2012 disABILITY Conference Spotlights Brain Injury

Jul 26, 2012

Searching for and sharing answers that facilitate the recovery and rehabilitation of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) will be the focus of the 11th Annual Northeastern U.S. Conference on disABILITY hosted by The University of Scranton ‘s Panuska College of Professional Studies with the support of the Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Endowment.  The 2012 theme is “Traumatic Brain Injury:  A meeting of the minds, The person, The people in their lives, and The professionals.”

Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of disability in the United States with an estimated 1.5 million new incidents each year. Of these, approximately 85,000 individuals become disabled long-term (CDC.gov). TBI is a signature disability of our wounded warriors who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The prevalence of this invisible disability has implications that affect all phases of life: medical/physical, psycho/social, educational/vocational and leisure and recreational.  Contemporary treatment and support modalities have highlighted the need to focus on a holistic interdisciplinary approach in favor of merely restoring physical functionality.

The 2012 conference will provide information on evidence-based treatment modalities, elements of effective partnerships, descriptions of successful programs, projects and activities and personal accounts of interacting successfully with a multifaceted and interdisciplinary delivery system.

This is the eleventh year that The University of Scranton has sponsored the disABILITY conference for agencies and organizations and colleges and universities in the northeast section of the country.  It will be held on September 27, 2012, on the University campus in the Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center. Continuing education units will be available for certification and licensure in the counseling, human resources, teaching/coaching and allied health professions.

State and nationally recognized leaders in the TBI field will speak at the conference.  The opening keynote features Susan H. Connors, president and chief executive officer of the Brain Injury Association of America.  Previously, she was executive director of the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators.  She has served in advisory capacities and on expert panels for federal agencies, universities and nonprofit organizations.  She has numerous publications to her credit, and is a skillful and tireless advocate for individuals with TBI.

Additional information about the conference can be found at scranton.edu/disabilityconference or by emailing the sonference co-chairs, Lori Bruch, Ed.D, (lori.bruch@scranton.edu), associate professor of counseling and human services, or Sandra Lamanna, (msandra.lamanna@scranton.edu), faculty specialist, education.


Back to Top