Acquired brain injury (ABI) encompasses any damage to the brain that occurs after birth — from traumatic causes (car accidents, falls, sport, assault) and non-traumatic causes (stroke, aneurysm, hypoxic injury, infection, tumour). It is one of the most common causes of disability in Australia — with approximately 700,000 Australians living with ABI. The impacts are profound and wide-ranging: cognitive, physical, behavioural, and emotional changes that affect every aspect of daily life. Grant funding supports the rehabilitation, community reintegration, and long-term support that helps people with ABI live the fullest possible lives.
Scale
Consequences of ABI
ABI effects are highly variable depending on location and severity:
- Cognitive: memory, attention, executive function, processing speed
- Physical: hemiplegia, spasticity, balance, coordination
- Behavioural: impulsivity, aggression, disinhibition
- Emotional: depression, anxiety, emotional dysregulation
- Communication: aphasia, dysarthria
- Fatigue: profound and persistent
- Personality changes (particularly frontal lobe injuries)
Why ABI support is challenging
NDIS
NDIS is the primary funder for younger people with ABI — support for daily living, community access, rehabilitation, and equipment.
Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)
ABI rehabilitation and support for veterans.
State health departments
Inpatient rehabilitation and early community-based rehabilitation after hospital discharge.
Insurance schemes
Motor accident injury compensation (MACA, CTP) in most states funds rehabilitation after vehicle accidents.
Workers Compensation
ABI from workplace injury.
Brain Foundation
Research and information — funding neurological research including ABI.
Synapse (Brain Injury Australia)
Peak ABI advocacy and support organisation:
- Information and referral
- Advocacy for people with ABI
- Research and policy
The Victorian Brain Rehabilitation Unit (Austin Health)
Research and clinical excellence — philanthropically supported.
Acquired Brain Injury Alliance (ABIA)
Sector advocacy and coordination.
Stepping Stone Clubhouse
Mental health and ABI recovery clubhouse model.
State ABI organisations
Each state has specific ABI organisations and community services.
Acute rehabilitation
Community rehabilitation
Transition from hospital to community:
- Community-based rehabilitation teams
- Home-based therapy
- Day rehabilitation programmes
- Transitional living (time-limited supported living after hospital)
Cognitive rehabilitation
Behavioural support
Supported accommodation
Many people with ABI need supported accommodation:
- Specialist disability accommodation (SDA) for high-needs
- Supported independent living
- Shared supported accommodation
- Transitional housing
Employment support
Social and community participation
Carer support
Caring for someone with ABI is particularly demanding:
- Carer education (understanding ABI)
- Respite
- Peer support for carers
- Psychological support for carers
- Grief and loss support (changed relationship with person after ABI)
Young people with ABI
ABI in children and young people has specific needs:
- Educational support
- Transition planning (school to adult services)
- Peer relationships and social development
- Neuropsychological support
ABI and the justice system
ABI is significantly overrepresented in the justice system:
- ABI identification in courts and prisons
- ABI-specific support programmes in correctional settings
- Diversion programmes
- Throughcare after release
ABI and domestic violence
ABI from DV is chronically underrecognised:
- Training for DV services in ABI identification
- ABI-informed DV support
- Safety planning for women with ABI
- Long-term support (ABI effects persist after leaving violence)
Growing awareness of sport-related brain injury:
- Concussion management protocols in sports
- CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) research
- Return-to-sport decisions
- Long-term monitoring of athletes with multiple concussions
- Youth sport concussion safety
Invisible disability
ABI's invisibility creates barriers to identification, support, and funding. Applications that address the "invisible ABI" — screening, identification, and support for people whose ABI is unrecognised — are distinctive.
ABI and justice
ABI is estimated to affect 30-40% of incarcerated people — dramatically higher than the general population. Justice-involved ABI programmes are underserved and have compelling social impact potential.
DV-ABI intersection
The recognition of ABI as a consequence of domestic violence is growing. Applications that train DV workers to identify ABI, and services adapted for women with DV-related ABI, address a genuine gap.
Long-term support
ABI is often permanent — people need ongoing support, not just acute services. Applications that address long-term community support (not just early rehabilitation) are well-aligned with NDIS and funder priorities.
Tahua's grants management platform supports disability funders and ABI organisations — with participant tracking, rehabilitation outcome measurement, community reintegration data, and the reporting tools that help ABI funders demonstrate their investment in supporting people with acquired brain injury to live full and meaningful lives.