A Personal Invitation to Join Us on July 24.

 

Dear Friends, Maybe you've been meaning to register for the Life with Brain Injury Annual Conference. Maybe you looked over the agenda, saved the email, or thought, "I'll come back to this later." With registration closing this Thursday, I wanted to personally invite you to join us. Every person who comes to this conference arrives with a different experience. Some are living with the effects of a brain injury themselves. Some are family members or caregivers looking for answers and support. Others are professionals who want to better understand and serve the people whose lives are affected by brain injury. What makes this conference special is bringing all of those perspectives together in one place. On July 24, we'll talk about what it means to live with brain injury over a lifetime. We'll explore new ideas around health, wellness, technology, communication, and independence. And just as importantly, we'll create space for people to meet others who understand the challenges and the possibilities of life after brain injury. If you've been thinking about attending, I hope you'll decide to join us. Registration closes this Thursday, July 16. Register Now!  I look forward to seeing you there. Life with Brain Injury Annual Conference Friday, July 24, 2026 • R2i2 Richland Two Institute Of Innovation 763 Fashion Dr, Columbia, SC

Co-hosted by: Special thanks to these generous sponsors:

Buddy Walk 2026 —Plus Summer Events & Inspiration

 

LOOK! Photography Exhibit Opens! Family Connection of South Carolina unveiled the 2026 LOOK!™ photography exhibit with a special event for families and photographers last month at 701 Whaley. This year’s exhibit features 60 children and young adults with a disability or chronic health condition.  You can see the exhibit at the Richland Library through Friday, July 17, 2026. Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Groucho's Deli. See LOOK! Now

	Register for Buddy Walk today! Sunday, November 1, 2027  Join us for our annual Buddy Walk! Team Registration and fundraising are open and you can sign up today!

Summer Reading List  The Family Connection team has collected their favorite books and podcasts for a Summer Reading List. Take a look and let us know about your favorites! We'd love to add to the list. Read our list.

Indicator 8 Survey Your perspective is valuable and essential.   The South Carolina Department of Education wants to hear directly from you about your experience with special education services. We've partnered to ask families like yours to complete a brief survey this year. Take Survey Now!

Save the Date - Hopes & Dreams 2027 Thursday, April 8, 2027 Hopes & Dreams Conference brings together parents, students, professionals, exhibitors, and sponsors for a day of learning and collaboration!

Tech Wave 2026 Virtual Conference August 18th

 

 

 

 

The South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP) housed within the University of South Carolina Floyd School of Medicine's Center for Disability Resources is partnering with the South Carolina Human Services Providers Association (SCHSPA) in hosting SCHSPA's first-ever virtual Technology Conference on August 18, and we hope you will consider joining us.  This event will highlight innovative tools, services, and expertise supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) utilizing technology.

 

Attached you will find a registration flyer for the Tech Wave 2026 Virtual Conference along with the schedule of events.  You can also go to the bottom of the home page of the www.SCHSPA.com website for registration. 

 

2 Keynote speakers are:

Dr. Shea Tanis, Shea is an Associate Research Professor at the Kansas University Center on Excellence in Developmental Disabilities where she serves as the Principal Investigator of the State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Longitudinal Data Project of National Significance. The project investigates determinants of public spending for Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services across the United States. She is nationally recognized for her expertise in Technology First, cognitive accessibility, and advancing the rights of people with cognitive disabilities to technology and information access. She has published articles and investigated the definition of intellectual disability, the measurement of adaptive behavior and support need, and the construct of self-determination.

 

Nathan Gerhard is a human services leader with more than 25 years of experience supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since 2018, he has focused on Technology First initiatives and the integration of enabling technology into traditional service models. Nathan currently serves as Managing Director of Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Services at Access Services, Inc. in Pennsylvania, where he helps lead the organization’s efforts to advance Technology First practices.  A nationally recognized speaker on enabling technology, Nathan is passionate about helping providers navigate their Technology First journeys. His work is grounded in a commitment to ensuring people receive high-quality services and supports that use technology to help them achieve their goals and live with the greatest possible independence.

