NC BRAINS
DRNC’s NC BRAINS (Brain Resources and Injury Needs Screening) campaign aims to facilitate advancements in provider education, address the need to improve North Carolina’s brain injury identification systems and ensure connection to community-based services. If you have a disability-related question that is not answered here or on our resources page, please contact us.
- Updated on: March 18, 2025
Learn about the NC BRAINS screening and training program. For more information on the OBISSS
About the Program
What is the NC Brains Program?
NC BRAINS stands for North Carolina Brain Resources and Injury Needs Screening.
The NC BRAINS campaign improves North Carolina’s brain injury identification systems, advances provider education, and connects individuals to community-based services to enhance the quality of life for people affected by brain injury
Why is DRNC Participating in a Brain Injury Public Awareness Campaign?
North Carolina lacks a statewide, evidence-based, and HIPAA-compliant screening tool for identifying brain injuries. While some screening efforts exist—such as through Local Management Entities (which offer screeners via intake calls), hospitals (which report patient histories of traumatic brain injury), and community-based pilot programs—these efforts are limited in scope. Although they have provided valuable data, they do not capture the full extent of the issue.
DRNC aims to bridge that gap by expanding access to brain injury screening for all North Carolinians. Individuals with a suspected history of brain injury will have the opportunity to screen themselves and gain insight into their potential exposure. Those who learn they may have experienced a brain injury will receive self-advocacy tools to help them manage symptoms and communicate effectively with providers.
Providers in various service settings will be equipped to screen patients for brain injuries, allowing them to differentiate these injuries from other conditions and provide appropriate accommodations and referrals.
By involving both individuals and providers in screening and education, this initiative will enhance understanding of brain injury prevalence in North Carolina and inform recommendations for improving services, treatment, training, and access to care.
Why was the NC Brains campaign created?
The NC BRAINS campaign was created to give North Carolinians three accessible brain injury-related services: an evidence-based screening method, increased provider education, and individual self-advocacy tools.
- All North Carolinians will have access to a free method to identify people with brain injuries and their needs across multiple settings in North Carolina.
- Statewide providers across multidisciplinary areas will be offered educational training resources related to brain injury to improve their services to the brain-injured population. Providers will also have the option to request population-specific education.
- Individuals with suspected brain injuries will also learn self-advocacy tools through symptom-specific educational resources that they will receive upon completing the brain injury screener.
What is a Brain Injury Screener?
The Online Brain Injury Screening and Support System (OBISSS) helps identify brain injury history and related challenges in individuals aged 10 and up. The screening tool is readily available for individuals 18 and up, and parents or guardians may fill out the screener for those aged 10 and up.
Managed by NASHIA, it uses the Ohio State University TBI-Identification Method (OSU TBI-ID) to assess lifetime exposure to brain injury. OBISSS is self-administered online, with assistance available if needed. If no brain injury is detected, results are emailed immediately. If an injury is identified, individuals complete a symptoms questionnaire, generating personalized tip sheets for self-advocacy and provider guidance. OBISSS also offers referrals and additional resources for support.
How does OBISSS Help?
Facilitates Patient/Client Support:
- Identifies an individual’s history of brain injuries
- Identifies individual challenges and offers personalized strategies.
- Provides practical advice for supporting individuals with brain injuries.
Gathers Prevalence Data Across Multiple Community Settings:
- Compiles data on brain injury trends in a variety of screening settings.
- Adds to the North Carolina and national understanding of brain injury history.
- Contributes to recommendations for improving brain injury programs and policies.
Important Notes:
Your Data is Secure
- NASHIA manages the OBISSS through a secure, HIPAA-compliant data platform.
- You can share the link with anyone you choose such as a provider or loved one or elect not to have the link or results shared with anyone aside from yourself.
- When someone completes the screener, their personal information is removed or hidden so that they cannot be identified.
Youth Participation
- The OBISSS Screener Administrator does not screen individuals below 18 to protect minor information. We encourage parents, or guardians, to complete the screener on behalf of their children. Although we cannot conduct the screener to youth, we can provide technical assistance to parents, guardians and providers to support them as they navigate the screener. If you need assistance and have questions, please submit a request form.
Who Can Be Screened?
This program can be accessed by any individual 18 and up or by a parent or guardian for their child aged 10 and up, who resides or receives services in North Carolina. The following are the various people who can access this program.
Providers can screen patients or clients
- A provider is defined as a professional who works directly or indirectly with individuals who have a diagnosed or suspected brain injury. Examples of providers include Mental Health Clinician, Healthcare Worker, Social Worker, Support Group Facilitator, Advocate (Intimate Partner Violence, Court Coordinator, Housing, or Substance Use), Teacher, Attorney, Researcher, Adult Care Worker, First Responder, Correctional Officer, or other service worker.
- Providers will be able to refer patients/clients to be screened by the NC Screener Administrator
- The NC Screener Administrator is responsible for overseeing the NC BRAINS program, including performing requested screenings, offering training to providers, and creating tailored training upon request.
- NC BRAINS Project Manager:
Desireé Gorbea-Finalet braininjuryinfo@disabilityrightsnc.org
919-500-4462 or 743-895-0032.
Complete a referral form to submit a referral for an individual to be screened.
- Individuals with suspected brain injuries will be able to screen themselves
- If someone needs an accommodation or is interested in being screened by the Screener Administrator, they can submit a request.
- Caregivers will be able to screen their loved ones or survivors
- A caregiver can be a relative (spouse, child, sibling, parent) or it can be a support care staff member.
- Survivors will be able to screen themselves
- A survivor is someone who has lived experience with a brain injury.
