BrainSTEPS (Strategies Teaching Educators, Parents, & Students)
A BRAIN INJURY SCHOOL RE-ENTRY CONSULTING PROGRAM
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as “An acquired brain injury caused by an external physical force, resulting in a functional disability that adversely affects a child’s educational performance."
Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, may occur due to motor vehicle (car, all-terrain vehicle, etc.) accidents, sports injuries, bicycle accidents, or falls. (This list is not inclusive.)
Non-traumatic brain injuries may occur due to strokes, tumors, lightning strikes, near drowning, anoxia/hypoxia and the effects of late-term chemotherapy/radiation treatments. (This list is not inclusive.)
Educational Concerns
Educational implications caused by traumatic brain injury may be due to a past or recent brain injury. Typical difficulties may arise in the following areas:
- Academic performance
- Memory
- Attention
- Organization of information
- Problem-solving
- Motor skills
- Social interactions
- Frustration tolerance
- Impulsivity
- Decreased safety awareness
- Mood swings
Consulting Team Services
The CSIU's BrainSTEPS Consulting Team includes professionals with extensive training in educating students with an acquired brain injury. The team provides consultation to students with traumatic brain injuries and to those with non-traumatic brain injuries.
Team members act as consultants and are available to provide basic training and resources to school districts and families residing in Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties.
The BrainSTEPS Consulting Team's mission is to build a bridge between the medical and educational communities. The Consulting Team can provide the following services:
- Consultation with school and medical professionals;
- Training and support for school district personnel;
- School re-entry planning;
- Educational programming; and
- Long-term monitoring.
The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania, under a grant from the PA Department of Health, and partnered with the PA Department of Education, created the Child & Adolescent Brain Injury School Re-Entry Program, BrainSTEPS, that is being used across the state.
BrainSTEPS works to ensure that those who provide educational support to students with a brain injury have a good understanding of how to help them achieve optimal academic success.
