Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading cause of
disability in children and youth across the United States;
as many as one million children and youth will sustain a TBI from motor vehicle crashes, falls, sport and abuse. The largest group of individuals with traumatic brain injuries fall within the 15 o 24 year old age group, but the frequency is nearly as high for children and youth under 15 years of age.

TBI is a low incidence special education category that is defined as an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability and/or psycho-social impairment that may adversely affect a student's performance and result in the need for special education and related services. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or brain injuries induced by birth trauma. (MN Rule 3525.1348)

There is currently no licensure for the TBI category in the state of Minnesota, although there is a professional certificate available (for more information, go to the TBI resource entitled: college programs and Staff Development Opportunities). TBI specialists provide consultation and support to students who qualify under the TBI category and their educational teams. A professional manual and other helpful resources are available at no cost. To view a copy of the manual, click here.

A number of regional and statewide networks have been developed to assist and support professionals in the field, including the Statewide TBI Network and the Region 11 Metro SPLISE PI/OHD/TBI Network. A Statewide Mentorship Program has also been developed to support TBI specialists who are new to the field. For more information on these and other regional and state resources, click on the link at the top of the page.