Our Program

Community Transitions bridges the gap between traditional rehabilitative therapy and a successful return to community living. Our program addresses the whole person, based upon evaluations and assessments to determine the specific needs of each individual. Clinical studies have shown that holistic rehabilitation improves overall community functioning in people with brain injury.*

Community Transitions provides quality services for individuals with brain injury and assists each person to maximize his or her abilities. We continue to provide cutting-edge therapy and in 2008 we began offering therapy via telerehab for people who are unable to attend our program in person. This has allowed us to bridge the geography gap of South Dakota and beyond. In 2009 we began providing 24-hour care and supervision for people with brain injury, allowing people who have a brain injury to receive quality rehabilitation care in South Dakota.

At Community Transitions we focus on the whole person. We realize that brain injury does not affect only one aspect of a person's life. Our team approach targets cognitive training, counseling, community living, and vocational training. We also provide case management and nursing services.

After an individual has been in the program for two weeks and adjusted to the new environment, we complete a comprehensive evaluation. This evaluation will focus on the whole person to better understand the strengths and areas that present challenges for the individual. The areas that will be evaluated include cognitive, social, emotional, vocational, independent living, and medical.

Community Transitions is designed to enable each individual to be independent in the community and to utilize natural supports.

After discharge, we encourage participation in our Survivors Group, which meets on a weekly basis (Tuesdays at 12PM) and is free to all former participants in the program. We also encourage everyone to attend the Brain Injury Support Group of the Black Hills which we facilitate and is open to everyone including survivors, family members, friends and professionals. The group meets the second Tuesday of every month. For more information on this and other brain injury support groups, please visit our Resources and Support Groups web page.

*Prevalence of Long Term Disability from Traumatic Brain Injury in the Civilian Population in the United States, 2005. Edward Zaloshnja, Ph.D., Ted Miller, Ph.D., Jean A. Langlois, Sc.D., MPH; Anbesaw W. Selassie, Dr.PH., The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. Volume 23, Number 6, November-December 2008.

*Cognitive Rehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke: Updated Review of Literature from 1998 to 2002 with Recommendations for Clinical Practice, Keith D. Cicerone, Ph.D., Cynthia Dahlberg, M.A. CCC-SLP, James F. Malec, Ph.D., et. al. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 81:1596-1615