RETURN! Community ABI Rehabilitation Program
RETURN! is an intensive neurorehabilitation program that serves adults (18+) who have had an acquired brain injury (ABI). Such injuries include stroke, aneurysm or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants attend sessions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays for 8 weeks, on average. The goal of the program is to help individuals regain independence in daily functioning and return to work, school, volunteer activities or primary responsibilities at home (e.g., cooking, cleaning, managing finances). RETURN! offers a structured and consistent weekly schedule of group and individual therapies. These therapies are designed to improve mobility, cognition, self-care, and work, home and community living skills.
RETURN! is staffed by experienced clinicians who provide a comprehensive, individualized approach to brain injury rehabilitation. Participants receive outpatient therapies focused on improving function and learning ways to manage changes since their injury. The group setting provides a space for clients to practice strategies to improve their ability to remember, understand language, plan, organize thoughts and communicate. Team members involved in this process are experts in brain injury from the fields of:
- Physiatry (physical medicine and rehabilitation)
- Neuropsychology
- Speech-language pathology
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- Social work
- Vocational services
With input from our participants, their families and the RETURN! treatment team, we develop personalized discharge plans to help people transition back to their community.
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Referral Process for the RETURN! Brain Injury Community Reentry Program
Referrals to the RETURN! Program can come from doctors, other healthcare professionals and community agencies, as well as family members and survivors themselves. Once the referral is made, we will complete an intake to determine if our program is the most beneficial setting for the person referred. The client will then be seen by our physiatrist and referred for therapy evaluations where initial treatment goals are set.
Admission Criteria for the RETURN! Brain Injury Community Reentry Program
Referred clients must have:
- A diagnosed brain injury (stroke, traumatic brain injury or other acquired brain injury)
- Medical stability and a doctor’s referral
- A way to pay (insurance or other funding)
- Clear two-way communication
- The ability to participate in a group setting
- Motivation to improve and goals for work, school or community life
- The ability to change behavior with reminders
- The ability to do basic daily tasks with little help
- Daytime continence
- Reliable transportation (family, MTA mobility, medical assistance transportation, other)
Note: Sinai Rehabilitation Center offers limited van service within short distances of the hospital.
RETURN! Day Treatment vs. Outpatient Care
If you are trying to decide between day treatment and standard outpatient neuro care, this section is for you. Brain injury affects the whole person. Any approach to rehabilitation must acknowledge this and plan care accordingly. The combined efforts of the care team—along with the right services, processes and people—make a big difference in long-term recovery for brain injury survivors.
Services and Methods
The services and methods listed below are what set the RETURN! Program apart from standard outpatient programs at other facilities. RETURN! Provides:
- Daily Structure and Group Setting: Helps clients stay consistent, build social support and practice what they learn. Being in a group encourages connection and mutual motivation, which leads to better recovery.
- Therapy: Physical, occupational and speech therapy provided by therapists who specialize in brain injury rehabilitation. These therapists also lead groups, attend community outings and participate in all meetings, including family meetings.
- Interdisciplinary Approach: Our team meets weekly to ensure a full understanding of each client’s abilities, needs and treatment.
- Case Management Services: Simplifies coordination of services, benefits, transportation and discharge planning.
- Psycho-Emotional Counseling for Clients and/or Families: Helps with adjustment to life after injury and emotional reactivity. A social worker and rehabilitation psychologist are available to provide this support.
- Vocational Counseling, Practice and Planning: Encourages a mindful and planned approach to returning to work. When needed, clients can be referred to our RETURN! To Work Program. This program provides ongoing vocational support.
- Brain Injury Education: Empowers clients to understand their injury and what recovery might look like for them. This encourages participation and maximizes potential.
- Community Outings/Leisure Planning: Allows our team to assess client skills outside of the clinic setting. Allows participants to practice 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: Provides immediate access to necessary healthcare resources like pathology labs, pharmacy services and emergency departments. We can quickly address any medical issues.
- Onsite Medical Director: A physiatrist is a key part of the care team. At RETURN!, our Medical Director is Dr. Mariam Keramati. She is a physiatrist who helps manage each client’s medical needs during the program.
