One Injury Can Change Everything

From Awareness to Action in Traumatic Brain Injury Care & Outcomes

A doctor wearing a mask, checking a skull x-ray.
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A veteran returns home after years of service, carrying invisible injuries. A teenager collides with another player during a Friday night football game. An older adult slips while stepping out of the shower. A driver gets in an accident with another vehicle. These moments are different, but they share something in common. Each can lead to a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Brain injuries can happen in an instant and without warning. You can be one injury away from TBI, regardless of your age, background, or lifestyle. Each March, Brain Injury Awareness Month brings together communities under a single banner. Through awareness and action, we can help:

  • Prevent TBI through proactive safety measures
  • Reduce the challenges people face after injury
  • Amplify the support that can help individuals recover and rebuild their lives

Understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries 

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke defines a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a brain injury caused by an outside force. TBIs are one type of acquired brain injuries (ABIs). ABIs also include non-traumatic internal factors. These can include stroke, tumors, infection, or lack of oxygen. 

No two brain injuries are the same. How those injuries impact a person and how they show up in daily life can look very different. 

TBIs can affect you at any stage of life, but some populations face higher risk. The following groups experience highest rates of TBI hospitalization and death. 

  • Adults over age 75 
  • People of color, especially American Indian and Alaska Native communities
  • Active military members and veterans
  • Justice-involved individuals in correctional or detention facilities
  • People experiencing homelessness
  • Survivors of intimate partner violence
A doctor showing the results of a brain MRI

In North Carolina, 16,716 Medicaid members across all age groups were living with a TBI. This North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services TBI dashboard highlights how many people that TBI affects.

These numbers only tell part of the story. They do not include individuals who are without insurance. It also does not include individuals who have not received a TBI diagnosis. For many, a TBI is not immediately recognized. This can delay care and support.

Understanding how common and varied these injuries are is an important first step. Brain injury is not rare and not limited to one type of person or experience. It can affect anyone, at any time. 

Stop Falls in their TRACKS!

Preventing Accidents and TBI

Simple steps can make a big difference in protecting ourselves and our loved ones while reducing risk:

  • Prevent falls at home: Use handrails, improve lighting, and remove tripping hazards like loose rugs.
  • Wear seatbelts every time: Buckling up reduces the risk of serious brain and bodily injury in crashes.
  • Use helmets: Wear a properly fitted helmet when biking, riding motorcycles, or playing contact sports.
  • Check in on mental health: Suicide prevention is a key part of TBI prevention. Support and resources matter. Check out Trillium’s Mental Health First Aid free training or My Learning Campus for how to support yourself and others. 
  • Protect children and older adults: These groups are at higher risk for falls and injury.

Life After Injury: The Hidden Challenges

The moment of injury is only the beginning. What happens next can shape everything that follows. Getting medical care right away after a head injury is critical. Even injuries that seem mild can have lasting effects. Early care helps identify what is happening in the brain. It also creates something important, a record. Documentation of a brain injury can open the door to future services, supports, and accommodations.

Without that documentation, many people face an added barrier. They may know something is not right, but struggle to explain it, prove it, or get the help they need.

This is where self-advocacy matters. Speaking up about symptoms, asking questions, and following up with providers can make a difference. Support from family members, caregivers, and care teams often plays a key role in helping individuals be heard and connected to care.

Why Awareness Matters: Molly’s Story of Resilience & Hope

A woman in a wheelchair smiling at the cameraMolly’s life changed dramatically after a traumatic brain injury in 2024. Her family has seen firsthand how recovery can affect mobility, memory, mood, and independence. 

With support through coordinated care, Trillium has helped Molly and her family connect to services and resources along the path of recovery. They hope greater awareness helps more people understand what life after TBI can look like and why compassion matters.

Read Molly’s Story

For many people, the challenges of a TBI are not always visible. Someone may look the same on the outside, but experience significant changes in how they think, feel, and function day to day.

