Montco prison is praised for brain injury project

GRATERFORD The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections - specifically, employees at the State Correctional Institution at Graterford - this week received the Organization Award from the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania.

The award is presented to an organization or group of individuals "whose efforts to focus on needs and to improve the lives of persons with brain injury have been clearly evident and have positively impacted lives," according to the association.

The Graterford employees were recognized for their work with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Brain Injury Association in demonstrating the problem of brain injuries in prisons.

"Our partnership . . . has allowed Graterford staff to screen inmates for brain injuries to determine what impact those impairments may have on an offender's reentry," said Michael Wenerowicz, the Department of Corrections acting regional deputy secretary and former Graterford superintendent.

In its nomination, Graterford was praised for a project, "NeuroResource for Prison Inmates With Brain Injury to Improve Re-Entry."

The project involved screening Graterford inmates for brain injuries and then assessing those with positive screens to determine issues that could affect their return to the community. - Inquirer staff