Concussion Alliance
We are a concussion education and advocacy nonprofit; we provide evidence-based resources for patients, providers, and educators.
Concussions are a silent epidemic; 42 million concussions occur each year worldwide. Concussions-and persistent symptoms-are associated with increased risk of mental health disorders and many physicians are not current with new guidelines for treatment.
Our mission is to support concussion patients in their recovery with educational resources, keep providers up-to-date on new research, educate the next generation of healthcare professionals, and change the public perception of concussions to reflect the seriousness of this injury.
PROVIDING EDUCATION AND SUPPORTING EQUITY THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS:
Internship Program for undergraduates (plus PhD and medical school students)
Our summer internship program (30 hours/week for 8 weeks) and our December internship program (30 hours/week for 3 weeks) provide a professional experience for the next generation of researchers, advocates, healthcare providers, and policymakers. Typically we educate 15 interns in the summer and 9 interns in December, drawing students from half a dozen institutions across the United States.
Website: Education and Resources
ConcussionAlliance.org is the most comprehensive, evidence-based concussion resource for patients and advocates online. It provides in-depth information about concussions, treatment options, search tools to find providers, issues of health equity and care disparities, and population-specific information for veterans, college students, women & girls, and more.
We base our resources on the most recent research and evidence-based guidelines, in consultation with our Expert Advisory Board, composed of internationally respected professionals. Each month, 12,000 people visit 21,000 pages on our website.
Newsletter for Patients and Providers
Our biweekly Concussion Update newsletter provides thoughtful synopses of new research, news related to concussions, opportunities for free online classes and workshops, and notification of opportunities to participate in research. We have over 2,000 subscribers; approximately one-third of our subscribers are healthcare providers, and the balance are patients and advocates.
Continuing Medical Education for Providers
The CME and webinar cover diagnosis, discharge, referral, and obstacles to proper care faced by both patients and providers - as well as a patient perspective from our Co-founder Conor Gormally.
Research Affiliations
Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (CNRM)
CNRM is part of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, MD. We are helping recruit study participants for “A Randomized, Controlled, Blinded Study of Internet-guided Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Military Service Members with History of Traumatic Brain Injury.” See our blog post for more information.
Florida Atlantic University’s Institute for Human Health and Human Disease
We are a collaborative partner for a PCORI-funded project, “Mind Over Matter: A Veteran-driven Roadmap to Research on Traumatic Brain Injury.” Read the press release.
VA Boston Healthcare System
We recruit study participants for an ongoing clinical trial, “Light-emitting Diode (LED) Research Project to improve memory and thinking in people who have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI).” Read our blog post to learn more.
University of Utah, TBI and Concussion Center and the Department of Neurology
We are assisting with the recruitment of study participants for their ongoing clinical trials. See our blog post with an interview of one of the study participants. “Photobiomodulation Therapy to Improve Brain Health and Resiliency, A Pilot Study.”
VA Portland Health Care System and Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University
We are helping recruit for the clinical trial, “Improving sleep, sleep-related outcomes, and biomarkers in Veterans.” See our blog post recruiting study participants.