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Intake Social Worker
RETURN! To Work Vocational Program
The RETURN! To Work Vocational Program at Sinai Rehabilitation Center provides the most comprehensive vocational services in the state of Maryland to adults who have had an acquired brain injury. The program is designed to help people recover, find competitive employment and receive ongoing support as they return to work. Referrals can come through the Division of Rehabilitation Services and Workers’ Compensation. Our RETURN! To Work process is led by vocational case coordinators who are certified by both the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission and the Brain Injury Association of America.
A strong return-to-work plan is person-centered, time-sensitive and focused on removing barriers to employment.
Our clients have access to services like neurological rehabilitation, case coordination and comprehensive vocational services. To make the best plan, we carefully evaluate each person’s physical abilities, thinking skills and work habits. Our vocational case coordinators stay involved throughout every step of the process—an approach that sets our program apart in brain injury recovery.
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Vocational Services
- Job Development and Placement: When a participant is ready to actively seek employment or return to their previous job, we initiate job development services. Such services include vocational interest assessment, resume development, job search training, application assistance and interview prep. Our team carefully matches worker skills with job duties.
- Work Preparedness: In this phase of the RETURN! To Work Program, we support clients as they prepare for workforce reentry. Our team partners with the Vocational Services Program (VSP) at LifeBridge Health, which provides vocational assessments and work trials through their Work Readiness Program. Our vocational case coordinators monitor the client’s progress and work closely with VSP during this time.
- Job Coaching: Upon employment or return to work, the client’s case coordinator provides job coaching to ensure success. This coaching covers work duties, strategies for independence, workplace accommodations and employer education and counseling. Before our client is discharged, we identify natural workplace supports.
- Case Coordination: Our case coordinators look at all the factors that can affect a person’s return to work, including finances, physical health and emotional well-being. If needed, they will also connect clients with other hospital-based services or community supports. Addressing these issues can increase the likelihood of keeping the job long-term.
- Brain Injury Rehabilitation: For individuals who need rehabilitation before looking for a job, services are available through Sinai Rehabilitation Center. The assigned vocational case coordinator will help set up these services and manage the overall care plan. Support may include single therapies, like occupational, physical or speech therapy, or a referral to our RETURN! Community ABI Rehabilitation Program.
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RESOLVE! Mild Brain Injury Program
The RESOLVE! Mild Brain Injury Program offers complete, coordinated care for individuals who have had a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion. The program is designed to support both physical and emotional recovery. A specialized team of medical and therapy professionals works together to provide treatment. Case managers oversee each person’s care to ensure everything is timely, efficient and well-organized. This program is unique in the Baltimore region.
The RESOLVE! Program uses a person-centered, diagnostic approach to medically manage injured individuals who have recently been injured or who have unresolved symptoms related to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
Individuals referred to the program receive an initial assessment by a program case manager. This free service initiates a coordinated care plan, beginning with a medical evaluation through Sinai Rehabilitation Center’s Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Based on this evaluation, additional diagnostic or therapeutic referrals may be made.
Bi-weekly patient care meetings are held to assess recovery and determine additional treatment options. Ongoing communication among team members ensures timely and thorough care planning.
Referrals to the RESOLVE! Mild Brain Injury Program may come from a variety of sources, including physicians (such as primary care providers, neurologists and pediatricians), patients or family members, Workers’ Compensation, attorneys, mental health professionals or the Brain Injury Association of Maryland.
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The Treatment Team
Medical Team
Our physiatrists and nurse practitioner are experts in rehabilitative medicine. They oversee the treatment of our clients, working closely with case managers and other team members.
Case Managers
Case managers receive referrals, complete intakes, provide early education and arrange for clients to have their initial evaluations. They remain involved after intake, coordinating recommended services. Case managers can also assist with processing FMLA requests, disability documentation, return-to-work status letters and return-to-school needs.
Outpatient Therapists
Our team includes physical, occupational and speech therapists. These experts help address the symptoms of a mild brain injury or concussion, including headaches, fatigue and cognitive changes. We also offer vestibular physical therapy to address symptoms like dizziness and imbalance.
Neuropsychologists & Behavioral Support
We offer interventions to address cognitive, mood and sleep disturbances and emotional concerns following an injury. These short-term interventions support our clients and care teams with helpful information to guide and improve recovery.
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