The Center for Head Injuries Overview:

The Center for Head Injuries

Overview: A Treatment Pioneer

The JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison was one of the first rehabilitation centers in the country to recognize that individuals with acquired brain injury require a specialized treatment environment with high quality care provided by a corps of medical and rehabilitation specialists. In 1981, the Center for Head Injuries was established to provide a broad spectrum of services to patients with acquired brain injuries.

By establishing a comprehensive Center for Head Injuries, the unique therapeutic needs common to patients who have sustained brain injuries can be addressed. Additionally, as patients' needs change through the recovery process, the treatment flow can be uninterrupted by transferring patients to the most appropriate care setting.

With its unprecedented, comprehensive approach to care, the Center for Head Injuries is regarded as a pioneer in head trauma evaluation and treatment. The center's goal today is the same as it was when it was established: to restore real-life skills to those with head injuries so that they may return to their family and community at the maximum level possible.

In 2002, the JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute was awarded a Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (TBIMS) grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). This five-year grant was awarded to JRI to pursue research regarding innovative assessment and rehabilitation approaches for persons with traumatic brain injury.

A Continuum of Care

Through a continuum of care that extends from acute comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation to subacute inpatient rehabilitation to cognitive rehabilitation, the center uses an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to treat all levels of acquired brain injury. Each level in the continuum is designed to provide a comprehensive, cost-effective, progressive flow of treatment for individual clinical needs. Patients may enter the continuum at any level as appropriate for their specific clinical needs and may move to other levels during the course of their treatment.
All components of the continuum of care are accredited by JCAHO and CARF.

Since patients who have sustained brain injuries have a broad range of needs, the center offers a variety of specialized services including the following:

Rehabilitation Medicine
Rehabilitation Nursing
Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Speech Therapy
Recreation Therapy
Neuropsychological Evaluations
Audiology
Vocational Rehabilitation
Community Re-entry
Nutrition Services
Social Work Services

Because of its commitment to both the patient and the family, supportive counseling and education are provided. These services assist in the planning and adjustment to disabilities and enhance the quality of life following acquired brain injury.

Referrals: To make a patient referral or to receive additional information, call Client Services at (732) 321-7733.