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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Traumatic brain injuries are a dangerous reality for |
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| 6 | 7 | | many Texans, but there have been significant advances toward better |
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| 7 | 8 | | awareness, understanding, and support over the past several years; |
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| 8 | 9 | | and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Approximately 144,000 Texans sustain traumatic |
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| 10 | 11 | | brain injuries annually, and about 4,000 of those die from their |
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| 11 | 12 | | injuries; an estimated 500,000 Texans are currently living with a |
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| 12 | 13 | | disability caused by traumatic brain injury, which remains the |
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| 13 | 14 | | leading cause of death and disability in persons under 45 and is |
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| 14 | 15 | | especially common among children and teenagers; and |
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| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, In order to mitigate the societal impact of this |
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| 16 | 17 | | type of trauma, the 78th Texas Legislature established the Texas |
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| 17 | 18 | | Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Council and charged it with |
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| 18 | 19 | | identifying individuals with TBIs, informing state leadership of |
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| 19 | 20 | | their needs, recommending policies to address those needs, |
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| 20 | 21 | | encouraging research into causes and prevention, and promoting |
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| 21 | 22 | | awareness; in the past several years, the TBIAC has accomplished |
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| 22 | 23 | | these core responsibilities by implementing a myriad of successful |
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| 23 | 24 | | programs across the state; and |
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| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, The council, with members appointed by the executive |
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| 25 | 26 | | commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, has |
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| 26 | 27 | | partnered with various agencies to ensure that individuals with |
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| 27 | 28 | | TBIs have access to adequate and high quality care; created in 2007, |
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| 28 | 29 | | the Office of Acquired Brain Injury researched and provided several |
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| 29 | 30 | | options to fund waivers for affected patients; the OABI and TBIAC |
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| 30 | 31 | | have collaborated on the development of accredited online training |
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| 31 | 32 | | courses for public health professionals, caregivers, social |
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| 32 | 33 | | workers, survivors, law enforcement personnel, and family members |
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| 33 | 34 | | dealing with TBIs; the OABI and the council also teamed up with the |
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| 34 | 35 | | Texas Education Agency to create a resource on TBIs and successful |
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| 35 | 36 | | communication and teaching skills for educators; in addition, the |
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| 36 | 37 | | OABI works closely with the Texas State Athletic Trainers' |
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| 37 | 38 | | Association to raise awareness of sports concussions; and |
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| 38 | 39 | | WHEREAS, A large number of United States service members |
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| 39 | 40 | | suffer from TBIs, especially those returning from the wars in Iraq |
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| 40 | 41 | | and Afghanistan, and the TBIAC has worked especially hard to help |
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| 41 | 42 | | these brave men and women manage their conditions; with the OABI and |
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| 42 | 43 | | the Department of Veterans Affairs, the council released an |
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| 43 | 44 | | instructional video in both English and Spanish that offers advice |
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| 44 | 45 | | for effective communication and reviews available resources for |
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| 45 | 46 | | veterans with TBIs; and |
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| 46 | 47 | | WHEREAS, Traumatic brain injuries affect Texans from all |
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| 47 | 48 | | backgrounds and of all ages, and it is fitting to take this |
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| 48 | 49 | | opportunity to celebrate the achievements of those who have |
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| 49 | 50 | | sustained brain injuries and to pay tribute to the many caregivers |
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| 50 | 51 | | and professionals who support them; now, therefore, be it |
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| 51 | 52 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 52 | 53 | | Legislature hereby recognize March 2015 as Brain Injury Awareness |
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| 53 | 54 | | Month and honor the work of the Texas Traumatic Brain Injury |
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| 54 | 55 | | Advisory Council; and, be it further |
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| 55 | 56 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 56 | 57 | | prepared for the TBIAC as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 57 | 58 | | House of Representatives. |
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