2023 House Resolution 50

Whereas, According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year, and over 50,000 of those individuals die as a result of these injuries. In Michigan alone, approximately 58,500 will sustain a TBI per year; and

Whereas, The costs relating to brain injury are staggering and individuals with severe brain injury can typically face life-long disabilities, even after rehabilitation. The CDC also estimates that cumulative costs exceed $60 billion annually; and

Whereas, Individuals with severe brain injury suffer from serious physical impairments and a variety of perceptual, cognitive, psychiatric, emotional, and behavioral complications, including impaired interpersonal and problem solving skills, memory loss, decreased thought processing abilities, speech and seizure disorders, and physical deficits; and

Whereas, The only cure for brain injury is prevention and public awareness is critical to the prevention of brain injury and to enhancing the recovery process of all individuals affected by TBI; and

Whereas, The Brain Injury Association of Michigan is a statewide membership organization dedicated to providing prevention, research, education, advocacy, and support services to all individuals affected by brain injury and to the general public; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare March 2023 as Brain Injury Awareness Month in the state of Michigan. We encourage public officials and the citizens of Michigan to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs to raise awareness about the symptoms of, and ways of preventing, brain injuries.