Head Injury Association

Our mission is to maximize Traumatic Brain Injury survivors’ potential by providing the necessary residential and support programs to help them achieve four valued outcomes: Individualization, Independence, Integration and Productivity.

The Head Injury Association is a not-for-profit organization committed to increasing public awareness of TBI and its consequences. As a result, HIA offers innovative and effective solutions to many of the problems head injured survivors and their families are faced with.

The Head Injury Association is an independent, not-for-profit agency, widely recognized for its innovative programming for survivors of head injury and their families.

We seek to increase public awareness of TBI (traumatic brain injury) and its consequences, and thereby obtain some solutions to the many problems facing Long Island’s survivors and their families.

We strive, by political and educational means, to ensure that head injured individuals have all requisite medical, rehabilitation, vocational and recreational systems available and are able to live with dignity in a comfortable and accessible environment.

When the crisis of head injury suddenly occurs, each family’s reaction and means of coping will be different. We recognize the devastating impact of TBI and provide a network of services specifically designed to meet the initial and lifetime needs of survivors and caregivers facing this crisis. We are here to assist with information and support to help you adapt in your own way.

TBI, or Traumatic Brain Injury, occurs when a sudden trauma, such as an automobile accident, a fall or a stroke, causes damage to the brain. TBI is classified into two categories: mild and severe.

A brain injury is classified as mild if loss of consciousness and/or confusion and disorientation is shorter than 30 minutes. The individual may experience a headache, difficulty thinking, memory problems, attention deficits, mood swings and frustration. These injuries are commonly overlooked. Even though this type of TBI is called "mild," the effect on the family and the injured person can be devastating.

Severe brain injury is associated with loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes and memory loss after the injury or penetrating skull injury. The deficits range from impairment of higher-level cognitive functions to comatose states. Survivors may have limited function of arms or legs, abnormal speech or language, loss of thinking ability or emotional problems. The range of injuries and degree of recovery varies on an individual basis.

The effects of TBI can be profound. Individuals with severe injuries can be left in long-term unresponsive states. For many people with severe TBI, long-term rehabilitation is often necessary to maximize function and independence. Even with mild TBI, the consequences to a person's life can be dramatic. Since our brain defines who we are, a brain injury can affect all aspects of our lives, including our personality. Therefore, a change in brain function can have a dramatic impact on family, job, social and community interaction.