RETURN! Community Re-Entry Program

Referrals and Admission Criteria

Referrals to the RETURN! program can come from physicians, other healthcare professionals, community agencies, family members, friends and survivors. Once the referral is made, our intake social worker or program coordinator will assess if the program would be beneficial for the person referred, verify funding source, obtain necessary documentation, clarify mode of transportation and propose a start date, if appropriate. For the initial visit, it is requested that family members accompany the client for a program orientation with the program coordinator.

Criteria for Admission:

• Diagnosis of brain injury (traumatic brain injury, stroke, aneurysm clipping, or other acquired brain injury)

• Medical stability and physician's referral

• Reliable two-way communication

• Ability to tolerate and benefit from a group setting

• Motivation to improve and/or have work, school, community re-entry goals

• Ability to modify behavior with repetition and cueing

• Ability to complete basic activities of daily living (ADL’s) with minimal assistance

• Continence during the daytime

• Viable funding

• Reliable transportation (family, MTA mobility, medical assistance transportation, other)

If you have questions regarding participation in the RETURN! Brain Injury Community Reentry Program at Sinai Rehabilitation Center, please feel free to contact our intake social worker, Evan Jang, at 410-601-6080 or our program coordinator, Matt Lilly, at 410-601-9805.

Patient Support Services

We offer comprehensive support services to ensure that our clients and their loved ones are fully informed, equipped with all necessary resources and set up for long-term success. These services include family meetings to review progress, address questions and concerns and discuss goals, vocational case coordination to review vocational interests and concerns and case management to help clients navigate healthcare systems and link with community resources.

Support Group

The RETURN! brain injury support group is open to brain injury survivors, family, friends and caregivers. It meets virtually, the third Tuesday of the month. This group is affiliated with the Brain Injury Association of Maryland. If you would like more information about the support group or if you would like to add your name to the mailing list, please contact Evan Jang at 410-601-6080.

Family Meetings

A family team meeting is typically held after the client has been in the program for 3–5 weeks. This meeting offers the client, family and therapy team an opportunity to review the client's progress in the program, address any potential questions or concerns from the client and family, and discuss treatment goals and potential discharge plans.

Vocational Case Coordinator

Our vocational case coordinator (VCC) meets with each client to evaluate the client's vocational interests, discuss return-to-work concerns and connect clients with appropriate vocational resources in the community. The VCC is directly involved in reentry planning if a client’s return to work is imminent. If more extensive assistance is needed, a referral to the RETURN to Work! Program may be warranted.

Day Treatment vs. Outpatient Treatment

The services and methods listed below distinguish the RETURN! Community Re-Entry Program from standard outpatient programs at other facilities. The RETURN! Community Re-Entry Program offers:

Daily Structure and a Group Format: Allows for greater consistency in daily functioning, social support and practical application by clients of learned strategies.

Interdisciplinary Approach: Weekly team meetings ensure a full and collaborative understanding of clients' abilities, needs and treatment.

Case Management Services: Promotes the proper coordination of services, benefits, transportation and discharge planning.

Socialization/Group Support: Milieu treatment promotes mutual encouragement and effective interactions among the clients, which furthers positive recovery.

Psychological counseling for clients and/or families: Promotes better adjustment to injury and effective management of emotional reactivity. A social worker and rehabilitation psychologist are available to provide this support.

Pre-Vocational Counseling, Practice and Planning: Encourages a mindful and planned approach to returning to work.

Brain Injury Education: Empowers clients to better understand brain injury, appreciate the healing process and set realistic expectations to encourage participation.

Community Outings/Leisure Planning: Allows for the assessment of client skills outside of the clinic setting and the practice of functional abilities in social settings.

Discharge Planning: Ensures a smooth transition to community services and prepares clients and families for the "next step."

Hospital-based Programming: Allows for immediate access to necessary healthcare resources (pathology labs, ER, pharmacy, etc.) to quickly address medical issues.

On-Site Medical Director: A physiatrist assesses and manages clients’ medical concerns throughout their stay in the program.