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BIANYS is proud to announce that we have received the 2015 Brain Injury Association of America Award for Excellence for Advocacy. BIANYS Executive Director Eileen Reardon was presented with the Award by BIAA President and CEO Susan Connors at the BIAA Leadership Conference in Tampa, Florida. The award was given to BIANYS for our involvement in the National Advocacy Day in March in Washington DC.
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The NYS Department of Health has changed the date of the second workgroup on transitioning the Waivers to Managed Care. The meeting has been moved from November 18 to November 30. To attend, or to receive details and updates on the meetings, email waivertransition@health.ny.gov.
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The Assembly Committee on Health, Committee Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities and the Assembly Task Force on People with Disabilities held a public hearing on October 8 in Albany. The Committees and Task Force received oral and written testimony from patients and their families, clinicians, service providers, and the Department on topics including the incidence, severity and consequences of TBI; treatment and service appropriateness and availability, including the rights of patients sent out-of-state; and issues relating to the transition of the TBI Waiver program to managed care.

If you missed it, video of the hearing is available at http://nystateassembly.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=8&clip_id=2722 (first part of testimony) and  http://nystateassembly.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=9&clip_id=2723# (second part).

Please reach out to your Assembly member and let them know why they should support individuals with brain injury and the services needed to support them in the community. If you or a loved one are on the Waiver, please let them know why those services keep you/your loved one independent. Please be sure to sign up for the BIANYS email list and become a member to get action updates on this issue and many more.

If you submitted testimony for the hearing, please share it with BIANYS by emailing to Victoria Clingan, BIANYS Director of Engagement and Outreach (vclingan@bianys.org).

Assemblymember Gottfried’s office is organizing a hearing on brain injury for early October. The hearing is still in the beginning stages, but they are seeking providers, patients and families, researchers, advocates (including self-advocates), and any other interested parties to testify. The hearing will cover issues related to brain injury in general, but also should include a focus on the state’s Medicaid TBI waiver program and its transition into managed care.

If you are interested in speaking at the hearing, please contact Victoria Clingan, BIANYS Director of Engagement and Outreach at 518-459-7911 or vclingan@bianys.org. Please include your name, address, phone number, and email address and a brief statement of your affiliation or relationship to brain injury. We will be submitting contact information of interested speakers to the Assemblymember’s office for invitations to the hearing.

There has been a change in the meeting location of the Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) waiver transition workgroup, scheduled for Monday, August 24, 2015, from 1 – 3 PM. Due to the number of interested parties the meeting room has been changed to Meeting Room #6 in the Empire State Plaza.

For those of you unable to attend in person, you can watch the meeting via webcast. To register for the online event
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1. Go to https://meetny.webex.com/meetny/onstage/g.php?MTID=e4a8714caf588c56dabf644ee1d7f4506
2. Click “Register”.
3. On the registration form, enter your information and then click “Submit”.

Once the host approves your registration, you will receive a confirmation email message with instructions on how to join the event.

To join the audio conference only
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1. Please call one of the following numbers:
Local: 1-518-549-0500
Toll Free: 1-844-633-8697
Alternate Toll Free – (For callers not able to call the 844 Toll Free Number): 1-866-776-3553
2. Follow the instructions that you hear on the phone.
Your Cisco Unified MeetingPlace meeting ID: 313 627 918

Attached please find an informational packet for the meeting. These materials will also be found the Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) 90 website at https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/mrt_90.htm

The informational packet includes:

1. MRT Action Plan excerpt
2. Chapter 59 of the Laws of 2011 excerpt
3. 1115 Waiver Attachment G
4. Workgroup Letter
5. Overview of NHTD
6. Overview of TBI
7. TBI NHTD Service Comparison
8. Overview of Managed Long Term Care (MLTC)
9. Overview of Medicaid Managed Care (MMC)

If you should have any questions please contact waivertransition@health.ny.gov

BIANYS will host a Certified Brain Injury Specialist training and exam on November 20 in Geneva, NY. Space is limited, so act quickly to reserve your spot. Event details and registration information are available on the BIANYS Events Page.

A memorial service has been scheduled to honor Maria Lifrak, PhD. Dr. Lifrak was an influential neuropsychologist in the Capital District, who helped many individuals with brain injury. Her family, friends, and colleagues invite the brain injury community to take part in a memorial service celebrating her life. The service will be held on July 25 at 10am at the Interfaith Center at the University of Albany.

The BIANYS support group scheduled for tonight at Millview in Latham has been cancelled. Unfortunately, the group can no longer meet at Millview. Group leaders are reaching out to members about the change and hope to line up a new meeting location soon. BIANYS will post updated information as soon as it is available. We apologize for the inconvenience and short notice of cancellation.

Brain Injury Association of New York State Announces the Unveiling of Brand New Website
Participate in an online survey and be entered to win one basic membership
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