Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending - Construction - Abstract Project Title: Paralysis and Brain Injury Rehabilitation Expansion Project Applicant Organization Name: Central Maine Healthcare Address: 300 Main Street Lewiston, Maine 04240 Project Director Name: Robin Nievaard, Director of Acute Care Nursing Services & Rehab Contact Phone Numbers (Voice/Fax): 207-330-7848/207-795-5685 Email: Nievaaro@cmhc.org Website Address: https://www.cmhc.org/cmmc/services/rehabilitation-and-therapy/inpatient-rehabilitation/ Grant Program Funds Requested: Total Project Cost is $947,475, including capital equipment costs of $669,200, and building renovation costs of $278,275 Central Maine Healthcare (CMH) serves approximately 400,000 patients in the state of Maine with the Inpatient Rehabilitation Program serving over 200 patients/year. The Paralysis and Brain Injury Rehabilitation Expansion Project will provide enhanced post-acute care rehabilitative therapy services for survivors of spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, stroke, cerebral palsy, and other neurological conditions, a historically underserved community, through the acquisition of new capital equipment and select building renovations. The project will deliver direct benefits to Maine residents seeking specialized rehabilitative care in an accessible setting with effective therapies, using advance technologies, for paralysis and brain injury recovery. The project is expected to provide within the first year, care to 25 additional people who would otherwise travel out of the region or state to receive these services, or simply go without. CMH operating budget will cover ongoing expenses, if any, related to maintenance of the capital equipment and facility improvements, as well as immediately funding staff costs to provide therapy supported by this project. Standardized outcomes measures are collected on a routine basis and will be used to evaluate performance of the individuals and overall project. CMH operating and capital budget are unavailable to the project's capital equipment and building renovation elements due to competing fiscal priorities within CMH and across its fundraising program. As such, this project will not be able to be realized but for the requested federal funds. These funds will allow CMH to proceed with the project and complete the capital equipment and building renovation elements. Approximately 16,500 people in CMH service area suffer from paralysis and brain injury, including many in rural communities who would stand to benefit directly from this project. The project would build upon the current program and make more available this specialized rehabilitative therapy to residents of Maine. Outcomes include paralysis and brain injury survivors’ health, mobility improvements resulting in greater independence. Government programs to build such capacity miss regional healthcare providers like CMH. This project (1) addresses inequities in healthcare access for this special population; (2) enables effective and efficient delivery of healthcare via advanced technology and community simulations to promote reintegration, reducing dependence on care providers and family, and; (3) reduces long-term healthcare costs for paralysis survivors who gain independence and reduce need for major home renovations, specialized equipment, and special transportation requirements.
