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About BrainSTEPS Colorado
BrainSTEPS is a national model for brain injury educational consulting.
The BrainSTEPS Program was created to build a bridge connecting medical, rehabilitation and educational services with families following a student’s brain injury. This program has been expanded to identify and serve all students with a history of brain injury including congenital brain injury. BrainSTEPS provides brain injury-related consultation and training to school staff, students, and parents in all Colorado schools.
BrainSTEPS teams can:
- Provide brain injury training to educational, medical, and community groups
- Provide various brain injury trainings to groups from educational, medical, and rehabilitation facilities in the community.
- Help schools identify students with brain injuries and plan school re-entry.
- Assist in IEP or 504 Plans and recommending appropriate interventions.
- Support educators in teaching students with brain injuries.
- Monitor students annually until high school graduation for new cognitive, behavioral, or social concerns.
- Access free training and support from Colorado Department of Education brain injury specialists, along with the latest research-based information to ensure the team stays updated on pediatric brain injury, learning, and behavior.
- BrainSTEPS teams are NOT Concussion Management teams. Visit CDE's School Concussion Support and Resource Guide.
BrainSTEPS Referral
A BrainSTEPS Referral is completed by the person who identifies a student with a Brain Injury (BI):
- Mild TBI (concussion) 4-6 weeks after concussion with persistent symptoms.
- Moderate to Severe brain injury immediately, even if the student is still in the hospital or rehabilitation.
- Congenital BI that may require additional educational support.
- The Team Leader sends an email to the team members or contacts a specific team member directly to serve as point person when a new student referral is received.
- Team Leaders, or a designated team member, call the guardian to acknowledge receipt of the referral and verify that the referral information in the database is correct.
- Your team obtains and uploads the signed BrainSTEPS CO parent permission to consult with the school.
- Teams obtain medical, rehabilitation, and educational reports to assist in making educational recommendations.
- A team member speaks with and observes every referred student to gather information prior to making recommendations.
- A team member speaks with the student’s teachers about learning or behavior concerns they may have about the student before making any school-based recommendations.
- Teams provide written recommendations for all referrals utilizing BrainSTEPS CO observation form.
Who can make a referral to BrainSTEPS CO?
Anyone can make a referral directly to BrainSTEPS CO for any student with a suspected or known brain injury. In Colorado, no medical diagnosis is necessary, just a significant history.
Types of Brain Injury
Questions about BrainSTEPS
Jody Dickerson, MN, BSN
BrainSTEPS CO Program Coordinator
Phone: (720) 795-2273
Email Jody Dickerson