To Make a Referral:
(859) 254-1035
900 Beasley St
Lexington, KY 40509
Fax: (859) 254-2075
Phone: (502) 564-4456.
Further details are available on the Internet at:
http://mhmr.ky.gov/mhsas/impact%20plus.asp .
Michelle P. Medicaid Waiver
See under the Federal/State Resources in this journal.
Page 28.
Traumatic Brain Injury Trust Fund
See page 29 in the Federal/State Resources section of this journal.
Other Services
Please check under General Resource for the following resources:
• Mental Health Service, see under Medical Care resources
• Caregiver Assistance Program, see under Community Living
Resources
• Financial Assistance, see under Federal and State Programs
• Homecare Program, see under Community Living Resources
• Assistive Technologies see under Community Living
Resources
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Helping Your Child Return to School after a Brain Injury
By Pam Masters
When the time comes for your child to be released to home and
it is time to start back to school, you will probably be asking a lot
of questions such as; whom do I contact to tell about my child’s
needs, what information will I need to have and what can the
school do? Getting good answers to these questions can help
you be an effective advocate to your child and help in his or her
education.
Whom to contact
Usually, when a child gets a brain injury it is because of a
traumatic injury such as an accident. Before your child returns
to school, call your child’s teacher and speak to her or him
about your child’s needs. The teacher will probably refer you to
the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) or special-education
department.
The Exceptional Student Education specialist will work with
you to assess your child’s unique needs. This department will
determine who to contact for homebound instruction, if needed.
This department will also work with your child to help them when
they return to school. Other people who can help are:
• School Teachers
• School Counselors
• School Psychologist
• School Nurse
• Speech and Language Pathologist
• Special Education Teacher
• School Social Worker
• School Principal
Along with you, the parent, this team will be able to help your
child return to, and succeed in school.
Other resources can be found in the BIAK Resource Journal. If
you do not have one, call 800-592-1117 and one will be shipped to
you free of charge.
What you need to have
You will need to have your child’s medical records as you apply for
school and community services. The hospital and rehabilitation
facility would have the records that you need. Be sure to keep
the originals and make copies to send to the school or agency
when applying for services. This information will help the school
understand the full impact of the injury and better determine your
child’s needs. Also, you may need to supply the school with a list
of any medications your child is taking and why.
You will need to furnish any reports you have received from the
following people who have treated your child:
• Neuropsychologists and physicians
• Any diagnoses that will help the school develop an educational
plan, making any accommodations and in obtaining any
special services for your child.
If you are returning to the same school, their records should help
them see the difference your child has in their past academic
and social skills. If not, you will want to make sure that the new
school has your child’s school records from their last school.
This information will help the new school personnel to better
understand your child’s unique needs. Finally, bring along a list of
your concerns about your child and their school experience after
their injury.
Be sure to keep your child’s medical records of the injury even
if they appear to be able to return to their regular routine. The
reason is that sometimes in children, brain injuries may not
manifest itself until the child enters the next developmental
phase. An example of this is a child who suffered a brain injury
at age two and not at age seven now is suddenly having problems
in reading or writing. Also, some problems may disappear as the
child gets back into a routine and regains confidence.
What the School can do
Children are guaranteed a free and appropriate public education
until they reach the age of twenty-one. By providing good records
and working with the school team, there are many things that
may happen to help your child return to school.
Some accommodations are:
• Homebound instruction
• A modified or partial day until the child is ready
to return to a full day of class
• Transportation accommodations
2020-2022 BIAK Resource Journal 45
Children/Teen Services
/impact plus.asp