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Inside Education and Health Sciences

UD’s community solution to brain health in Dayton

A traumatic brain injury can leave a person and their family with long-term — or a lifetime of — unmet needs once they leave their doctor's care. Now a community effort led by a University of Dayton professor is looking to bridge the gap.

Susan Davies, professor and school psychology program coordinator at the University of Dayton and Leary Chair for Innovation in Education, Health and Wellness; is leading the University's Brain Health Collaboratory to help increase access to care for individuals and families affected by brain injuries.

The collaboratory, funded with a three-year, $450,000 grant from the Dayton Foundation, will educate professionals on brain health; conduct research on community needs; collect data on program outcomes; and increase community awareness about brain health.

"We have great medical services in this area including acute care, but once individuals leave the hospital and rehab, it's a lot harder to serve those individuals," Davies said. "We're looking at how we can use all of these good hearts, good minds and good services that are currently fragmented — how can we better pull things together so that the right people are talking together?"

Davies' research focuses on how schools and the community can help individuals transition back to school after they exhaust insurance-funded resources like regular physical therapy or other medical treatments.

By partnering with area hospitals, schools, nonprofits and government, the collaboratory hopes to build a central understanding of available resources in the community and address gaps without duplicating efforts. The University is working with Premier Health, Kettering Health, Dayton Children's Hospital, Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley, Clark and Montgomery County Educational Service Centers, Montgomery County Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services, and other local organizations.

"Dr. Davies' work with the Brain Health Collaboratory is a testament to her dedication and outstanding research in the area of traumatic brain injury, and the value of meeting community needs beyond the boundaries of our fields," said Ali Carr-Chellman, dean of the School of Education and Health Sciences. "Traumatic brain injuries are a significant national issue and a place where UD can lead the way and demonstrate the connection between university research and relevant work to advance community needs."

University of Dayton faculty will expand research to better understand traumatic brain injuries in fields ranging from nutrition to engineering. Students also will have opportunities to be involved in research. Angela Kladias, a graduate assistant and student in UD's school psychology program, is researching how young adults with a traumatic brain injury are impacted by interdisciplinary care with occupational, physical and speech therapy.

"When I graduate, I want to work with younger students, but there's so much I can learn from this research that still applies," Kladias said, adding how grateful she is to have an opportunity to better understand the impacts of concussions on students and families she will be working with in the future

"As I tell my students, we don't want to spend too much time 'admiring the problem,'" Davies said. "Moving forward, I am invested in solutions."

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