| Sept. 2, 2008 CONTACT: Dr. Timothy Atchison, interim dean of Graduate School and Research and project director, 806-651-2730, tatchison@wtamu.edu
Misty Rueda, program coordinator, 806-651-2729, cogrehab@wtamu.edu COPY BY: Rana McDonald, 806-651-2129, rmcdonald@wtamu.edu Project Looking for Veterans for Focus Group CANYON, Texas—The Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work at West Texas A&M University and neuropsychologists from Memorial Hermann TIRR in Houston are looking for veterans to be a part of a special focus group. Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom who sustained traumatic brain injuries are needed to take part in a focus group that will help design a Traumatic Brain Injury/PTSD Recovery Assistance Program for veterans and their families. “We want to know how to better serve veterans and their families,” Misty Rueda, program coordinator, said. “We need veterans who have suffered a traumatic brain injury and their families to participate in a focus group.” Veterans and families who participate will meet with neuropsychologists to help determine that the best possible services are available to those in need. The sessions will last for approximately one hour, and those participating will receive a small reimbursement for time spent. “Brain injuries vary in severity from mild concussion to severe injury, but all may impact the individual’s ability to reintegrate back to his or her normal lifestyle,” Dr. Timothy Atchison, interim dean for Graduate School and Research and project director, said. “We believe with the help of veterans and their families we can adapt known effective programs to serve their needs.” The Traumatic Brain Injury/PTSD Recovery Assistance Program is funded through TRIAD (Texas Resources for Iraq-Afghanistan Deployment) funds from the Permian Basin Area Foundation. For more information about signing up for the focus group, contact Rueda at 806-651-2729 or 806-690-7267 or at cogrehab@wtamu.edu. —WTAMU— | 
