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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
More children are surviving traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) than ever — but the federal safety net supporting them is fraying. Congress let the Traumatic Brain Injury Act lapse in 2024, slashing funding from $23M to $8.25M annually, while CDC staff tracking TBIs were fired in early 2025. Camps like Pennsylvania's Camp Cranium press on, powered by private donations.
More children are surviving traumatic brain injuries than ever before, thanks to decades of progress in trauma care, seat belt laws, and federally funded research. But the systems designed to track, study, and support TBI survivors are under serious strain. Congress allowed the Traumatic Brain Injury Act to lapse in 2024 — ending a streak of bipartisan reauthorizations dating back to 1996 — and the Trump administration's 2025 CDC layoffs eliminated the team responsible for TBI surveillance, just before a planned nationwide concussion tracking system was set to launch.
Despite the turbulence, programs like Camp Cranium in rural Pennsylvania continue to serve children and young adults with brain injuries, offering activities like rock climbing, archery, and zip-lining — and a rare sense of community. The camp runs on private donations and has remained insulated from federal funding cuts, for now.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: With federal surveillance gutted and funding slashed, gaps in TBI data and services could widen — leaving one of the most vulnerable patient populations without the research and support infrastructure they need.
