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Northeast Center for Special Care Continues to Lead New York State in Certified Brain Injury Specialists With Its Latest Class of Graduates



Lake Katrine, October 21, 2008 -- Ann Marie Belcher, CEO of the Northeast Center for Special Care, a specialized traumatic brain injury rehabilitation program located in Ulster County, NY, has announced that the latest class of twenty-three clinical and direct support professional staff of the Center have become certified brain injury specialists (CBIS) under the American Academy for the Certification of Brain Injury Specialists (AACBIS) training program. Northeast Center for Special Care has the highest number of certified staff in any rehabilitation program in New York State.

This prestigious credential is awarded by the American Academy for the Certification of Brain Injury Specialists (AACBIS), the voluntary national certification program whose mission is to improve the quality of care for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) through the establishment of best practices in education and training of those who work in the field of brain injury. Applicants must complete a rigorous course of study and pass a two-hour AACBIS written certification exam. To maintain this certification, all applicants must also satisfy continuing education requirements or retake the exam every two years. Because of the spectrum of unique skills and specialized knowledge required of clinical and support staff that work with individuals with TBI, the certification is designed to address specific issues in the delivery of brain injury services and to complement other existing staff and program credentials. The Northeast Center for Special Care is a program focused on the needs of individuals with acquired brain injuries, neurobehavioral disorders, and ventilator dependency and is committed to the certification of its clinical and support staff as certified brain injury specialists.

The twenty-three staff members in our latest class who graduated to achieve AACBIS certification are:

• Mona Althiser, Restorative Nursing Assistant
• Arlene Birnbaum, Physical Therapist
• Amy Britten, Speech and Language Pathologist
• Kim Bull, Staffing Coordinator
• Peggy Cortright, Resident Assessment Manager
• Andrea Dakin, Director of Therapeutic Activities
• Perry Fabiano, Recreational Activities
• Donna Hall, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
• Dale Hansen, CNA
• Kimberli Jablonski, LPN
• James Jones, Neighborhood Counselor
• Robin LaTorre, Community Support Service
• Emily Lewandowski, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
• Anita Meli, Occupational Therapist
• Mary Mondello, RN Case Manager
• Rebekah Montero, LPN
• Shannon Mullen, Occupational Therapist
• Jody Naccarato, Therapeutic Activities
• Matthew Perconti, Therapeutic Activities
• Barbara Pfingston, LPN
• Patricia Ricks, Registered Dietitian
• Violet VanHerk, Registered Dietitian
• Danielle Zakrzewski, Social Worker

In furtherance of its mission, the Northeast Center for Special Care has a fully resourced staff inservice educational program. In addition to CBIST trainers, it staffs two full-time Nurse Trainers, regularly enrolls its staff in specialized regional, state and national trainings and conferences, and maintains one of the country's most extensive digital resource libraries and databases in the field of brain injury rehabilitation. For the past three years, the Center has developed and sponsored the annual Mid-Hudson Brain Injury Rehabilitation Conference, which has been attended by clinicians from all over the United States. The conferences have presented educational sessions by noted experts in the area of traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, including experts on staff at the Center.


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Media contact: Northeast Center for Special Care, Deborah Muise, Media and Public Relations Director 845-336-3500

Northeast Center for Special Care is a state-of-art rehabilitation program for individuals with brain injury, neurobehavioral disorders, spinal cord injury, and ventilator dependency. Established in 1999, it is located on a 39-acre campus in the beautiful Hudson Valley. The mission of Northeast Center for Special Care is rehabilitation, recovery and community reentry for individuals with disabilities. Since its inception, hundreds of individuals have "graduated" from its programs and have moved on to integrated settings in their communities. Northeast Center has been honored with numerous awards including: The New York State Health Facilities Association’s (NYSHFA) Clinical and Quality Services Committee 2007 Innovative Practices Award, The Advance Magazine Award for Innovative Clinical Program, The American Association for Respiratory Care Quality Respiratory Care Recognition Award for 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, The Gateway Community Industries Employer of the Year award and the Mid-Hudson Employment Alliance Outstanding Employer of Individuals with Disabilities.


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