Bill Text: PA SR55 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Recognizing the month of March 2009 as "Brain Injury Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2009-03-17 - Transmitted as directed [SR55 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-SR55-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 677
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 55 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY PILEGGI, MARCH 17, 2009
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, MARCH 17, 2009
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of March 2009 as "Brain Injury Awareness
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Brain injury refers to the death of brain cells and
disruption of neural pathways which result in changes in the way
a person thinks, feels and acts; and
WHEREAS, There are approximately 10 million Americans living
with brain injury, including stroke; and
WHEREAS, The cost of treating, rehabilitating and caring for
the victims of brain injury in the United States is
approximately $30 billion each year; and
WHEREAS, More than 130,000 Pennsylvanians are living with a
long-term disability resulting from Traumatic Brain Injury
(TBI); and
WHEREAS, More than 50,000 Pennsylvanians are treated and
released from emergency rooms for brain injury annually; and
WHEREAS, Seventy-five percent of all brain injuries are from
concussion, which affects over 47,000 Pennsylvanians; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 1.6 to 3.8 million sports-related and
recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each
year; and
WHEREAS, Nationally, children and youth 5 through 18 years of
age accounted for 2.4 million sports-related emergency visits
annually; and
WHEREAS, Acquired brain injury is an injury to the brain,
secondary to trauma, stroke, postsurgical complications and
certain acquired disease processes; and
WHEREAS, TBI is caused by a direct blow to the head or being
shaken violently; and
WHEREAS, TBI may be caused by falls, motor vehicle crashes,
bicycle accidents, sports and recreation injuries, shaken baby
syndrome, gunshot wounds and assaults; and
WHEREAS, The signs and symptoms of TBI can be subtle and may
not appear until days or weeks following the injury or may even
be missed; and
WHEREAS, Mild TBI is often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed,
with symptoms not always immediately apparent; and
WHEREAS, TBI is the leading cause of disability and death
among children and adolescents; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has a number of the leading
research centers for brain injury, including the Penn Center for
Brain Injury and Repair at the University of Pennsylvania, the
Center for Injury Research and Control at the University of
Pittsburgh, the Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute and the
Center for Injury Research and Prevention at The Children’s
Hospital of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania, Inc.,
believes that the best approach to the silent epidemic of brain
injury is prevention of brain injuries; and
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WHEREAS, Brain injury prevention can be achieved through
community education and a public awareness campaign; therefore
be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of March 2009
as "Brain Injury Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania, Inc., 950 Walnut
Bottom Road, Suite 15-229, Carlisle PA.
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