ALBANY – A bill sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey (D-Saugerties) to study and improve access to services for New Yorkers diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has passed the Senate unanimously.
It now awaits action in the Assembly.
The idea for the bill was sparked by former Shokan resident Hannah Berryan, who has struggled for nearly a decade to access the long-term care she needs to manage the symptoms of a severe TBI. If signed into law, Hinchey’s bill would be the first statutorily mandated comprehensive study on the regional delivery of services for TBI care in New York.
Hannah Berryan was 16 years old when a texting driver struck her while crossing the street in the Town of Ulster. Due to the injuries sustained from the accident, Hannah, now 24, struggles with a TBI that requires 24-hour care.
In April 2021, Hinchey’s office began working with Hannah and her mother, Katherine, to help Hannah access services in the Hudson Valley. However, because of the lack of local services for individuals with traumatic brain injuries, Hannah has moved out of state to find adequate care.
Hinchey’s bill requires the Department of Health and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities to conduct a study examining the accessibility, affordability, and delivery of services to individuals with traumatic brain injuries. Specifically, the study will evaluate regional disparities in TBI care, the effectiveness of the administrative process for approving and denying requests for TBI services, the quality of TBI service delivery and the training providers receive, and emerging trends in TBI to help improve scientific understanding.
The bill also requires the state agency officials to make recommendations to enhance TBI services and care across the state.
