Advancing New Jersey's Traumatic Brain Injury System of Care: Improving Provider Education, Service Access, and Caregiver Supports - The New Jersey Department of Human Services (NJDHS), Division of Disability Services (DDS), in partnership with The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and a statewide network of healthcare, academic, community, and advocacy organizations, proposes a three-year initiative (October 1, 2026–September 30, 2029) to strengthen New Jersey's system of care for individuals living with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Guided by the New Jersey State Action Plan, the project aims to improve the early identification of TBI, expand access to coordinated services, strengthen workforce capacity, and build a sustainable statewide system of support. To achieve these goals, the project will expand implementation of the Online Brain Injury Screening and Support System (OBISSS), develop evidence-based education and training for professionals across allied healthcare, behavioral health, and high-risk community settings, strengthen the existing statewide TBI Resource Facilitation Network to improve care coordination and connect individuals and families with needed services, engage people with lived experience in leadership, planning and implementation, evaluate project activities using continuous quality improvement, and strengthen the New Jersey TBI Advisory Council and Survivor Advisory Board to advance implementation of the State Action Plan and support long-term systems change. Expected outcomes include increased TBI screening and referrals, improved access to coordinated, person-centered services, enhanced provider knowledge and confidence, stronger statewide partnerships, and improved quality of life for individuals with TBI and their families. Project products include standardized screening and referral protocols, professional education and training materials, resource facilitation tools, evaluation reports, adapted caregiver support materials, and a sustainability plan to maintain statewide screening, education, resource facilitation, and stakeholder engagement beyond the grant period.