 

There is also an incredible line-up of other experts in using technology to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

 Please consider joining us for this incredible free - daylong virtual event.

 

 

 

Registration ends July 16 for the Life with Brain Injury Annual Conference!

 

Friday, July 24, 2026 • R2i2 Richland Two Institute Of Innovation 763 Fashion Dr, Columbia, SC  At the Life with Brain Injury Annual Conference, you'll spend a day learning, connecting, and finding new hope alongside people who understand the journey.  Registration ends July 16! Here's what you can expect: Learn from nationally recognized experts sharing the latest research and practical strategies for living well after brain injury. Discover resources you can use long after the conference ends, from rehabilitation and wellness to adaptive technology, advocacy, and community support. Connect with survivors, caregivers, professionals, and advocates who understand the challenges and the possibilities. Register Now! For some fun activities visit our photo booth and the Richland Library button making station!  Keynote: John D. Corrigan, Ph.D. Brain Injury as a Chronic Condition Discover why brain injury is increasingly recognized as a chronic condition and what that means for long-term care, advocacy, and improving quality of life.  For more than 40 years, Corrigan has treated, studied, and advocated for individuals living with brain injury. Other Sessions Include: The Impact of Community-Based Exercise for Veterans with BI Not Just A Game: Virtual Reality for TBI Rehabilitation Protecting Vulnerable Youth in a Digital World Speak Your Story with Confidence Planning for Two Lifetimes  Beyond the Injury: A Couple’s Journey and much more! View the full agenda. Don't Miss Yoga break with Shanika Pichey Join Shanika for a quick session where anyone, regardless of ability or skill level, can participate. Yoga is more than just physical exercise, it’s a powerful tool for enhancing brain health. Education • Inspiration • Connection

Conference Merch!  Hats, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and hoodies! Every purchase of official conference merchandise benefits BIASC! Buy yours now! Sponsor Opportunities Available! Help us to create a space where education, encouragement, and community come together. Our sponsorship levels include valuable benefits such as exhibitor space, speaking engagements, volunteer roles for your team, and much more.  Learn more. Co-hosted by: Special thanks to these generous sponsors:

Battling a Broken Insurance System

 

NEW MOBILITY HEALTH & WELLNESS June 2026 - View in browser IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KALOGON — SEATING THAT WORKS AS HARD AS YOU DO —

