South Carolina H 5077: Brain Injury Awareness Month

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5077 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 03, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5077

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A house RESOLUTION

to declare March 2026 as "Brain Injury Awareness 
Month" in South Carolina in order to support brain injury survivors and their 
families, to increase the public's awareness of the prevalence of brain injury 
in the State and nation, and to recognize the importance of prevention and 
treatment of brain injuries.

Whereas, acquired brain 
injury is often overlooked and underfunded and affects thousands of South 
Carolinians each year; and

Whereas, a history of 
brain injuries and head trauma has been linked to the development of 
neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, stroke, and Alzheimer's; and

Whereas, the elderly 
and children are the most likely to sustain traumatic brain injury; and

Whereas, falls are a 
leading cause of brain-related injuries in South Carolina. They can also be the 
result of motor vehicle crashes, assaults, sports-related injuries, 
occupational-related injuries, opioid overdoses, and intimate partner violence; 
and

Whereas, more than 1.2 
million South Carolinians experience brain injury from trauma or stroke, and 
more than 209,000 South Carolinians are disabled from those events; and

Whereas, at least sixty-four 
million adults report having experienced one or more traumatic brain injuries 
in their lifetime; and 

Whereas, traumatic 
brain injury has been classified as a chronic condition by the Center for 
Medicaid and Medicare Services; and 

Whereas, South Carolina 
has approximately 386,000 veterans. Traumatic brain injury has been a signature 
injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Treatment is often complicated by 
high rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and suicide which present more challenges 
for members of the military and their families; and 

Whereas, as many as fifty 
percent of brain injuries go unreported and untreated because of a lack of 
education, awareness, and recognition of the effects of brain injury. Survivors 
and their families can struggle to secure proper medical treatment, services, 
and care, despite the often-lifelong effects of brain injuries; and

Whereas, it is 
estimated that the cost of traumatic brain injuries in the United States weighs 
in at $48.3 billion annually; and 

Whereas, a brain injury 
from trauma or stroke that happens in an instant can cause a lifetime of 
physical, cognitive, and behavioral challenges; and

Whereas, early and 
specialized intervention, especially physical and cognitive rehabilitation, can 
greatly increase the quality of life and enable individuals with brain injuries 
to return to their homes, schools, work, or communities. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the 
South Carolina House of Representatives, 
by this resolution, declare March 2026 as "Brain Injury Awareness Month" in 
South Carolina in order to support brain injury survivors and their families, 
to increase the public's awareness of the prevalence of brain injury in the 
State and nation, and to recognize the importance of prevention and treatment 
of brain injuries.

Be it further resolved 
that a copy of this resolution be presented to the Brain Injury Association of 
South Carolina. 

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This web page was last updated on February 03, 2026 at 02:49 PM