SIDE BY SIDE BRAIN INJURY CLUBHOUSE INC

Side by Side offers members a safe environment for continuation of recovery, mastery of skills, and return to the workforce, all while making a positive impact on their families and caregivers.

As Side by Side emerges in 2021 from pandemic-related challenges shared by all human service agencies, our goals have shifted to restoring financial security while maintaining the safety of our staff and members who are at a greater risk of catastrophic consequences of COVID-19 due to chronic health conditions that accompany brain injury. Simultaneously, we are resuming capacity building initiatives with a current priority of leadership succession.



Strategic Initiatives that Continue Include:

1. Establish the Side by Side model as a validated clinical approach to supporting people with brain injury-related disabilities.

2. Enhance Atlanta's reputation as an innovator in the disability community.

3. Expand Side by Side's programs, infrastructure, and resources to serve the growing needs of Atlanta's community impacted by brain injury.

1. Build the administrative and technical infrastructure necessary to sustain long-term program evaluation and justification of services.

2. Maintain a close working relationship with Shepherd Center, top ten brain injury rehabilitation hospital in the nation.

3. Facilitate the expansion and availability of long-term support services for people with brain injuries across the US by leading an alliance of Clubhouse-model programs that serve this population and developing/hosting training of colleagues to develop and continually improve services that utilize this model.

4. Expand home-based and virtual community support services to military service members who sustained brain injuries since 9/11/2001.

3. After 21 years of operation, our founding leaders are staging retirements via a multi-year strategic initiative campaign that has now shifted from a successful 4-year period of capital improvements to a 4- year period of leadership succession. Having hired a seasoned C-Suite executive to guide the transition as the organization's first COO, we are streamlining and modernizing business practices, planning expansions of earned revenue streams, and increasing fundraising efforts to gradually transition to a new Executive Director and Program Director.

Over the past fifteen years, Side by Side has achieved global recognition in the brain injury community for our innovative approach and Partnership Model. Side by Side is a founding leader of the International Brain Injury Clubhouse Alliance (IBICA) and maintains Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) in Community Services: Community Integration. Side by Side maintains advocacy relationship throughout Georgia to advance a comprehensive line-item funding request to state legislators to address the needs of Georgia's brain-injury population. Side by Side also works with Georgia State University, Emory University and Brenau University to train Rehabilitation Counselors and Occupational Therapists. In addition, Side by Side is licensed and regulated by the Georgia Department of Community Health to operate as an Adult Day Center.

What we have accomplished so far:
-Completed a three-year multi-site research project. This project consists of comparing features and outcomes of Side by Side membership and programs with other ABI and Mental Clubhouse Model programs to demonstrate impact of this service approach on health and well-being of 2 different but overlapping populations. Outcomes showed improved health, resiliency, mental health, and reduced hospitalizations after 6 months of attending an ABI Clubhouse program. Side by Side is the largest of the ABI Clubhouse programs in the study and the only stand-alone 501c3 organization of the group.
-After 20 years of advocacy efforts, Side by Side was approved for a small annual grant through our state's general fund to provide scholarship services to those in financial need and who do not qualify for a Medicaid Waiver.
-Life skills training program is now serving injured workers and wounded warriors.
-Part-time COO has facilitated significant improvements to business practices and facility deferred maintenance plans.
-Successfully obtained full accreditation (during a pandemic!) by the Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
-Obtained 2 PPP loans and support from our founding sponsor, Shepherd Center, to weather the pandemic with zero staff layoffs.

What's next?
- Hire successor for Program Director; once that role is stable will begin search for Exec Director replacement. We hope to secure capacity building funding to ensure a successful transition while increasing Side by Side's reach and impact nationwide through the training of developing long-term support programs following this validated and unique service model.