THIS MONTH: BATTLING A BROKEN INSURANCE SYSTEM Illustration by Mark Weber For the past 20 years, I’ve used titanium wheelchairs. As someone with quadriplegia, a super lightweight, durable, well-fitting chair is what lets me roll with my kids to school, pull my frame into my vehicle and roll to the grocery store without blowing out my shoulders. Twenty years ago, I could get my health insurance to cover a titanium wheelchair because they understood (or at least acknowledged) paying a little more for quality materials reduced the risk of costly complications down the road. A few months ago, I went in to order a new wheelchair from a local PT who had a reputation for securing quality equipment for her clients. After doing some digging with local DME providers, she let me know the bad news: getting my private insurance to cover a titanium wheelchair was impossible. None of the DME companies would order one because they wouldn’t be reimbursed for it. Manual wheelchairs are the clearest example of how health insurance coverage for essential equipment has eroded over the past few decades, but there are plenty of others. Catheters and ostomy supplies were recently added to Medicare’s competitive bidding program, which advocates say will lower reimbursement rates and limit access. It’s hard to stay healthy without access to quality durable medical equipment, so battling with insurance is kind of a forced side gig for most wheelchair users. Let’s look at how to fight for what you need right now and how advocates are pushing to stop the bleeding in the long run.   SPONSORED CONTENT Rethinking Pressure Injury Care with Active Seating Kalogon’s Medicare-coded (E2609) custom cushion, Orbiter Med, is designed not only to help prevent and heal pressure injuries, but also clinically validated to support effective offloading. Using adaptive air cell technology, Orbiter Med makes it possible to sit longer and more comfortably—supporting greater independence in everyday activities. For more info contact us at (321) 465-4504.  DENIALS AND APPEALS Insurance coverage is nebulous and ever-changing; the specifics of what will or won’t be covered depend on your insurance plan. That makes giving advice about what should and shouldn’t be covered next to impossible. But there are some strategies that can help, whether you have Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance. In “6 Strategies to Navigate Your Insurance Appeals Process,” Ali Ingersoll talks with other wheelchair users about how they get the most out of their insurance coverage, including how to craft an effective Letter of Medical Necessity, build relationships with your DME provider and medical professional and be a persistent advocate for yourself.  It may seem counterintuitive, but one of the most important throughlines for navigating the bureaucracy of insurance appeals is to lean into human relationships. As James Lee, a C5-6 quad who has won appeals through his insurance company, explains: “Even if you know your rights, it’s absolutely essential to call your insurance provider to find a human representative and build a relationship with them. Tell them your story and humanize yourself.” That logic applies to both insurance companies and your medical team, which will submit all the paperwork to the insurance company. The insurance appeals process is arduous and frustrating for everyone involved, and the better your relationships are with your PT and ATP, the more they know you and why the equipment you're asking for is important for your everyday life, the more likely they are to be a strong, persistent advocate on your behalf. If you need additional help fighting an insurance denial, you can ask United Spinal’s Resource Center for help. We’ve also partnered with Advocara, which has an AI-based system that can securely translate a denial letter or a medical bill into plain language and give you tips on how to challenge it. To try the service, go to the United Spinal homepage and click the purple “Chat with Advie” button at the bottom left.   ADVOCATING FOR A BETTER SYSTEM Knowing how your insurance works and being a strong self-advocate will help you to wring the most you can from your coverage. But as I found trying to get a titanium chair, really the whole system needs fixing. While reforming health insurance nationwide may seem like a big lift, you’d be surprised at how open elected officials are to hearing from their constituents. Remember that politicians are humans too, and most of the time they are inundated by lobbyists. Hearing from real constituents advocating for policies that would improve their lives is a welcome and motivating change from Congress members’ day-to-day interactions.  At Roll on Capitol Hill, United Spinal members meet with Representatives and Senators from across the political spectrum to advocate for policies that improve the lives of wheelchair users.  For proof, just look to the FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act, which was sponsored by Representative Ayanna Pressley after her staff heard stories from United Spinal members about how long it took to get routine repairs for their wheelchairs. That person-to-person storytelling has helped produce the many legislative wins that have come out of United Spinal’s signature advocacy event, Roll on Capitol Hill. This year’s virtual event just finished, but you can still contribute by telling your congress members to support the FAST Repairs for Wheelchair Act. You can also tell them to support the Choices for Increased Mobility Act, which I mentioned in last month’s newsletter as well. That bill would require Medicare to create new billing codes for titanium and carbon fiber wheelchair frames — allowing suppliers to bill consumers only for the cost of an upgraded frame, with Medicare covering the rest. For me, that would mean the difference between making do with a six-year-old chair and getting a new one that fits my current body and lifestyle. If you want to more opportunities to make change, you can join United Spinal’s Grassroots Advocacy Network, which gives you opportunities to attend events like the Roll on Capitol Hill or Virtual Advocacy Day, or join the Health Access Working Group, where you can work with other advocates finding solutions for our healthcare system’s myriad issues.  Fighting for equitable healthcare and insurance coverage can feel like swimming upstream. But being around other advocates is a great reminder of how often our community wins when we work together.

New Mobility publishes member content for United Spinal Association, whose mission is to improve quality of life of people with spinal cord injuries and all wheelchair users. It's free to join United Spinal. Join here.