Raleigh -- July 31, 2026: North Carolina has adopted a new 2026–2029 Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) State Action Plan aimed at improving services and long-term support for residents living with traumatic brain injuries.
The plan outlines strategies to expand access to care, strengthen rehabilitation services, and improve community-based support for individuals recovering from traumatic brain injuries. State officials say the goal is to help more North Carolinians remain independent and receive services closer to home.
A key component of the plan is the eventual statewide expansion of North Carolina's Traumatic Brain Injury Medicaid Waiver, which currently operates as a pilot program serving seven Alliance Health counties. The waiver provides community-based services designed to help eligible individuals continue living in their homes after leaving rehabilitation or hospital care.
While the North Carolina General Assembly has already authorized expanding the waiver statewide, the program is not yet available across North Carolina. According to the state's action plan, implementation depends on future funding being appropriated by the General Assembly to create additional waiver slots.
Until that funding is approved, eligibility for the waiver remains limited to the existing pilot counties.
Healthcare providers say expanded access could make a significant difference for people recovering from traumatic brain injuries, who often require ongoing support long after completing inpatient rehabilitation. Those services can include physical, occupational and speech therapy, behavioral support, case management, and assistance with daily living.
"Our goal is to create a system of care that allows people living with brain injuries to lead the life they choose with dignity while staying in their homes and communities," state health official Kelly Crosbie said in announcing the plan.
The action plan also identifies priorities such as improving care coordination, expanding access to community resources, strengthening support for caregivers, and increasing public awareness about traumatic brain injuries.
State officials expect implementation planning to continue through 2026. If lawmakers appropriate the necessary funding, broader expansion of the Medicaid TBI Waiver could begin as early as 2027.
For now, the new action plan serves as a roadmap for improving brain injury services statewide while lawmakers consider future funding needed to expand the program.