2025 Fall Edition

Task Force Spotlight: Culture & Diversity in TBI

The ACRM BI-ISIG Culture & Diversity in TBI Task Force is entering an exciting new chapter under the leadership of Patricia Garcia, PsyD, HSPP, and Devan Parrott, PhD. As dedicated researchers and clinicians, they are committed to expanding education, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, and improving the inclusion of ethnic and minority populations in TBI research.

This past year, the task force made significant strides. In 2024, they received a BI-ISIG Task Force funding award to explore strategies for improving the recruitment and retention of diverse samples in TBI rehabilitation research, and their work was featured at the 2024 ACRM Annual Meeting in Dallas through a symposium titled Advancing Equity in TBI Rehabilitation Research: A Call to Action. Building on this momentum, the task force has once again earned a competitive BI-ISIG Task Force Award in 2025—its second consecutive award—for the project “Values and Priorities of Research Participants with Brain Injury.” This recognition underscores both the task force’s leadership in advancing equity and the vital importance of its work in shaping the future of brain injury research.

Looking ahead, the group is also launching several new initiatives, including a scoping review on cultural and linguistic adaptations of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for Hispanic/Spanish-speaking individuals recovering from TBI. With a strong focus on collaboration, dissemination, and expanding membership, the task force is eager to bring in new perspectives and expertise.

Those interested in contributing are encouraged to attend the upcoming Networking Group meeting to learn more and join in these important efforts.