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Brain STEPS

About BrainSTEPS Colorado

Colorado’s BrainSTEPS CO (Strategies Teaching Educators, Parents, and Students) Brain Injury School Re-Entry Consulting Program was modeled after Pennsylvania’s BrainSTEPS program which began assisting school districts in 2007 and is considered a national model for brain injury educational consulting. 

As a result of acquired brain injury, many students return to school with lingering effects that impact classroom performance. BrainSTEPS CO has been designed to consult with school teams and families in the development and delivery of educational services for students who have experienced acquired brain injury.

Acquired brain injuries include any injury to the brain that is sustained after a period of development and encompasses the following:

  • Traumatic brain injuries (injury caused by an external force), including concussions, and
  • Non-traumatic brain injuries (e.g., strokes, brain tumors, brain infections, and anoxia).

BrainSTEPS CO works to not only re-enter students following brain injury, but with students previously identified as having a brain injury who may begin to develop educational effects over the years as the brain develops and matures.

BrainSTEPS CO teams:

  • Consult with schools regarding identification, IEP/504 Plan development, intervention selection, and implementation by using the Building Blocks of Brain Development ©  framework. Teams also consult on school re-entry planning and other issues professionals face in supporting students with brain injury, and provide long-term monitoring of students.
  • Provide consultation to parents of any student with brain injury referred to the team and ongoing communication regarding services the team is providing for the student.
  • Monitor students annually until graduation for manifestation of new cognitive/behavioral/social issues.
  • Disseminate brain injury resource information (e.g., written information, links to websites, referrals to community resources, etc.) to educators, families, and community providers working with students with BI.
  • Provide training on the educational implications of brain injury to educators as well as groups in their local community (e.g., parent, medical, rehabilitation).

For more information go to: https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/brainsteps

To contact a member of the Thompson School District BrainSTEPS Team please call 613-5026.