10 LC
94 2516
Senate
Resolution 1162
By:
Senators Thomas of the 54th, Goggans of the 7th, Hawkins of the 49th and Moody
of the 56th
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Senate Including Traumatic Brain Injury Facilities in the State Health Plan
Study Committee; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and disability for any
American age 45 or younger, and there is great concern over the unmet needs of
people with brain injuries in Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that there are 1.4
million new traumatic brain injuries every year in the United States, which are
primarily caused by motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries, and
violence; and
WHEREAS,
of the 57,232 Georgians who were taken to a hospital for treatment of a
traumatic brain injury in 2007, 6,764 sustained injuries that were severe enough
to require admission to the hospital, and of these people with severe injuries,
it is estimated that 34 percent of them will be permanently disabled;
and
WHEREAS,
approximately 15,000 other Georgians each year are discharged from hospitals
after receiving treatment for brain injuries that are acquired as a result of
strokes, tumors, and other medical conditions; and
WHEREAS,
these statistics only reveal the number of people treated for brain injuries in
Georgia hospitals and do not include people who seek treatment from other
medical facilities, out-of-state facilities, or not at all; nor do these figures
include members of the military, where traumatic brain injury has been
identified as the "signature wound" of the Iraq War; and
WHEREAS,
it is estimated that approximately 187,000 Georgians have a long-term or
lifelong disability relating to a traumatic brain injury, with an estimated
18,700 of them requiring ongoing, intensive services and supports due to the
neurobehavioral issues they present to their families and communities;
and
WHEREAS,
in the United States, the average lifetime cost of care for a person with a
moderate to severe brain injury can range from $600,000.00 to $1,875,000.00, and
the costs for a person with a severe brain injury, including someone with
significant neurobehavioral
issues, can
reach as high as $4 million; and
WHEREAS,
the average lifetime costs of care for people with moderate to severe brain
injuries is often higher because of a lack of timely and appropriate services
and rehabilitation; and
WHEREAS,
many people with moderate to severe brain injuries require post-acute
residential services from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Facility in order to
improve their quality of life, live in the community or the least restrictive
and most appropriate community based setting possible, and reduce the use of
state funds for inappropriate and ineffective services; and
WHEREAS,
TBI Facilities provide post-acute residential rehabilitation, including 24 hour
supervision and highly structured skilled rehabilitation therapies, and
appropriate long-term living options that would prevent institutionalization of
people with brain injuries in either geriatric nursing homes or state hospitals;
and
WHEREAS,
a TBI Facility is defined in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated as a place
which is devoted to providing treatment and rehabilitative care for over 24
hours to persons with traumatic brain injuries and is not classified as a
hospital, nursing home, intermediate care facility, or personal care home;
and
WHEREAS,
Georgia currently has six designated TBI Facilities, including Safehaven in
Walker County, Shepherd Pathways in DeKalb County, Restore Neurobehavioral
Center in Fulton County and Gwinnett County, Palm Creek Farm in Gwinnett County,
Walton Transitional Living Center in Richmond County, and Southern Crescent TBI
Center in Henry County; and
WHEREAS,
there is no public funding available for transitional residential rehabilitation
and lifelong living services for people with traumatic brain injuries, and the
only public funding available to support people with traumatic brain injuries is
the Medicaid Independent Care Waiver Program; however, it will not provide
funding for services in TBI Facilities because Georgia's State Health Plan
excludes TBI Facilities, defining them as institutions; and
WHEREAS,
as a result, a large number of Georgians with brain injuries are not getting the
appropriate rehabilitation they need and are thus ending up in costly settings,
such as nursing homes, prisons, or state hospitals, or they are placed out of
state or end up homeless; and
WHEREAS,
the inappropriate placement of individuals suffering from traumatic brain
injuries greatly affects the individual and their families and results in higher
costs of care, lost wages, and lost opportunities to contribute both personally
and economically to local communities throughout Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
it would be beneficial to analyze the feasibility of amending the State Health
Plan to include TBI Facilities and how public funding for such facilities would
affect Georgia.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that there is created the Senate
Including Traumatic Brain Injury Facilities in the State Health Plan Study
Committee to be composed of five members to be appointed by the President of the
Senate who shall designate one member as chairperson. The chairperson shall
call all meetings of the committee.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, issues, and problems as described above and recommend any
actions or legislation that the committee deems necessary or appropriate. The
committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may
deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its
powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this
resolution. The members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided
for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The
allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of
the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized.
The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come
from the funds appropriated to the Senate. In the event the committee makes a
report of its findings and recommendations, with suggestions for proposed
legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or before December 31, 2010.
The committee shall stand abolished on December 31, 2010.