DRAFT - BrainSTEPS.NET Colorado

BrainSTEPS Brain Injury School Consulting Program in Colorado

What is BrainSTEPS CO?

BrainSTEPS is comprised of over 200 multi-disciplinary educational consultants specializing in brain injury, serving all Colorado school districts and Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). Teams provide brain injury consultation and training when a student has been identified with a history of any type of brain injury.

Learn about Types of Brain Injury and Causes

BrainSTEPS Referral

A BrainSTEPS Referral is completed by the person who identifies a student with a Brain Injury (BI):

• Mild TBI (concussion) 4-6 weeks after concussion with persistent symptoms.
• Moderate to Severe brain injury immediately, even if the student is still in the hospital or rehabilitation.
• Congenital BI that may require additional educational support.
• The Team Leader sends an email to the team members or contacts a specific team member directly to serve as point person when a new student referral is received.
• Team Leaders, or a designated team member, call the guardian to acknowledge receipt of the referral and verify that the referral information in the database is correct.
• Your team obtains and uploads the signed BrainSTEPS CO parent permission to consult with the school.
• Teams obtain medical, rehabilitation, and educational reports to assist in making educational recommendations.
• A team member speaks with and observes every referred student to gather information prior to making recommendations.
• A team member speaks with the student’s teachers about learning or behavior concerns they may have about the student before making any school-based recommendations.
• Teams provide written recommendations for all referrals utilizing BrainSTEPS CO observation form.

Who can make a referral to BrainSTEPS CO?

Anyone can make a referral directly to BrainSTEPS CO for any student with a suspected or known brain injury. In Colorado, no medical diagnosis is necessary, just a significant history.

About BrainSTEPS

The BrainSTEPS school consulting model is a national model that was originally created in Pennsylvania in 2007. It was implemented by the Colorado Department of Education in 2016 in collaboration with funding from MindSource Brain Injury Network of Colorado.

BrainSTEPS is:

• A national model for brain injury educational consulting.
• Based in 31 Colorado school districts and BOCES and consists of over 250+ education professionals

BrainSTEPS teams can:

• Provide brain injury training to educational, medical, and community groups
• Provide various brain injury trainings to groups from educational, medical, and rehabilitation facilities in the community.
• Help schools identify students with brain injuries and plan school re-entry.
• Assist in IEP or 504 Plans and recommending appropriate interventions.
• Support educators in teaching students with brain injuries.
• Monitor students annually until high school graduation for new cognitive, behavioral, or social concerns.
• Access free training and support from Colorado Department of Education brain injury specialists, along with the latest research-based information to ensure the team stays updated on pediatric brain injury, learning, and behavior.
• BrainSTEPS teams are NOT Concussion Management teams. Visit CDE's Health Education Services Office for information on concussion management.

Program Funding

The BrainSTEPS model was originally created by the PA Department of Health in 2007 and was established in Colorado in 2016 by the Colorado Department of Education in conjunction with funding from MindSource Brain Injury Network of Colorado. MindSource’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for everyone in Colorado living with, or affected by brain injury, and their communities. Housed within the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) MindSource serves as the umbrella entity for three distinct programs/functions: MindSource manages the Colorado Brain Injury Trust Fund, provides technical assistance, and manages the federal traumatic brain injury grant.

Colorado’s BrainSTEPS (Strategies Teaching Educators, Parents, and Students) brain injury school consulting program is in its 8th year of supporting school districts and BOCES. BrainSTEPS CO is currently active in 31 districts and BOCES across the state of Colorado with the goal of expanding to all Colorado school districts. Jody Dickerson and Toni Grishman co-coordinate the BrainSTEP CO program through the Colorado Department of Education.

BrainSTEPS CO is offered to all Colorado school districts/BOCES at no cost to the student, parent or district.

BrainSTEPS is a joint project between the Colorado Mindsource Brain Injury Network and the Colorado Department of Education.

Jody Dickerson, MN, BSN
BrainSTEPS CO Program Coordinator
Phone: (720) 795-2273
Email Jody Dickerson