VA is working with the Marcus Institute for Brain Health (MIBH) to coordinate a continuum of care for Veterans who are treated at the MIBH to receive a before and/or after care in the VA Health Care System.
Who is eligible?
The primary focus of the MIBH is to care for former military personnel who have separated from active duty, with special consideration for those who were separated with “Other Than Honorable” or “Dishonorable” discharge status due to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Psychological Health (PH) conditions. It will also serve civilian adults who have sustained mild to moderate TBI and are experiencing lingering neurological problems or co-morbid PH conditions.
Since the MIBH started seeing Veterans and their family members in July 2017, over 313 Veterans and family members, from 24 different states, have been evaluated and treated. Although referrals come from multiple sources, including VA, a large number of referrals come from those who have participated in the program and have had successful experiences and outcomes. They have reached out to their “battle buddies” and encouraged them to contact the MIBH so that they can be screened to determine if they have persistent TBI symptoms that would benefit from MIBH’s interdisciplinary model of care.
The MIBH has a partnership with a non-profit organization who coordinates transportation and meals for Veterans and their family members accepted into the MIBH program. In January 2020, the MIBH opened a lodging facility on campus at an historic building called Colonel’s Row. This completely remodeled duplex is located one block from the MIBH and once served as quarters for Army officers while stationed at Fitzsimons Army Hospital.
What will it cost?
Health insurance is not a prerequisite for acceptance into the MIBH; the one and only requirement for Veterans is to have a persistent and primary mild/moderate TBI condition(s). There are no out of pocket expenses for any Veteran or family member invited to participate in the MIBH’s evaluation process or intensive outpatient program (IOP).
The evaluation process takes 3-4 days. MIBH clinicians then determine, based on the findings, if the Veteran would benefit from a three-week IOP. MIBH treatment plans are customized for every Veteran patient, and the interdisciplinary team compares notes daily and makes adjustments as necessary. On average, the MIBH treats up to two cohorts of 3-5 Veterans per the 3-4 days of evaluation and the IOP.
In May 2019, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie visited the MIBH and “vowed to help MIBH in providing the best care possible to our Veterans”.
“After retiring from 21 years as an Army EOD Tech (Bomb Squad), I had multiple deployments, multiple concussions, TBI and post-traumatic symptoms. I had lost my purpose, and my confidence, my emotional state was deteriorating and I had no good answers. I was quickly losing hope. A neurologist referred me to the MIBH and that all changed. I can’t begin to tell you how this amazing team of specialists changed the outlook for my future. I’m just one soldier of many that struggle with brain health, but my life will forever be changed and I can’t thank the team from the MIBH enough.” – retired Army 1st Sgt. Raymond W.
In late 2016, Bernie Marcus, retired co-founder of Home Depot and chairman of the Marcus Foundation, provided a generous gift to start the MIBH. The gift was specifically designed to develop and open a “first ever” Veteran-centric civilian TBI institute. The institute evaluates and treats Veterans, regardless of when they served, their type of discharge, and where they reside in the United States, but they must have persistent symptoms relating to a mild/moderate TBI along with associated psychological health conditions.
MIBH’s Executive Director, Dr. Jim Kelly, is a renowned behavior neurologist who was the founding director of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (https://www.wrnmmc.capmed.mil/NICoE/SitePages/index.aspx). He was instrumental in developing a model of care for active duty service members that incorporates medical and integrated therapeutic modalities resulting in exceptional results.
Please call the Marcus Institute for Brain Health at (303) 724-4TBI if you have any questions or visit www.mibh.ucdenver.edu.
The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products and services on part of the VA.
Michael W. Hartford, MHA, FACHE, CAPT, USN (Retired) works for the Marcus Institute for Brain Health/The Avalon Fund.
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I fell off a step-ladder at home 4 years ago and received a TBI with subdural hematoma and some paralysis on my right side. I just turned 75. The VA indicated at the time it was not their problem I was in the Marines from 1966 to 1969 and in NAM during the TET offensive. I have more short term memory issues than my age and have a gait issues. Am I eligible for this program?
