California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent ResolutionNo. 48


Introduced by Assembly Member Cooley

March 18, 2015


Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 48—Relative to Brain Injury Awareness, Treatment, and Prevention Month.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 48, as introduced, Cooley. Brain Injury Awareness, Treatment, and Prevention Month.

This measure would designate the month of March 2015 and each year thereafter as Brain Injury Awareness, Treatment, and Prevention Month, and would encourage public officials and the citizens of California to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs to raise awareness about the symptoms of, treatments for, and ways of preventing, traumatic brain injuries.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, Each year, 2.5 million Americans sustain traumatic
2brain injuries; and

3WHEREAS, A traumatic brain injury is a contributing factor in
4roughly one-third of all injury-related deaths in the United States;
5and

6WHEREAS, Each year, 250,000 people in California sustain a
7traumatic brain injury; and

8WHEREAS, These injuries are largely the result of falls, motor
9vehicle crashes, assaults, sporting-related injuries, or occupational
10injuries; and

P2    1WHEREAS, More than 5.3 million Americans are living with
2disabilities related to traumatic brain injury; and

3WHEREAS, Traumatic brain injury is the signature injury of
4the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, presenting new challenges for
5members of the military and their families; and

6WHEREAS, The federal Centers for Disease Control and
7Prevention (CDC) estimates that as many as 3.8 million sports-
8and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States
9annually; and

10WHEREAS, The Federal Traumatic Brain Injury
11Reauthorization Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-196) has provided
12new authority for the CDC to review brain injury management in
13children, and to identify ongoing and potential opportunities for
14research; and

15WHEREAS, Research, treatment, and support help speed
16recovery from a traumatic brain injury; and

17WHEREAS, The Brain Injury Association of California offers
18education and support to individuals with traumatic brain injury
19and their families to help those individuals integrate into the
20community and live as independently as possible; and

21WHEREAS, The Brain Injury Association of California has
22designated March as Brain Injury Awareness Month to promote
23public awareness on the extent, causes, consequences, treatment,
24and prevention of traumatic brain injury, and to remind people
25with traumatic brain injuries and their families that they are not
26alone; now, therefore, be it

27Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
28thereof concurring,
That the Legislature designates the month of
29March 2015, and each year thereafter, as Brain Injury Awareness,
30Treatment, and Prevention Month, and encourages public officials
31and the citizens of California to observe the month with appropriate
32activities and programs to raise awareness about the symptoms of,
33treatments for, and ways of preventing, traumatic brain injuries;
34and be it further

35Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
36of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



O

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