How Can People Be Screened?
- Individuals and providers can access and use the screener themselves by using OBISSS and following the instructions on the screen. Once in the screening system on the top right-hand side, there are options for text enlargement. At the start of each sentence, there are also options for text-to-speech.
- Individuals and providers can call in and schedule a screening. The contact information to schedule a screening is 919-500-4462 or 743-895-0032.
- Individuals and providers can submit a virtual request for screening via email at braininjuryinfo@disabilityrightsnc.org submitting information to the screener request form.
- Request the paper version of OBISSS to be sent to you via mail or email. This request can also be done by submitting a screener request form.
What is the Importance of Screening?
When providers screen for brain injuries, they gain insight into an individual’s challenges. Self-screening helps individuals understand their experiences while contributing to data that shows where brain injury resources are needed. Brain injury screenings benefit both providers and individuals by:
- Uncovering an individual’s lifetime history of brain injury
- Assisting in identifying an individual’s eligibility for community-based services
- Helping providers understand how to work with individuals with brain injury
- Improving understanding the background of injuries and their impact
Screening for a lifetime history of brain injury can significantly impact the success of an individual regardless of the environment they. are in. Reasons that individuals should be screened for a lifetime history of brain injury include:
- Distinguishing from other Disabilities: Accurately identifying brain injury amidst cognitive, spinal cord, and behavioral challenges is crucial for tailored treatment and support.
- Implementing Accommodations: Identifying brain injury-related deficits empowers informed decisions for inclusive environmental and cognitive support.
- Making Timely Referrals: Prompt brain injury screening allows timely referrals for medical attention and interventions, improving outcomes and quality of life.
- Facilitating Appropriate Engagement: Early brain injury identification enables positive interactions by adjusting communication to individual needs.
- Enhancing Safety: By implementing risk management strategies, brain injury screening improves safety for individuals and staff.
Brain Injury screenings are helpful tools for medical, mental health, and general community-based settings because they provide insight into an individual’s symptomatic challenges and how they may process the world around them.
Currently, there is no known cure for brain injury, which necessitates a focus on effectively managing the challenges it presents. This involves identifying how brain injury affects daily life and helping individuals learn skills and tools to improve their quality of life. Accommodations may include making changes in work, school, or home environments to support physical or cognitive challenges.
Examples of helpful accommodations include:
- Minimize distractions, which can mean minimizing extra sounds, flashing lights, and the number of people in a room
- Provide direct verbal communication without abstract humor or sarcasm
- When discussing important information, check for understanding and repeat as needed
- Encourage participation from the individual at their preferred pace
I am a provider or organization and would like more educational resources.
How can the NC BRAINS program help?
How can the NC BRAINS program help?
The NC BRAINS program offers educational support to various providers and organizations in North Carolina, including tip sheets on symptoms to help address individuals’ challenges All North Carolinians will also have access to two free training courses: Brain Injury 101 and The Importance of Brain Injury Screening / How To Screen.
Additional specialized training will be available to providers upon request and is at no cost to them or an organization. If you are an organization or individual provider interested in receiving additional educational support such as training, please click fill out our Educational Support Form. Some further training that can be requested are:
- Brain Injury and Mental Health
- Brain Injury and Substance Use Disorder
- Brain Injury and Vulnerable Populations
- Brain Injury and the Criminal Legal System
- Brain Injury and Youth
NC BRAINS will also provide a resource gallery on statewide brain injury resources and information guides. These resource guides are coming soon Summer 2025!
Visual Guides
Brain Injury Co-Occurring Conditions
This image mentions co-occurring conditions that often accompany brain injuries, including:
- Sleep disorders,
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
- Substance Use,
- Alcohol Use Disorders,
- Suicide,
- Behavioral Health
Vulnerable Populations
This image highlights vulnerable populations affected by brain injuries, such as:
- Veterans,
- The unhoused,
- Individuals with mental health issues,
- Those in correctional facilities,
- Those who live in rural areas,
- Low-income groups,
- Survivors of domestic violence,
- Substance use,
- Older adults,
- Racial/ethnic minorities,
Brain Injury Causes
This image outlines various causes of brain injury, categorized into traumatic and non-traumatic types.
- Traumatic causes include falls, assaults, motor vehicle crashes, sports injuries, gunshot wounds, child abuse, domestic violence, workplace injuries, shaken baby syndrome, and military actions.
- Non-traumatic causes include stroke, infectious diseases, seizure disorders,
electric shock/lightning strikes, tumors, metabolic disorders, neurotoxic
poisoning, and lack of oxygen to the brain.
Brain Injury Screening
Are you interested in taking or referring someone to the Online Brain Injury Screening and Support System (OBISSS)?
Subscriber Name: NH
Subscriber Code: 603
Referrals & Forms
NC BRAINS Referral for Screening
NC BRAINS Training Request Form
NC BRAINS Training Request Form
Share your Story
Share your story
Technical Assistance
If you require technical assistance, please contact the NC BRAINS Program Administrator.
NC BRAINS Project Manager:
Desireé Gorbea-Finalet braininjuryinfo@disabilityrightsnc.org
919-500-4462 or 743-895-0032.
Jump to Section
Learn more about Brain Injury Screening
Screening for brain injury looks for a lifetime history of possible injuries and how they can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. Learn more about screening and how to screen yourself.
Provider and Organizational Brain Injury Trainings
Additional educational materials such as trainings and resources,
Provider or Organization Screening Referral
Refer someone for screening,
Technical Assistance
If you require technical assistance, please contact the NC BRAINS Program Administrator.