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Indiana’s only long-term care facility for traumatic brain injury patients opens

INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER — Phillip Allison never saw the semitruck slam into the passenger side of his car. The impact crushed his Jeep, pinning him inside. He was airlifted to Methodist Hospital where doctors gave him a grim prognosis. The 25-year-old would be in a vegetative state for the rest of his life — if he lived.

Published

6 years ago

October 9, 2019

Oakland Post

Kimberly Tate and Phillip Allison. (Photo by: www.indianapolisrecorder.com)

By Eunice Trotter

Phillip Allison never saw the semitruck slam into the passenger side of his car. The impact crushed his Jeep, pinning him inside. He was airlifted to Methodist Hospital where doctors gave him a grim prognosis. The 25-year-old would be in a vegetative state for the rest of his life — if he lived.

That was 10 years ago. Today, Phillip is thriving and continuing recovery at Tranquility Nursing and Rehab, defying the odds he faced after the traumatic brain injury (TBI). He zips around the facility in his gait walker or sometimes in a wheelchair. He jokes with staff and other residents, who also have TBI. He is frequently away from the community at a sporting event or a concert. He has strong family support and many friends who visit.

Sometimes Phillip has flashbacks to the days before the accident. He was a runner and tries to run today in the gait walker, but his legs won’t allow that. He loved talking and joking, but his speech is now muffled and difficult, but he still jokes. He was a music major at IUPUI. He still loves music. He swam, played baseball and soccer, and sometimes he’s not satisfied at the facility until a nurse puts a damp towel around his neck, mimicking the days he was sweating while enjoying activities.

Sometimes he is angry — very angry, and exhibits what the facility calls “behaviors.” But he’s now with people who help him cope.

Phillip is one of a growing number of patients at Tranquility Nursing and Rehab, which opened this year as the only long-term care facility in Indiana for people with traumatic brain injury. Before, people needing such care had to go out of state to receive it. The facility is located just north of downtown at 3640 Central Ave.

“The opening of this facility is a relief for many,” said Omar Johnson, executive director of Tranquility Nursing and Rehab. “Now there is a skilled nursing facility here in Central Indiana serving those who otherwise would not be able to remain close to home.”

The facility provides around-the-clock nursing care and state-of-the-art rehabilitation. Activities are tailored to younger people. Residents go on outings. A courtyard at the facility allows patients a place to go outdoors in a secured setting. There are some assisted living facilities for TBI patients, but those typically require the resident to be at least age 55.

Tranquility Nursing and Rehab was opened by Tim Paul, who also owns Comfort Keepers home health services based in the southside of Indianapolis at 1335 Sadlier Circle E. Drive. He opened Tranquility after learning of the lack of in-patient services in Indiana for TBI patients who formerly had to go out of the state for long-term care.

Out-of-state placement removes TBI patients from family. The hardship and expense just visiting a loved one out of state can be tremendous, said Phil’s mother, Carolyn Allison.

“We were living in Noblesville, so I was driving five hours each way to see him for almost two years. We brought him home,” said Carolyn Allison. Providing care for him at home was overwhelming.

“We are in our late 60s and we won’t be around forever. We didn’t want him in some place with just a bed,” she said. “They take care of him. They keep him occupied. They keep him happy.”

Traumatic brain injury is caused primarily by falls. Traffic accident victims comprise the second largest pool of TBI patients, followed by those with other traumatic injuries, such as blunt force trauma caused by a fall or blow to the head, or a near drowning, a stroke or other injury.

Many of those with TBI are younger and traditional nursing homes don’t take younger patients. Some have multiple medical challenges as a result of their injury. Because no two TBI patients are the same, care must be individualized.

Unlike many states, Indiana does not keep hard stats about TBI. Estimates are that about 44,000 people are treated annually in Indiana emergency room visits for TBI and 5,600 people are hospitalized each year. While most TBIs are mild or moderate, over 1,000 people die each year in Indiana from TBI, and about 105,000 people here live with long-term disability as a result of TBI.

The effects of TBI range from mild to severe and may last from a few days to an entire lifetime. They include impaired thinking and memory effects (cognitive disorders); movement disorders, such as paralysis, seizures, inability to speak clearly; sensation disorders that affect vision, hearing, taste, touch and smell, and wide ranging emotional and mental health disorders that cause aggression, irritability, even violent lashing out.

There are several studies now taking place locally and nationally and participants for the studies are being sought. Indiana participates in a federal TBI waiver program which provides grants to states to help those with TBI remain at home when possible.

On a scale of here to miracle, Philip is beyond miracle,” said Carolyn Allison. “He’s come so far.”

Contact Eunice Trotter at eunice.trotter@att.net, 317-489-8556.

This article originally appeared in The Indianapolis Recorder.

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Remembering George Floyd

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4 days ago

May 25, 2025

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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Published

6 days ago

May 23, 2025

Oakland Post

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.

As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.

Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.

We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.

The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.

We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.

Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

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Hate and Chaos Rise in Trump’s America

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains.

Published

6 days ago

May 23, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 1,371 hate and antigovernment extremist groups operating across the United States in 2024. In its latest Year in Hate & Extremism report, the SPLC reveals how these groups are embedding themselves in politics and policymaking while targeting marginalized communities through intimidation, disinformation, and violence. “Extremists at all levels of government are using cruelty, chaos, and constant attacks on communities and our democracy to make us feel powerless,” said SPLC President Margaret Huang. The report outlines how hard-right groups aggressively targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout 2024. Figures on the far right falsely framed DEI as a threat to white Americans, with some branding it a form of “white genocide.” After the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, a former Utah legislator blamed the incident on DEI, posting “DEI = DIE.”

Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains. Similar threats hit Jewish institutions and Planet Fitness locations after far-right social media accounts attacked them for trans-inclusive policies. Telegram, which SPLC describes as a hub for hate groups, helped extremists cross-recruit between neo-Nazi, QAnon, and white nationalist spaces. The platform’s lax moderation allowed groups like the Terrorgram Collective—designated terrorists by the U.S. State Department—to thrive. Militia movements were also reorganized, with 50 groups documented in 2024. Many, calling themselves “minutemen,” trained in paramilitary tactics while lobbying local governments for official recognition. These groups shared personnel and ideology with white nationalist organizations.

The manosphere continued to radicalize boys and young men. The Fresh & Fit podcast, now listed as a hate group, promoted misogyny while mocking and attacking Black women. Manosphere influencers used social media algorithms to drive youth toward male-supremacy content. Turning Point USA played a key role in pushing white nationalist rhetoric into mainstream politics. Its leader Charlie Kirk claimed native-born Americans are being replaced by immigrants, while the group advised on Project 2025 and organized Trump campaign events. “We know that these groups build their power by threatening violence, capturing political parties and government, and infesting the mainstream discourse with conspiracy theories,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “By exposing the players, tactics, and code words of the hard right, we hope to dismantle their mythology and inspire people to fight back.”

Click here for the full report or visit http://www.splcenter.org/resources/guides/year-hate-extremism-2024.