ACCS Colleges Open Doors to TBI Centers
MONTGOMERY – For Alabamians living with traumatic brain injury, knowing where to turn can be the first step toward a better life. A partnership between the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) and Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS) is making that step easier.
Two Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Centers of Alabama were debuted to the public last month, both located on an Alabama Community College campus. The first center was introduced during an open house event at the Jefferson State Community College’s Jefferson campus in Birmingham on September 23 followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony at Calhoun Community College’s Research Park campus in Huntsville one week later, September 29. The additions bring Alabama’s network of TBI centers to five locations statewide.
“Our mission is to make life better, and that mission reaches beyond the classroom,” said ACCS Chancellor Jimmy Baker. “By opening our campuses to these centers, we are helping people find the support, confidence and connections they need to move forward. For veterans and service members who have given so much—and for every Alabamian navigating life with a traumatic brain injury—this partnership opens another door to hope and possibility.”
ADRS Commissioner Jane Elizabeth Burdeshaw said the centers provide an important local resource while complementing the healthcare and mental health services Veterans already receive through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The centers will provide confidential, specialized resources and services for veterans, National Guard members and individuals navigating long-term recovery from traumatic brain injury, connecting individuals and families with specialized care and support on two community college campuses.
“We’re the first state to offer state traumatic brain injury services and resources free to veterans, guard members, and those living with the long-term effects of brain injury,” Burdeshaw said. “Veterans can continue to access their healthcare and mental healthcare with the VA, but they will now have a program in their local community that can help them with additional supports and needs.”
ADRS serves as Alabama’s lead agency for coordinating TBI services, alongside its broader work supporting individuals with disabilities. ADRS State TBI Program Director April Turner said the openings represent the culmination of years of planning and collaboration among state leaders, veterans, service members, advocates and community partners.
“This is a dream come true,” said Turner. “I’m thankful to the veterans, service members, and TBI advocates whose courage, voices and dedication guided our efforts to expand care for those who need it most, because sometimes the hardest part of living with a brain injury isn’t knowing you need help—it’s knowing where to go next.”
Each center is staffed by a TBI services navigator, a veteran peer mentor and two master’s-level counselors. Together, they help individuals understand their options and connect with services through screening, referrals, education, peer mentorship, clinical evaluations and care coordination. Staff members also support coverage of Alabama’s TBI Helpline.
By bringing these services onto ACCS campuses, the partnership strengthens the colleges’ role as community resources—places where education, opportunity and support come together to help Alabamians move forward.
For more information about ADRS traumatic brain injury services, visit rehab.alabama.gov/services/vr/tbi.
For more information about the Alabama Community College System, visit accs.edu.
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