand the issues and how you can become more involved!
- Self Advocacy is so important! Read these tips on how to be a more effective advocate for yourself.
- This great self-advocacy article is from the Brain Injury Association of Maryland
- Learn more about advocacy following brain injury in this article.
Count Down to Brain Injury Awareness Day February 5th!
