Social Workers Can Help Patients Recover from mTBI

Few people with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) receive appropriate psychological and social follow-up care that can make the difference in whether or not they fully recover. A University of Washington researcher has found that a 20-minute conversation with a social worker has the potential to significantly reduce the functional decline of those diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury. “Social workers are masters-level trained clinicians who are already embedded in emergency room treatment teams,” Megan Moore said. “The goal of my work is to provide them with specialized training on mild traumatic brain injuries to help bridge the psychological and social aspects of treatment with medical care.” While conducting her doctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, she designed a study that is currently running at San Francisco General Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center. There, medical staff identify patients with mTBI and refer them to social workers, who provide education, coping strategies, resources and a brief alcohol intervention screening. Social workers later follow up with a phone call to see how the patient is doing. Recently published in Brain Injury, Moore’s initial study showed that an intervention lasting less than 20 minutes significantly reduced brain injury patients’ alcohol use and prevented functional decline. To learn more, click here.