Synapse News & Updates

Need our support over the holiday season?

Our team will be here to support anyone impacted by brain injury during the holiday season. Synapse’s Information and Referral and Support Coordination teams will only be unavailable during the following 3 days.

As we celebrate Women’s Health Week 2024, it’s vital to shine a light on a critical issue that often remains hidden: domestic violence and its concerning link to brain injury in women.

In 2022-2023 the Federal Government doubled the Disability Representative Organisations grants (DRO) from $2.6 million to $5.2 million annually.

The current justice systems fail to recognise the significant link between domestic violence of both perpetrators, victim survivors, and brain injury.

Synapse believes building more youth detention centres will see young people impacted by brain injuries continue to be discriminated against.

Our team will be here to support anyone impacted by brain injury during the holiday season.

Synapse has been awarded the Just Future grant, which aims to better understand the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with possible cognitive impairment to assist in informing sentencing and bail requirements.

In September, the Disability Royal Commission published their Final Report with mention of Synapse's advocacy work and projects.

Synapse Australia claims issues outlined in the Disability Royal Commissions Final Report are well known to have existed in our systems and only make up part of the problem.

Landmarks across Australia and being lit up purple and yellow to support Brain Injury Awareness Week (21 - 27 August 2023). Locations include Brisbane, Perth, and Townsville.

Brain injury has a profound and underestimated impact on society. It’s important that everyone plays their part and does what they can to understand brain injury and support people in meaningful and impactful ways.

This NAIDOC week we celebrate our Synapse Elders. Our Elders guide and ensure we stay connected to community and culture.

Synapse begins delivering the pilot brokerage model, Court Link Community Support Service (CLCS), the Queensland Government brokerage program to support a proportion of individuals accessing Court Link.

The Queensland Government’s response to be tough on crime comes with a harsher cost to the lives of many children across the state, particularly those who have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), brain injuries, or other cognitive impairment.

Synapse has broken down the key elements in this year’s budget that are relevant to those living with brain injury and their carers below to help our community understand how this budget affects them.

Brain injury is often called the ‘hidden’ disability due to its lack of physical evidence of injury, making it difficult to screen for and assess in Australian prisoners. Yet, having a brain injury in the criminal justice system makes an instrumental difference on the way prisoners are assessed and treated in and out of a prison.

Sydney University is conducting a research study about the experiences of sexuality post stroke to assist with the ongoing development of sexual rehabilitation for future stroke survivors within the LGBTQI+ community.

This week we held our Brain Injury Network event in New South Wales, connecting providers and specialists in our combined pursuit to support people impacted by brain injury.

Next week is Brain Injury Awareness Week and this year’s theme is Every Brain Injury is Different. This pivotal advocacy week focuses on creating awareness in the community about the 700,000-plus Australians impacted by brain injury and their daily struggle to live in a world where their “disability” is often invisible.

Brain injury professionals gathered recently for Synapse Western Australia’s inaugural network meeting to share knowledge and collaborate on improving the experiences of people impacted by brain injury.

The Stroke Foundation has launched a new resource specially designed to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live well after stroke.

Brain Injury Awareness Week 2021 recognises that every brain injury is different and shares the stories of those impacted

The soon to be launched BrainBank panel is a peer panel, operated by and for people who have lived experience of brain injury.

We have written to the new NDIS Minister, Linda Reynolds, to request a meeting, and hope that we can offer people who have experienced brain injury, and their families and carers, rapid reassurance in the wake of these distressing revelations.

The leaking of draft changes to the NDIS strikes a blow not just to those potentially affected, but at the very heart of what could, and should, be a life and society-changing scheme.

The key recommendations relating to younger people with disability, outlined in the newly released final report of the Aged Care Royal Commission, have been warmly welcomed by the Summer Foundation, Youngcare and Synapse. 

The Australian Government’s decision to establish a task force to end the practice of placing young people with disability in aged care is an important step.

Synapse wins 2020 HESTA Excellence Award for Outstanding Organisation in Disability Services

The HESTA Excellence Awards recognise exceptional achievements in a range of settings across aged care, allied health, community services and disability services. Synapse has been nominated for Outstanding Organisation in Disability Services, a testament to the hard work of our committed staff.

The NDIA has decided to indefinitely extend the use of core funding to access Support Coordination, making it easier to get the most from your NDIS plan.

2020 is shaping up to be a big year for Synapse as we roll out the three-year $1.8 million Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) NDIS grant to extend our brain injury information and referral service nationally.

This month Jennifer sat down with the DSC team to yarn about being a proud Aboriginal woman and CEO of Synapse and how language, communication and co-design are vital to ensuring the inclusion of everyone in the disability sector.

Plans to introduce independent assessments to access the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will amount to a ‘doubling down’ on exclusion for some of Australia’s most marginalised peoples.

The Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the Hon Stuart Robert, recently announced the introduction of compulsory Independent Assessments for people with disability to be able to access the NDIS, and as part of the plan review process. Synapse opposes this, and here’s why.

Brain Injury Awareness Week is being held this year 17-23 August. Our theme for 2020 is ‘Welcome to our World’: Social Isolation after Brain Injury.

Despite the challenges presented by 2020, we are continuing to grow as Australia’s Brain Injury Organisation. With the expansion of our services in Western Australia and continued progress on several significant national projects, there are plenty of opportunities to join the Synapse team and make a difference for people impacted by brain injury.

We recently partnered with the government-funded initiative Healthdirect Australia to provide quality brain injury information and advice to people across Australia.

Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Stuart Robert announced on Wednesday 1 July that our CEO Jennifer Cullen has been reappointed to the Independent Advisory Council for another term.

We are committed to the work we do together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Aboriginal people can sometimes experience challenges when connecting with and engaging services. These challenges often occur when services are developed without connection to local culture and community.  

Synapse Family Liaison Officers provide practical support and information to family members and carers of people who have brain injury.    

In late 2019 Synapse was awarded a three-year, $1.8 million Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) grant from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to deliver a National Information Program focused on expanding brain injury information services over the next three years.

Jamen started working at the Community Living Initiative in Cairns two-months before it opened to tenants in 2017. His role is to mentor the team working at the Community Living Initiative and act as a conduit between the team and tenants.

Our recent Synapse Brain Injury Network event featured speakers discussing their professional experience with working within the NDIS system, and getting the best outcome for their clients.

Synapse—Australia’s Brain Injury Organisation CEO, Jennifer Cullen, has been awarded an honorary degree of the Doctor of the University from Griffith University.

Organisations supporting young people living in nursing homes have welcomed the Morrison Government’s commitment to work to the targets endorsed by the Aged Care Royal Commission.

Synapse - Australia’s Brain Injury Organisation, has launched a new website which includes a comprehensive brain injury information hub.

Brain Injury Awareness Week runs from 19-25 August and heralds an opportunity to raise awareness for the 700,000 Australians who live with a brain injury.

After recently being awarded an Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) grant from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Synapse is working with the brain injury and disability community across Australia to deliver a unique, comprehensive brain injury Information Hub.

In late 2018, the Board of Headwest voted on a resolution to dissolve the organisation and transfer all assets to Synapse - Australia's Brain Injury Organisation.

During May, Synapse - Australia's Brain Injury Organisation, is raising awareness about the high rate of brain injury sustained by victims of domestic violence.