Diagnosed with Brain Injury?
If you or a family member has impairments as a result of a brain injury, you should know about the resources listed below. This is not an exhaustive list of resources in South Carolina, but includes those that are vital when first seeking information about public resources.
*If you need additional assistance finding help, contact SC Access at 800-868-9095
or access their website at www.scaccesshelp.org
General Resources
The Brain Injury Association of South Carolina offers brain injury information and resources, support groups, prevention materials, awareness events, and statewide conferences and workshops for individuals with brain injuries, caregivers and the general public.Toll Free in SC: 877-TBI-FACT (824-3228) or 803-731-9823 (out of state) www.biausa.org/SC
If you can’t afford to pay for medical care, Medicaid can assist financially eligible people to get care from approved providers. A person must apply for Medicaid at the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. An electronic application is available on the website.Toll Free: 888-549-0820 www.scdhhs.gov
For financial assistance, the Social Security Administration provides applications for Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income.Toll Free: 800-772-1213 www.socialsecurity.gov
The SC Vocational Rehabilitation Department provides rehabilitation services for people with disabilities leading to competitive employment. The agency also serves eligible school-age individuals in an effort to support their transition into the competitive work environment. The Brain Injury Program provides services to identify barriers to employment and develop behavior and compensatory strategies to improve their work-related performance.For ages 16 and up. Toll Free: 800-832-7526 www.scvrd.net
SC Brain Injury Leadership Council is SC’s advisory body on brain injury as mandated under the federal TBI Act of 1996. It is an active forum for addressing systems issues, service gaps, funding constraints, and public awareness related to brain injury. www.scbilc.com or www.LifewithBrainInjury.com
Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities provides a variety of assistance for people with disabilities who feel their rights are violated or are having difficulty accessing services.Toll Free: 866-275-7273 www.pandasc.org
The SC Department of Mental Health provides a full range of community and inpatient services to citizens of all ages who have emotional or psychiatric problems.Toll Free: 800-763-1024 www.state.sc.us/dmh
The SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, Head and Spinal Cord Injury Division,offers information and referral, service coordination to directly assist an individual in accessing all appropriate public and private resources, and an array of other services and supports.Toll Free: 866-867-3864or888-376-4636 www.ddsn.sc.gov/consumers/divisions/Pages/HASCI.aspx
Community Long Term Care offers programs to help individuals who want to live at home, need assistance with their care, and are financially eligible for Medicaid.
Toll Free: 888-549-0820 www.scdhhs.gov or www.scdhhs.gov/insidedhhs/bureaus/BureauofLongTermCareServices/How Do I Apply.asp
The Free Medical Clinic provides quality healthcare, at no cost, to residents of the community who cannot pay for such services and who have no health insurance.To qualify for the clinic, individuals must meet two conditions: have no health insurance and have a household income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level. Main Number: 803-765-1503 www.freemedclinic.org
The Benefit Bank of SC, a program of the SC Office of Rural Health, is a web-based service that simplifies and centralizes the process of applying for many state and federal benefits for those with low or moderate-incomes.TBB-SC ensures that people are aware of the benefits to which they are entitled and maximizing those they can secure. 800-726-8774 www.thebenefitbank.com/SouthCarolina
Children’s Resources
The SC Department of Education ensures that all children with disabilities in South Carolina have a free and appropriate public education, protects the rights of these children and their parents, and provides leadership to school districts and state-operated programs in the provision of appropriate special education and related services.Main Number 803-734-8224 http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/ec
For visually impaired children, www.familyconnect.org offers a community for sharing a wealth of information.
Brain Injury Navigator is a web resource for students, families and educators.Each year in South Carolina more than 900 students return to school after sustaining brain injury.Visit this website for information and resources for students, families, and educators concerning brain injury and school re-entry. www.Binav.org
The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Children with Special Health Care Needs, operates a variety programs for children with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or severe developmental delays.Of particular interest, the Children’s Rehabilitative Services program helps ensure access to appropriate medical (and related) services for SC residents under the age of 21 with a range of chronic illnesses and/or handicapping conditions living in households with adjusted family income under 250% of the federal poverty level.
Care Line: 800-868-0404 www.scdhec.gov/health/