2020 Impact Report

2020 Impact Report

Impact Report 2 0 2 0

A Messsage from the PRESIDENT/CEO

To say that 2020 was challenging would be the understatement of the year.

Faced with the challenges brought on by the global COVID pandemic as well as the impending fallout from the new auto no-fault statute, the Brain Injury Association of Michigan – through the incredible efforts and generosity of its staff and provider support network – was able to navigate successfully through the numerous challenges that threatened its very existence. Most importantly, we were able to sustain our survivor-focused service lines while establishing new programming specifically designed to meet the needs of those we serve as they faced unprecedented financial and emotional hardships brought on by the pandemic. As the pandemic first set in, we immediately anticipated the financial fallout, cutting back on all non-mission critical expenses and taking advantage of the available financial assistance plans offered through the federal SBA program to secure the needed funding to help sustain operations through the year.

As the year progressed, we were able to identify and secure essential grant funding that also contributed to the continuation of critical programming and services.

In March, each staff member began reaching out individually to our survivor community to check in on their wellbeing during the pandemic. Two months later as a direct result of this effort, we launched the Carol Green Survivor Assistance Program, specifically designed to meet the essential needs of survivors facing immediate hardships. As the pandemic forced the cancellation of three of our four major fundraising events we pivoted once again, making the decision jump into the world of virtual reality with both feet. In September, we held our first virtual Annual Fall Conference and followed that with a Virtual Auction hosted by Mitch Albom in November. But perhaps nothing was more emblematic of the generosity and support of our donor community than the contributions made by these companies and individuals, who despite not being able to attend our cancelled events during the year turned their financial support for these events into direct contributions to the Association. Because of this support, we were not only able to retain our programs and services, but we were able to launch new programming designed to meet the emerging needs of our survivors and families as they continue to face the challenges brought on by this pandemic.

I invite you to read on to learn more about the impact we’ve had and most of all, thank you for your continuing support.

Sincerely,

Thomas J. Constand President and CEO Brain Injury Association of Michigan

ADVOCACY

AUTO NO-FAULT INSURANCE

While advocacy efforts were relegated to online activities and virtual meetings due to the pandemic, 2020 was still a busy year for advocacy. In addition to our ongoing support of distracted driving legislation and the prohibition of double-bottomed trucks on our nation’s highways, a significant portion of our efforts were focused on introducing legislation to address the 55% reimbursement cap in the new auto no-fault statute that, left unaddressed, would decimate the provider network and displace patients come July 1, 2021. While a bill was introduced with bipartisan support in the House (HB 5858) in June, the proponents of the bill were asked to “stand down” so that the budget, COVID relief, and other pressing issues could first be addressed. Ultimately, the bill never received a hearing in the House. Going forward, the Association will continue to collaborate with its partners in addressing the particularly egregious and punitive elements of this new law, while also seeking to create new access points to immediate and ongoing care for all brain injury survivors.

ADVOCACY CONT.

OTHER In 2019, the Association joined other disability advocacy organizations (Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council, Disability Rights Michigan, and Michigan State University’s Department of Outreach and Engagement) to form the “Voting with Disabilities in Michigan” coalition. The intention of Voting with Disabilities in Michigan is to address the importance of educating people with disabilities on their voting rights and the value of making their voices heard. In the Fall of 2020, we conducted two virtual panel presentations: one on voting rights and the other on why it is imperative that people with disabilities should exercise their right to vote. After the general election of 2020, the Coalition decided to make a concerted effort in trying to re-establish the Legislative Disability Caucus to give people with disabilities a seat at the table when it comes to how public policy affects those Michiganders who have disabilities, with the hope of seeing the Caucus become official before the end of 2021. In addition, the Association collaborated with the Michigan Non-Profit Association to educate our members on the importance of being counted in the 2020 Census through presentations, social media, and email communications.

EDUCATION

FALL CONFERENCE In mid-September, the Association executed its first-ever virtual Fall Conference. The Conference offered eight separate session tracks, 36 sessions and continuing education credits, and a virtual exhibit hall. It brought in approximately 600 attendees and 46 exhibitors, and gave the brain injury community in Michigan a chance to network, albeit virtually. THINK AHEAD Think aHEAD, the Association’s newest program was introduced in January, with a goal of preventing brain injuries by increasing helmet-wearing behavior among recreational sports participants. Originally intended to launch in West Michigan, Think aHEAD quickly became a statewide initiative through our partnership with Michigan Snowsports Industries Association. Through our collaboration, ski patrol at each of Michigan’s 36 ski resorts, rewarded children and teens who were “caught” wearing helmets while skiing and snowboarding, with partner coupons, free food, and giveaways. The Association continued its efforts to promote community-wide awareness of brain injury by displaying masks from the Unmasking Brain Injury program at several libraries during Brain Injury Awareness Month in March.

SUPPORT

SURVIVOR OUTREACH Early in the pandemic, the Association staff made an effort to call and check in with each and every survivor one of the 600+ brain injury survivor members in our >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15

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