Social Impact
Alliance funding enables services to more than 4500 people with brain injury annually.
British Columbia brain injury associations have historically been funded through a fragile patchwork of donations, grants, fees for services, Health Authorities, charitable gaming and fundraising. In addition, between 2015 and 2021 the Brain Injury Alliance provided in excess of 6 million dollars in much needed funding to the brain injury associations.
The Alliance funding has increased the stability of community brain injury organizations, and supports the growth of programs and services by leveraging of other grants, and fundraising dollars.
Every brain injury society has reported that funding through the Alliance has resulted in:
- an increase to the numbers of clients served
- an increase in community partnerships obtained through community outreach and engagement
- an increase in the number of staff, staff retention and staffing hours, all of which result in improved service delivery to people living with acquired brain injury
“Alliance funding allows us to have staff available to provide immediate 1:1 support and navigation to anyone who needs it. This happens on a daily basis through phone calls, drop in, or at scheduled intake processes.”
– BrainTrust Canada
Funding Impact
Employment
Prior to injury, most survivors of brain injury were employed and were financially independent. Reentering the world of work is often a priority for the individual.
The one to one programming statistics includes Employment Services. Several brain injury societies have discrete programs that focus on employment.
For other societies, providing clients with supports related to accessing and maintaining employment is part of regular one to one programming.
Many clients also access generic employment services (typically WorkBC), however they are more likely to be successful with obtaining and maintaining employment with the support of a brain injury society case manager.
Brain injury society staff have an in-depth understanding of the client and can help problem solve issues related to brain injury.
Reduced Client Involvement with Medical/Hospital Services
Brain injury organizations reported that programs that received Alliance funding had an impact on reducing client involvement with medical/hospital services.
A study found that about 36 per cent of patients with TBI had been re-hospitalized within three years of their initial injury due to a variety of factors. Previously, readmission rates had been reported at about 25 per cent. In contrast, the study found the risk of re-hospitalization was lower for TBI patients involved in motor vehicle collisions. “We know that patients with TBI resulting from motor vehicle collisions are more than 50 per cent more likely to be discharged with support services than those who sustained their injury from other causes, likely due to supplemental auto insurance,” Dr. Colantonio said. “Because these patients appear to use fewer subsequent hospital services, this may suggest that additional care and rehabilitation provided earlier to all people with TBI could reduce the high costs of readmission.1
- Re-hospitalization rates for traumatic brain injury higher than previously reported (2015, May 25) retrieved 25 May 2015
“Alliance funds allow us to hire Support Workers who support those clients who are living with the aftermath of acquired brain injury. Without Alliance funds, NOSBIS would be unable to have Support Workers on staff to provide services and the Support Worker Program would be discontinued. Pulling these services from clients who have come to rely on them would have devastating consequences for the current upward-trajectory in their progress to increased independence.”
– North Okanagan Brain Injury Society
Community brain injury organizations provide cost effective services.
Data collected from brain injury organizations illustrate the importance of the Brain Injury Fund to the provision of services to individuals with acquired brain injuries throughout BC.
When asked whether they would be able to offer their current programs without Alliance funding, 32.5% of the organizations responded that they would not be able to offer some of the existing programs, and others reported that existing programs would be significantly impacted by reducing client intakes, staff hours and program frequency.
Approximately 12% of Alliance funding targets injury prevention and community education programs.
