TBI Council News
📰 Opportunities to Serve
Apply by January 15, 2026, for consideration for this year’s round of applications!
At the beginning of each year, the TBI Council reviews applications received from Boards and Commissions Office of the Governor for all open positions on the Council. The Council reviews and makes recommendations to the Governor’s Office. Council terms begin in July of each year. Reach out to Boards and Commissions at GovernorBoardsandCommissions@gov.wa.gov with any questions.
📰 Next TBI Council Meeting
Thursday, February 5, 2026, from 9 – 11:30am PST
Find meeting info and links at the bottom of the TBI Council page. We'd love to have you there!
Partnership Highlight
Safety & Fun with Safe Kids
Every day, kids get hurt having fun - riding their bike, playing sports, playing on the playground with friends. For many years, Safe Kids Washington has been at the forefront of child safety. Find your local Safe Kids information here!
💪 How? Local Leaders Creating Sustainable Coalitions
Safe Kids uses a local community-based coalition model where community members work with a local Safe Kids coordinator on topics of child safety that are important and relevant to that community. The TBI Council is an active partner in these efforts. View the annual report on our Safe Kids-TBI Partnership (PDF)
❄️ Check out the Bundle Up Festival with Safe Kids Chelan Douglas!
Join the fun on Saturday, January 17, from 11am - 2pm at Pybus Market
for winter safety tips, helmet education, and lots of free activities, such as:
- Hayrides
- Petting zoo
- Bonfire and s’mores
- Kids carnival
- Crafts
- Performances
- Vendors
🚙 Car Seat Inspections & Distribution
If you need to have a seat install check or looking for a low-cost seat, visit https://wacarseats.com to find a local car seat inspection and distribution service near you. To get tips and recommendations of the right fit and installation for a car safety seat for your child visit the Safe Kids Ultimate Car Seat Guide.
🚗 Free Car Seat Clinic with Benton-Franklin Health District!
Safe Kids Benton-Franklin offers free car seat safety checks by appointment. Community car seat clinics are held on the fourth Saturday of each month from 10 am to 2 pm at Kadlec Regional Medical Center parking garage. Book your appointment online or drop in on a first-come-first serve basis. Car seats and booster seats may be available for low-income families who qualify. Contact (509) 460-4200 for more info.
⚠️ Product Recalls & Safety Warnings
Safe Kids Washington is a partner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission to address injury prevention for child consumer products. If you have a question or concern about a product or need assistance in filing a report on a product with the Consumer Product Safety Commission you can reach out to us at safekidswashington@doh.wa.gov.
You can find the latest recalls and safety warnings or subscribe to the email listserv by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls.
🦺 Traffic Safety Gardens
Check out the Traffic Garden Toolkit, a resource guide for pop-up and permanent traffic gardens, developed in collaboration by community partners and the TBI Council.
More languages available at the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Publication Library.
Add a traffic safety garden to your spring and summer events!
💻 Learning & Education Resources
Check out the Safe Kids Washington online learning modules!
Topics include pedestrian safety, brain injury guide for parents, emergency preparedness, fall prevention, winter safety, farm safety, child passenger safety, playground safety, sports safety, traffic safety gardens, water safety, and bike safety, and more. Make sure you are prepared for the season with our modules on Winter Safety and Snowlympics!
Community Connections
Learn with The Center on Brain Injury Research & Training (CBIRT)
CBIRT, a center under the Department of Psychology at the University of Oregon, conducts research and training to improve the lives of children and adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). CBIRT’s research focuses on developing interventions to improve outcomes related to education, employability, and quality of life. Our training activities promote the use of best practices among educators and other professionals who serve individuals with TBI.
Upcoming Learning Opportunities with CBIRT:
- Jan. 23, 8am – 9am PST: Partnering with Families in Early Childhood Intervention - Megan Kunze, PhD
- Feb. 20, 8am – 9am PST: Concussions and Adolescents in Texas - Nyaz Didehbani, PhD
- Feb. 27, 9am – 12pm PST: Justice Involvement and Beyond: Surviving the System, Building Resilience and Moving Forward in partnership with the TBI Council
- Mar. 13, 8am – 9am PST: Optimal Outcomes in PICU Survivors with Acquired Brain Injury: What’s Neuropsychology Got to Do with It? with Trevor Hall, PhD
- Apr. 17, 8am – 9am PST: Caregiver 2 Caregiver: Supporting Families of Young Children with Brain Injury/Concussions with Berenice de la Cruz, PhD
- May 15, 9am – 12pm PST: Complex Caregiving: When Brain Injury Meets Domestic Violence and Justice System Involvement in partnership with the TBI Council
To view recordings of past webinars, click here to be directed to the webinar archive on Return to School website. To view recordings of the Building Capacity in Brain Injury series, visit the Workshop Library
Adaptive Outdoor Recreation Resources
On January 28, 2 - 3:30pm, meet friends and learn about getting outdoors and enjoying all kinds of recreational activities. Join HeadStrong and the Bellingham TBI Support Group at the Whatcom Clubhouse located at 1710 Kentucky Street in Bellingham. We'll have a snacks and conversation. Register on Eventbrite. Contact info@headstrongforlife.org to learn more!
WA Cares Pilot Program Opportunity
The WA Cares Fund will be launching a pilot program in Lewis, Mason, Thurston, and Spokane counties to make sure our processes are ready for statewide launch in July 2026.
