Some people who have sustained brain injuries are able to return to home, school, or work without difficulty, but many others require the ongoing services provided by state, county and community organizations. Our Regional Seminars address the needs of individuals with brain injuries served by health and human service workers throughout New Jersey.
In an effort to increase awareness of brain injury among health and human service professionals, the Association conducts a series of Regional Seminars each year. Through this program, we offer a free full-day training seminar each spring throughout New Jersey. The first series of Regional Seminars took place in 2003. Now, over 300 health and human service professionals from a wide variety of agencies attend every year.
2009 Regional Seminars
Brain Injury and Mental Health: Impact Across the Lifespan
The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey, in conjunction with the New Jersey Division of Disability Services, present two FREE educational seminars:
Central Jersey
April 23, 2009
9:15 am – 3:30 pm
PSE&G Conference Center
234 Pierson Avenue
Edison, NJ 08837
Southern Jersey
April 30, 2009
9:15 am – 3:30 pm
Cherry Hill Public Library
1100 Kings Highway North
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Registration
Registration is now full
Seminar Speakers
William A.B. Ditto, MSW, LSW
Mr. Ditto is the Director of the Division of Disability Services at the New Jersey Department of Human Services, a position he has held since 1997. He has over 33 years of experience in designing and administering public human services. Mr. Ditto is the past President of the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators.
Barbara Leech, PhD
Dr. Leech received her doctoral degree in school psychology from Temple University in 1985. Her post doctoral training in neuropsychology was at Mediplex Rehabilitation in Camden. She is presently in full-time private practice as a neuropsychologist in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Her private practice includes conducting neuropsychological evaluations, supervision of cognitive remediation specialists, and neuropsychology services at Weisman Children’s Hospital. Dr. Leech previously served as the Director of Neuropsychology at Marlton Rehabilitation Hospital. She has also worked as a school psychologist and developmental psychologist.
The Silent Epidemic
An estimated 3.1 million Americans currently live with disabilities resulting from brain injury. While some individuals are able to return to school, home, or work without difficulty after a brain injury, many others require the ongoing services provided by government and community organizations. This seminar is designed to help health and human service workers in New Jersey to better serve clients with brain injury and mental health issues.
Seminar Objectives
- Provide an overview of brain injury, including definition, symptoms, and prevalence in New Jersey and nationally.
- Identify state funded programs and services specifically for individuals with brain injuries.
- Provide resource materials to better understand brain injury and available sources of service and support.
- Identify emotional and personality changes that can be experienced by children, adolescents and adults after brain injury.
- Identify how pre-existing mental health conditions can be affected by brain injury.
- Learn about the impact of early-occurring brain injury on adult emotions and relationships.
- Explore the interaction of brain injury and mental health and its impact on daily functioning in children and adults.
- Identify techniques for working with clients with brain-injury-related mental health issues.
Seminar Brochure
Dowload Seminar Brochure with agenda and more information.
Funding
The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey is able to provide Regional Seminars with funding from the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Fund, which was created, in part, to provide for public education and prevention activities related to brain injury. The TBI Fund is administered by the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Disability Services.