Symposium

Military and Veterans Affairs

Behavioral Health Services

Brain Injury

Clinical Practice (assessment, diagnosis, treatment, knowledge translation/EBP, implementation science, program development)

Communication in Community Re-Integration of Military Service Members and Veterans with mTBI: A Team-Based Approach

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

4:45 PM – 6:00 PM

Presenter(s)

Rocio S. Norman, PhD CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor
University of Texas Health Science Center
Boerne, Texas, United States

Slides
TRACEY D. Wallace, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist/Clinical Research Scientist
Shepherd Center
Alpharetta, Georgia, United States
Inbal Eshel, MA, CCC-SLP, PMP

Implementation Specialist
Defense Health Agency
Kensington, Maryland, United States
Katherine L. McCauley, PhD

Psychologist
Shepherd Center Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
RG

Rebecca Gartell, MA, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist
Shepherd Center
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Hilary A. Diefenbach, MA, CCC-SLP, CBIST

Speech Language Pathologist
Marcus Institute for Brain Health, University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine
Denver, Colorado, United States

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with communication problems which lead to negative long-term outcomes such as reduced employment, social interaction, and quality of life. Historically, there has been significant interest in examining communication after moderate to severe TBI, but communication after mild (mTBI) has been largely understudied, even while mTBI injuries make up more than 80% of TBIs in the US. Communication impairments present functional barriers to community re-integration, this is particularly true for military service members and veterans who may experience changes in communication due to factors that extend beyond mTBI . Because of a limited knowledge base about these disorders as well as inadequate assessments in healthcare, the communication performance of patients with mTBI is often overlooked, leading to an under-identification of patients with significant problems. Because multifactorial influences impact communication, a functional, team-based approach may optimize communication outcomes in military service members and veterans with mTBI.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion, participant will be able to identify at least 2 common communication complaints in mTBI that may impact community re-integration.
Upon completion, participant will be able to describe at least 3 resources available to support management and intervention of mTBI.
Upon completion, participant will be able to expand and define treatment design concepts relevant to community reintegration including specific to workplace re-entry and family life.