BrainSTEPS
Each year, approximately 4,000 of Pennsylvania's children survive severe traumatic brain injuries significant enough to require hospitalization. Many are left with life-altering difficulties in physical, cognitive, or behavioral functioning.
The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania, under contract from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, has created the Child and Adolescent Brain Injury School Reentry Program called BrainSTEPS (Strategies Teaching Educators, Parents, and Students). BrainSTEPS is working to make sure that those who must provide educational support to children with brain injury have a good understanding of brain injury, the resulting challenges, and supports and interventions that will help these students achieve educational success through graduation.
The BrainSTEPS Committee:
- Is comprised of education professionals, medical rehabilitation professionals, and family members.
- Receives ongoing training from local and nationally recognized leaders in the field of pediatric brain injury.
- Provides BrainSTEPS 101 presentations, helping schools compensate for the lack of brain injury training in college teacher training programs.
- Provides training and consultation regarding identification, school re-entry planning, IEP development, intervention selection and implementation, long-term monitoring of students, and other issues professionals face in supporting students with brain injury.
- Consults with teams through the BrainSTEPS Program on a case by case basis.
What is a Head Injury?
A head injury is a blow or trauma to the head. While no signs of a brain injury may have been found at this time, problems may develop up to 48 hours later. The signs may be subtle, and may last for days, weeks, or months. Watch your child closely after the injury.
What are Signs of a Head Injury?
- Nausea/vomiting
- Changes in behavior
- Bulging “soft spot”
- Severe headache
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness, clumsiness
- Weakness to one side of the body
- Slurred speech
- Confusion
- Seizures
What Does the BrainSTEPS Program Offer?
- Development of teams
- Ongoing team training
- Consultation from IU team
- Hospital to school re-entry
- IEP and 504 plan development
- Academic interventions
- Educational programming
- Graduation planning
Downloads
- Advocacy and Support Groups
- Authorization to Release/Request Information
- Brochure
- Handout
- Mission Statement
- Permission for Consultation
- Welcome Letter
- What Happens Next in the Consultation Process?
Team Members
The IU1 BrainSTEPS team is currently comprised of the following members:
Melissa Hunter
BrainSTEPS Team Chair
724-938-3241 ext. 721
hunterm@iu1.k12.pa.us
Amanda Adkins
724-938-3241 ext. 617
adkinsa@iu1.k12.pa.us
Adrienne John
724-873-5202
johna@iu1.k12.pa.us
Dawn Fredericks
724-239-5911 ext. 1122
fredericksd@iu1.k12.pa.us
Leigh Dennick
Special Education Director
724-938-3241 ext. 273
dennickl@iu1.k12.pa.us
