For Michael Pullman, the world was an adventure waiting to be explored.  As an Academic All-American at Emory University in 1993, he held the key to a promising future of opportunity and freedom—until he suffered a traumatic brain injury in an ATV accident at age 20.  Although doctors never thought he’d make it out alive, Pullman emerged from a coma nine months later, no longer able to walk or talk.

Rationale/Problem statement

Due to funding issues, bed availability, etc., some patients referred to TLC for residential Post Acute Brain Injury Rehabilitation (PABIR) services are placed on a waiting list.  While at home, a nursing home, or other non-medical placement, patients can and do deteriorate functionally while waiting for skilled services (i.e., de-conditioning due to inactivity, adoption of maladaptive coping strategies, development of irregular activity schedules, etc.).

The Department of Defense has awarded a consortium of Houston institutions a $33 million grant to investigate mild traumatic brain injury (Mild TBI), or concussion, the potential severity of which has long been underappreciated.