I wish you would include more details about the types of treatment programs. Is this primarily drug therapy and counseling?
BECAUSE OF MY TBI INJURY IN FEBRUARY 1952 IN THE KOREAN WAR, THE D,o,D, AND THUS THE VA PERSIST THAT DUE TO LACK OF METHODOLOGY THE INJURY IS NOT RECOGNIZED AS SUCH. I HAVE HAD ABOUT 80% PLUS OF KNOWN SYMPTOMS WHICH HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE VA AS PART OF MY BEING DISABLED.I AM NOT THE
ONLY VETERAN TO HAVE TBI AS A RESULT OF BLAST OR EXPLOSION AS PREVIOUSLY KNOWN.
HAVE YOU TREATED OTHER VETERANS LIKE ME?
I APPRECIATE YOUR REPLY.
I am a 20 year,honorably dicharged navy vet now diagnosed with encephalomalcia from concusions I received while in the military…my private doctors and the VA are now,finally reffering to this as the result of TBI’s….things moving very slow here for me with my private insurance…heaches(several different types) fatigue,blurred vision,dizzyness,sometimes vertigo,ringing in my ears,short term memory loss,difficulty sleeping,difficulty concentrating,etc……can you folks help me?
Never heard back from you folks…I left you a voicemail..hoping to hear back from you soon??
I wish you would include more details about the types of treatment programs. Is this primarily drug therapy and counseling?
Marcus Seems to be a good example where the VA working hard for veterans. I have just been rated by the VA for permanently and totally disabled. I told the VA to find a magic pill to make this all go away, My experience was in 1979 when I was ejected from the back of truck and struck my head into the concrete ramp and curb. I spent three years for reconstructive surgeries and going through all the symptoms of brain trauma but I got better. Now that I am just starting my 60’s all the symptoms are coming back stronger than ever. The VA said in 1982 service connected but at 0%. I am being treated at the Brain Center at Emory in Atlanta. The key is vestibular rehabilitation, not a cure but a way to cope. My wife and I have come to terms with this and I will go to my grave with it. I am doing much better. I wrote this reply which you are reading. One year ago I could not do this.
What I have I call it the package deal! Meniere’s syndrome, 24/7 Tinnitus, Vestibular Migraine with acute hearing loss and eye sight all on the left side-my right is fine. Sequelae is the condition I have. (A pathological condition resulting from a prior disease, injury, or attack). sudden loss my eye sight sets off balance issues to where the right eye can’t focus, simple cure for this is an eye patch. Good luck to all who needs help. Programs like Marcus gives hope.
Can you help me. I was in the army and never seen the war first hand but during a training mission I got sick real sick. Know body knew what was wrong with me. I ended up in icu and could not move. I got better and final could walk. They took my jump wings away and I lost hope for everything. Got out and tried to function. I bit on a real good show for a long time. In 6/7/05 I was struck by lightening. What a mess I am now. I need some help. Can you help?
I didnt receive any TBI while I served.
BUT after being treated for stage 4 advanced Naseophangeal Carsonma the radiation caused a narcissic radiation tumor in the front right temporal lobe resulting in open brain surgery.
I became disabled having to use a walker.
Therapy didnt work so I became addicted to watching You Tube videos.
What caught my attenation was paragliding and stunt kites.
I bought a 1.5 meter foil speed kite. Then a 2.5 m. Then a 2.5 4 line Revoulition stun kite and finally a paraglider.
After about 5 months I had graduated from that horrid walker to a cane and to the point I could walk and run without them.
The cane now hangs on the coat rack as a reminder of the bad ole days of cancer!
I’m very certain that having to watch the kites and paraglider and not the ground while flying them finally got my brain back to where it could process what my eyes and ears were feeding it and I got my balance back.
The working with my kites and the paraglider is what I know fixed me to where I’m at about 90% except I still can not balance a motorcycle or bicycle. I think I need to actually start to work with a bicycle on dirt to get my TBI damaged brain back to 100%
I think you should look at my experences and incorporate it into helping those that lost their sence of balance and situational awareness from TBI damages.
Any questions feel free to ask so I can help my brothers in uniform.