WA Cares will be accepting a limited number of applicants between Jan. 6 and Feb. 28, 2026, and are looking to connect with community members who live in those counties and may be interested in participating.
Check out the WA Cares website for ongoing updates and reach out to Help & Support | WA Cares Fund if you have any questions.
Cross-Disability Panel Speaker Opportunity
The Washington Statewide Independent Living Council (WASILC) is excited to announce an upcoming panel discussion aimed at amplifying the voices and experiences of individuals from the cross-disability community. They are currently seeking passionate speakers who can represent various disabilities and share their unique stories and perspectives.
What are Cross-Disabilities? Cross-disabilities refer to the diverse range of disabilities that individuals may experience, including physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric, and developmental disabilities. Each person's experience is distinct, and together, these voices create a rich tapestry of insights that can inspire change and promote inclusivity.
Why They Matter: Understanding and representing cross-disabilities is essential for fostering a more inclusive society. By sharing personal stories and innovative ideas, we can work towards thoughtful solutions that address the unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. This panel aims to educate our community, promote awareness, and inspire action toward greater inclusivity.
Join: We invite speakers from all backgrounds and experiences to participate in this important discussion. Together, we will explore how our community can embrace diversity, advocate for thoughtful solutions, and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.
If you are interested in being a panel speaker or know someone who would be a great fit, please reply to this email or contact Courtney at courtney.williams@dshs.wa.gov by January 30, 2026, for more information.
Brain Injury Study & Survey Opportunity
Are you the romantic partner of a brain injury survivor? Do you have a brain injury and a romantic partner? If so, learn more about the study and opportunity to engage with this research!
Resources
Strong & Growing: A Health Care Transition Guide for Young People
Strong & Growing: A Health Care Transition Guide for Young People with Chronic Health Conditions is now available in English and Spanish. This guide is designed to support youth with chronic or complex health conditions prepare for the transition from pediatric to adult health care.
Check out the Healthier Washington Collaboration Portal to find Resources for Youth-Serving Providers and more!
Advancing TBI Care for the Military Community
Check out this new free continuing medical education (CME) opportunity to benefit your providers, staff, and broader network. The on-demand course, Advancing TBI Care for the Military Community, is now available and offers:
- 1 CME/CE credit for AMA, APA, and Athletic Training
- Free access for all participants
- Flexible, on-demand viewing that can be completed at any time
This course was developed to support clinicians and professionals who serve active-duty service members, veterans, and military families affected by traumatic brain injury. As per protocol, Department of Defense representatives reviewed this content prior to publication and did not recommend any changes to the content.
Find additional free CME/CE courses on the Concussion & CTE Foundation website covering brain injury, concussion management, and related clinical topics.
TBI InfoComics
💥 TBI InfoComics educate and inform about common symptoms of traumatic brain injury and ways to manage them. TBI InfoComics cover several topic areas, including:
💥 TBI InfoComics are also offered in Spanish!
Washington State Transition Map
The Washington State Rehabilitation Council (WSRC) has launched the Washington State Transition Map. This co-branded resource is a one-page summary to help individuals and families learn about, compare, and connect to key job transition services that students may be eligible for as they prepare to leave high school.
It highlights key transition programs provided by DSHS’ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Developmental Disabilities Administration, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Department of Services for the Blind and includes the following information for each:
- Program eligibility
- Services included
- How it will help individuals to get or maintain employment and continued education and training, and
- How to apply
Additionally, it serves as a valuable tool for disability support resources and agencies to establish meaningful connections with transition services to support individuals with disabilities in securing and maintaining employment.
The Washington State Transition Map is available on our website as a digital download and is available in 11 languages.
For questions, please contact WSRC staff at wsrc@dshs.wa.gov or (866) 252-2939.
Return to School with the Center on Brain Injury Research & Training (CBIRT)
❗ A brain injury, including concussion, can change the way a student behaves, moves, thinks, and learns. These changes can lead to challenges in a student’s ability to succeed at school. The more educators know about brain injury the better prepared they will be to support students with brain injury in their classroom.
✔️ Return to School (RTS) is designed for Washington educators, parents and community providers who support students with brain injury. Here you can register for upcoming events, view past webinars, and download resources like the Brain Injury Management Toolkit. The site includes the In the Classroom course for educators, which is approved for 10 clock hours. Work at your own pace, on your own schedule. All resources are provided free of charge.
Struggling with Caregiver Burnout? Need Someone to Relate?
Check out Washington Caregiving Journey and find Caregiver Support Groups here.
💞 Find more Caregiver Resources here.
Want More?
📜 Check out updated guidance on Communicating about Brain Injury
Opportunities to Serve
At the beginning of each year, the TBI Council reviews applications received from Boards and Commissions Office of the Governor for all open positions on the Council. The Council reviews and makes recommendations to the Governor’s Office. Council terms begin in July of each year.
Apply by January 15, 2026, for consideration for this year’s round of applications!
Reach out to Boards and Commissions at GovernorBoardsandCommissions@gov.wa.gov with any questions.
Note: While DSHS/TBI Council does not sponsor all of these activities and events, we share this information as a valuable resource to the TBI community. Activities and events that are not sponsored by DSHS/TBI Council have no affiliation and are not endorsed by DSHS/TBI Council. Access at own discretion.
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