§ 280b–1e. Study on traumatic brain injury

(a) Study The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to paragraph (1) and in consultation with the Director of the National Institutes of Health and other appropriate entities with respect to paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), may conduct a study with respect to traumatic brain injury for the purpose of carrying out the following:

(1) In collaboration with appropriate State and local health-related agencies—

(A) determining the incidence of traumatic brain injury and prevalence of traumatic brain injury related disability and the clinical aspects of the disability in all age groups and racial and ethnic minority groups in the general population of the United States, including institutional settings, such as nursing homes, correctional facilities, psychiatric hospitals, child care facilities, and residential institutes for people with developmental disabilities; and

(B) reporting national trends in traumatic brain injury.

(2) Identifying common therapeutic interventions which are used for the rehabilitation of individuals with such injuries, and, subject to the availability of information, including an analysis of—

(A) the effectiveness of each such intervention in improving the functioning, including return to work or school and community participation, of individuals with brain injuries;

(B) the comparative effectiveness of interventions employed in the course of rehabilitation of individuals with brain injuries to achieve the same or similar clinical outcome; and

(C) the adequacy of existing measures of outcomes and knowledge of factors influencing differential outcomes.

(3) Identifying interventions and therapies that can prevent or remediate the development of secondary neurologic conditions related to traumatic brain injury.

(4) Developing practice guidelines for the rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury at such time as appropriate scientific research becomes available.

(b) Dates certain for reports

If the study is conducted under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, not later than 3 years after April 28, 2008, submit to Congress a report describing findings made as a result of carrying out such subsection (a).

(c) Definition

For purposes of this section, the term “traumatic brain injury” means an acquired injury to the brain. Such term does not include brain dysfunction caused by congenital or degenerative disorders, nor birth trauma, but may include brain injuries caused by anoxia due to trauma including near drowning. The Secretary may revise the definition of such term as the Secretary determines necessary.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 393C–1, as added Pub. L. 110–206, § 4, Apr. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 715.)