BrainSTEPS Brain Injury School Consulting Program in Pennsylvania

The BrainSTEPS Program was created in 2007 to build a bridge connecting the medical, rehabilitation, education sectors and families following student (K-12) acquired brain injury (ABI). BrainSTEPS provides brain injury-related consultation & training to school staff, students, & parents in all Pennsylvania Public Schools.

ABOUT US

Sarah Krusen, MA CCC/SLP CBIST

Philadelphia Team Facilitator

Sarah Krusen MA CCC/SLP CBIST is a speech language pathologist for the Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22, Bucks IU BrainSTEPS Team Leader. She is also the BrainSTEPS Team Facilitator for Philadelphia County Sarah tamed her undergraduate degree from Temple University in Speech Language Hearing Science. She went on to complete her Master’s degree at The College of New Jersey in Speech Language Pathology. She has since also earned a graduate certificate from George Washington University in Transition Special Education and Brain Injury. She also holds a certificate as a Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer through The Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists (ACBIS). After graduate school Sarah was employed at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in The Children’s Seashore House as a speech language pathologist in neurorehabilitation and was also an evaluating therapist on the Stroke Team. She also worked at St. Mary Rehabilitation Hospital, per diem, with adults with brain injury Since coming to the Bucks County Intermediate Unit in the fall of 2007, Sarah has continued to support individuals with brain injuries as they return to school and require support in schools due to their acquired brain injuries.

What BrainSTEPS Does

BrainSTEPS is comprised of over 230+ brain injury educational consultants serving on regional teams based out of the educational Intermediate Units. BrainSTEPS teams cover all Pennsylvania public schools and provide brain injury consultation and training to their school districts when a child has been identified as having experienced an acquired brain injury. An acquired brain injury includes traumatic brain injuries of all severities, concussions, and non-traumatic brain injuries.

BrainSTEPS Supports the Following Types of Acquired Brain Injuries in Students Click the below to see many causes of brain injury that BrainSTEPS supports!

Concussions/Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries

Make BrainSTEPS student referral at 4 weeks post-concussion if symptoms persist.

Moderate & Severe Traumatic Brain Injuries

Make BrainSTEPS student referral immediately

Non-Traumatic Brain Injuries

Make BrainSTEPS student referral immediately.

Learn All About BrainSTEPS

Who can make a referral to BrainSTEPS for a Pennsylvania student who experiences a brain injury? Anyone! Make a referral directly to BrainSTEPS for any student with a brain injury that occurred at any point after birth. This includes both Traumatic Brain Injuries (& concussion) and Non-Traumatic Brain Injuries.

About Us

BrainSTEPS State Program-Level

Maggie Lockovich, CBIST-AP

BrainSTEPS Team Facilitator & Regional Team Liaison- Western PA

Anita Heller, MA, CBIS

Regional Team Liaison- Eastern Pennsylvania

Kelley Avena

 Administrative Coordinator

Dr. Ron Deguffroy, PsyD

Regional Team Liaison - Central PA

Check Out Our Ancillary Model for Concussion Support! BrainSTEPS Created Pennsylvania’s Official School District Return to Learn Concussion Management Team (RTL CMT) Model

For Concussions Only:  BrainSTEPS works with school districts across the state to prepare their staff to not only understand concussion and symptom-based academic supports, but to provide two layers of academic support for any student who does not recover by 4 weeks post-concussion. At 4 weeks post-concussion, the school-based RTL CMT will refer any student not recovered to their regional Intermediate Unit BrainSTEPS team for higher-level consultation, training, and monitoring.

The BrainSTEPS concussion team training model offers Pennsylvania schools for FREE:

  • 5 hours of online, on demand training in concussion academic management
  • Ongoing BrainSTEPS support for your school district teams
  • Return to Learn Concussion Monitoring Toolkit which includes:
  • Official BrainSTEPS & PA Department of Education created Return to Learn Protocol
  • Return to Learn Fidelity of Implementation Checklist
  • Academic Monitoring Tools
  • Symptom Monitoring Tool Elementary
  • Symptom Monitoring Tool Middle/High
  • A series of individualizable teacher academic adjustment support letters depending on the phase of recovery
  • Parent letter (individualizable)
  • School cumulative file letter (individualizable)
  • And more!

Consultation and training available for all severities of student acquired brain injuries (TBIs and nonTBIs) including concussions.

John Smith Asistant Manager

Consultation and training available for all severities of student acquired brain injuries (TBIs and nonTBIs) including concussions.

John Smith Asistant Manager

Consultation and training available for all severities of student acquired brain injuries (TBIs and nonTBIs) including concussions.

John Smith Asistant Manager

Contact BrainSTEPS

Get In Touch

In 2007, the BrainSTEPS Brain Injury School Consulting Program was established in Pennsylvania (PA) by the PA Department of Health and is jointly funded by the PA Department of Health and Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education via the PaTTAN network.
BrainSTEPS is implemented by the educational Intermediate Units across the Commonwealth and is overseen by the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania.

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