About Virginia Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative

The Commonwealth of Virginia is committed to improving the treatment and care of Virginians with traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries. Through the establishment of the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative (CNI) Trust Fund, administered by a governor-appointed Advisory Board, funds are available to Virginia-based organizations, institutions and researchers to address the needs of people with acquired neurotrauma. The Advisory Board disburses CNI funds through a grant application process for research proposals and innovative community-based rehabilitation programs.

History & Status

Link to the Code of Virginia (§): http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/

Current Status of the CNI Trust Fund

An amendment to Senate Bill 1132 was passed establishing that the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative (CNI) Trust Fund would be administered by the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (§ 51.5-12.2.) "...for the purpose of preventing traumatic spinal cord or brain injuries and improving the treatment and care of Virginians with traumatic spinal cord or brain injuries," also "created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund, hereinafter referred to as the "Fund." For the purpose of administering, in coordination with the Commissioner of Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund established the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund Advisory Board, hereinafter referred to as the Advisory Board. Organizational staff support is provided to the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund Advisory Board by the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (§ 51.5-12.3).

The Fund is a revolving fund that is administered by the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund Advisory Board, in cooperation with the Commissioner of Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. The Fund consists of grants, donations and bequests from public and private sources and funds collected as provided in § 46.2-411. These moneys are deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the Fund and are used for the purposes mentioned above.

In 1998, the General Assembly passed an amendment establishing a source of revenue for the fund. The source of revenue for the CNI Trust Fund is funds collected through a reinstatement fee that is charged before restoring an operator's license to any person whose driver's license has been revoked or suspended upon conviction for specified dangerous driving offenses (e.g., DUI-related offenses, hit-and-run, reckless driving, failure to comply with conditions imposed upon license probation for driving offenses, etc.). In these cases, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is authorized to collect an additional fee of $30 in order to reinstate an operator's license. Of this fee, $25 goes to the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund and $5 goes to the Department of Motor Vehicles; however, if the driving offense is DUI-related, the $5 goes to the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program Commission (§ 46.2-411).

The Fund is administered by the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. Moneys in the Fund are used to support grants for Virginia-based organizations, institutions, and researchers as follows:

1. Forty-seven and one-half percent is allocated for research on the mechanisms and treatment of neurotrauma.
2. Forty-seven and one-half percent is allocated for rehabilitative services.
3. Five percent is allocated for the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services' costs for administering and staffing the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund Advisory Board.

Download more information on the History of CNI.

Documents

Meeting Minutes & Other Documents