08 LC 33
2381S
Senate
Resolution 788
By:
Senators Thomas of the 54th, Goggans of the 7th, Unterman of the 45th, Staton of
the 18th, Wiles of the 37th and others
ADOPTED
SENATE
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Senate Study Committee on Brain Injury Related Neurobehavioral Issues in
Georgia; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
there is concern over the unmet needs of people with brain injury related
neurobehavioral issues in Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
neurobehavioral issues are problems with a person´s ability to behave
socially, communicate, and control emotions, which can result in a threat to
themselves or others and which are caused by an injury to the brain such as
traumatic brain injury or acquired brain injury; and
WHEREAS,
traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and disability for any
American age 45 or younger; and
WHEREAS,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that there are 1.5
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,
among more than 42,000 Georgians with traumatic brain injury were treated and
released from emergency departments in 2005, 6,320 sustained traumatic brain
injuries were severe enough to require admission to the hospital; of these
people with severe injuries, it is estimated that 34 percent of them will be
permanently disabled; and
WHEREAS,
in addition, approximately 15,000 other Georgians each year are discharged from
hospitals after receiving treatment for acquired brain injuries that are the
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, and that, of these, it
is estimated that up to 18,700 of them will require ongoing, intensive services
and supports due to the neurobehavioral issues they present to their families
and communities, and that this number does not include the number of people with
neurobehavioral issues caused by acquired brain injury; 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 $4,000,000.00, particularly when timely and appropriate services and rehabilitation have not been provided; and
issues, can reach as high as $4,000,000.00, particularly when timely and appropriate services and rehabilitation have not been provided; and
WHEREAS,
neurobehavioral issues caused by brain injury must be distinguished from other
cognitive behavioral disabilities such as mental illness or developmental
disabilities because the problems, needs, and support strategies are very
different, as well as because people with brain injury are generally not
eligible to receive services from the mental health or developmental
disabilities service systems; and
WHEREAS,
a coordinated system of care would significantly improve the quality of life for
people with neurobehavioral issues, enable them to 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,
a coordinated system of care for people with neurobehavioral issues currently
does not exist in Georgia, and as a result of the lack of sufficient funding and
appropriate and effective services, a large number of Georgians with
neurobehavioral issues are 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,
such inappropriate placements are taking a significant toll on lives as well as
the State of Georgia in terms of higher costs of care, lost wages, and lost
opportunities to contribute both personally and economically to local
communities; and
WHEREAS, the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission has issued a detailed report on the needs of Georgians with neurobehavioral issues entitled "Georgia´s Neurobehavioral Crisis: Lack of Coordinated Care, Inappropriate Institutionalizations," which describes successful models for services and supports for people with neurobehavioral issues in other states.
WHEREAS, the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission has issued a detailed report on the needs of Georgians with neurobehavioral issues entitled "Georgia´s Neurobehavioral Crisis: Lack of Coordinated Care, Inappropriate Institutionalizations," which describes successful models for services and supports for people with neurobehavioral issues in other states.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that there is created the Senate Study
Committee on Brain Injury Related Neurobehavioral Issues in Georgia to be
composed of five members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate.
The President of the Senate shall designate a member of the committee as
chairperson of the committee. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the
committee. In addition, the committee membership shall include five
nonlegislative members to be comprised of the following: one person or the
immediate family member of a person with neurobehavioral issues caused by brain
injury, one provider of neurobehavioral services, one commission member of the
Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission, one member from the Department of
Community Health, and one member from the Department of Labor. All
nonlegislative members shall be appointed by the chairperson of the study
committee.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and
as described in the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission´s report
for the purpose of determining the infrastructure and funding necessary to
develop and implement a coordinated system of care for people with brain injury
related neurobehavioral issues and to recommend any action or legislation which
the committee deems necessary or appropriate to accomplish this.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee may conduct 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, 2008. The committee shall stand abolished on December 31,
2008.