Rep. Primavera to be Honored by Brain Injury Association

Rep. Primavera to be Honored by Brain Injury Association
35 Years of Work in the Field and Advocacy at the Capitol
DENVER – State Representative Dianne Primavera (D-Broomfield) will be honored by the Brain Injury Association of Colorado (BIAC) for her contributions to the brain injury community during an awards ceremony at their Annual Conference on Thursday, October 8th, at 7:30 pm at the Marriott Denver Tech Center.“Dianne has done so much for the brain injury community as a representative in the General Assembly, especially this last session with the passage of three significant bills (SB 5, SB 133 and HB 1026)* that increase access to Traumatic Brain Injury Trust Fund resources,” said William Levis, President of BIAC. After earning a master's degree in vocational rehabilitation counseling from UNC in 1975, Primavera was a case manager for the Weld County Community Center Board. She later was employed as a vocational rehabilitation counselor and a supervisor in the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Colorado Department of Social Services. In 1990, Primavera joined the Rocky Mountain Regional Brain Injury Center as an Education & Training Coordinator.“After decades of working in the field of brain injury, the issue will always be a top legislative priority for me,” said Rep. Primavera. “In 2007, I led the fight for HB1117 which required kids under 18 to wear helmets on a motorcycle.”“I know the lifetime costs of a brain injury are millions of dollars and often this expense is borne by the taxpayer after the insurance runs out. Preventing injury is much more cost effective than the long-term care.”“I’ve had a lot of jobs in my life, but the most meaningful have always been working with people who have sustained a traumatic brain injury,” Rep. Primavera continued. “The triumph of the human spirit is overwhelming; helping and watching these people, including veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, learn to walk again, swallow again, and talk again is testament to their strength and determination. Sadly, traumatic brain injury is the signature injury of these wars.”“I am always happy to promote bills that help people who have sustained a traumatic brain injury; I am honored and touched by the award from the Brain Injury Association of Colorado. I’ll keep on fighting, arm in arm with BIAC!”*Senate Bill 133 increases funding for the Colorado Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Fund. The new law is expected to allow 250 more Coloradans to receive critical services, including veterans who have received TBIs in Iraq or Afghanistan.The TBI Program and Trust Fund were created in 2002 to help those affected by severe brain injuries, providing services, research and education.