Cognitive Challenges

  • Trouble with memory or concentration
  • Difficulty organizing thoughts or making decisions
  • Slower processing of information

Emotional and Behavioral Changes

  • Mood swings, anxiety, or depression
  • Irritability or frustration
  • Changes in personality or social interactions

Physical Symptoms

  • Headaches or dizziness
  • Fatigue or low energy
  • Sensitivity to light or noise
  • Changes in sleep patterns

These symptoms can affect nearly every part of daily life. Tasks that once felt routine, like going to work or managing a household, may become more difficult. There may be changes in a person’s living situation if they need additional support or a safer environment. Navigating housing, transportation, and access to consistent care can become ongoing challenges.

For families and caregivers, the change can also be jarring. Loved ones often take on new roles, helping manage care and provide daily support, all while adjusting to changes in the person they know.

Recovery does not follow a straight path. Progress can take time, and needs may change along the way. For many, the journey after a brain injury is not just about healing, but about learning how to navigate a new way of living.

How Trillium Supports Members with TBI

After a brain injury, knowing where to turn can be one of the hardest parts. At Trillium Health Resources, the approach starts with a simple idea: there is no wrong door to get help.

A person may reach out directly to Trillium’s Member & Recipients Services line at 1-877-685-2415. A family member may speak to a staff member at a community event with their concerns. A provider or community partner may make a referral. From there, Trillium works to understand the individual’s needs and connect them to the right services.

Care managers play a key role in that process. They help individuals and families navigate what can often feel overwhelming. This may include explaining available services and coordinating care across providers. For many members, it also means identifying needs that go beyond medical care. Factors like stable housing, transportation, or daily supports that impact health and well-being.

For individuals living with TBI, needs are rarely one-dimensional. A person may need help managing medical appointments while also adjusting to changes in memory. Another may need help returning to work or maintaining independence at home. Trillium brings these pieces together.  

Find Your Community & Support

a woman infront of an audience presenting TULA

Support groups help individuals with TBI and their caregivers connect and find practical support. Trillium staff joined a recent Brain Injury Support group at the New Hanover Rehabilitation Hospital. Novant Health host the group in Wilmington.

Trillium staff gave a presentation about Trillium Ultimate Living Assistant (TULA). TULA devices can assist people with TBI with daily reminders, keep them connected, and support their independence.

a woman infront of an audience presenting TULA

Support looks different for every person. It could be therapy or respite for caregivers. For others, it may include residential services or employment supports. Needs often continue well beyond the initial injury as individuals adjust to daily life with their TBI. Tailored Care Managers help guide that process. They work alongside families and caregivers to connect resources and navigate care.

Living with a brain injury can be complex. Finding support should not be. By meeting people where they are and helping them take the next step, Trillium works to ensure that no one has to navigate that path on their own.

Hope, Progress, and Moving Forward

Awareness of traumatic brain injury continues to grow, along with a better understanding of how to recognize and respond to it. Earlier detection, timely medical care, and proper documentation can make a meaningful difference in getting needed support. Just as important is knowing when to speak up, ask questions, and seek care.

Trillium is continuing to build on that progress. An upcoming Traumatic Brain Injury Resource Guide will help individuals, families, and providers better understand available services, navigate care, and find support within their communities. By strengthening access to information and connecting people to the right resources at the right time, Trillium is working to make the path forward clearer.

Recovery after a brain injury looks different for everyone, but no one has to navigate it alone. With greater awareness, stronger connections to care, and continued support, individuals with TBI can move forward with confidence, stability, and hope.

Additional Resources for Individuals with TBI

For more information on Trillium’s services for individuals with TBI, visit the Traumatic Brain Injury page on our website. You can also visit My Learning Campus for the following free courses on services.

  • TBI Waiver Training for Members
  • State-funded Benefits for Children With I/DD and/or TBI
  • State-funded Benefits for Adults with I/DD or TBI
  • Medicaid for Children with I/DD or TBI 
  • Medicaid (No-Innovations Funding) for Adults with I/DD or TBI

TBI Organizations & Community Partners

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