CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Once thought to be caused only in battle or major vehicle accidents, traumatic brain injury has taken center stage in recent years due to the increased number of reported football injuries.
The military has seen its own influx of TBIs with 339,462 since 2000, according to Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center. Specialized treatment plans are critical in ensuring service members are functionally capable to return back to work.
The Camp Lejeune Intrepid Spirit Concussion Recovery Center is the only Navy facility on the East Coast that offers an integrative, interdisciplinary, holistic, patient and family centered TBI recovery program. The clinic has treated more than 2,000 service members since its inception in 2011 with 94 percent of those patients returned to active duty status.
“We offer unique services, like acupuncture, art therapy and yoga, which are combined with 10 different areas of specialty, including occupational therapy, neuropsychology, and speech and language therapy, to treat each patient from a variety of angles,” said Capt. Thomas Johnson, the director, Intrepid Spirit Concussion Recovery Center Camp Lejeune. “Each patient takes an active role in their recovery by working with their treatment team.”
Hope is not the only thing the Camp Lejeune Intrepid Spirit has to offer.
“Intrepid Spirit offers therapists the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary practice setting with other professionals in a collaborative way to maximize patient recovery,” said Suzanne G. Martin. “The Intrepid Spirit is unique in providing a comprehensive treatment program that includes complimentary and integrative medicine approaches such as acupuncture, yoga, and mindfulness to promote full recovery.”
Once closed to anyone but active duty, the Intrepid Spirit recently opened its doors to retirees covered by TRICARE Prime. Additionally, local veterans with certain disabilities can also be referred for care.
“Camp Lejeune is considered a rural area with the closest Veteran Affairs medical center being an approximate two-hour drive. Because of this, we have a pending memorandum of understanding with the VA to allow referrals for any veteran with a VA disability rating to seek treatment at our clinic,” said Kasey Timberlake, regional education coordinator, Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center. “This will help to alleviate any barriers to care veterans may find in having to travel to Fayetteville, Durham or Greenville for TBI treatment and services.”
For members concerned about being away from their unit for long periods of time, measures are being put in place to help.
“In March, we plan to implement an intensive outpatient program specifically tailored to special operations forces,” said Timberlake. “This program will be condensed over five weeks and will allow operators and enablers to seek treatment within the confines of their accelerated operational tempo.”
Treatment is not limited to service members and veterans in the local area.
“Intrepid Spirit Camp Lejeune is striving to fill gaps in services, remain on the cutting edge of treatment and research, and assist not only those service members assigned to Camp Lejeune, but any service member or veteran needing care,” said Timberlake. “We all have a vested interest in taking care of our service members regardless of branch – Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard – giving each an opportunity for full recovery from TBI is what we are here for.”
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 03.01.2016 16:04 |
| Story ID: | 190718 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 336 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Intrepid Spirit tackles TBI in new way, by SSgt Danielle Bolton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
