https://www.mcw.edu/departments/wisconsin-institute-of-neuroscience-wins/brave-program

BRAVE Program, 10200 West Innovation Drive, Wauwatosa, WI (2026)

02/27/2026

📣Where is BRAVE going now? In just a few days, we’ll be heading to the 4th Annual Wisconsin DOJ Peer Support & Wellness Conference March 2–4, 2026 at the Kalahari Resort!

This event, hosted by the WI DOJ, brings together first responders, peer support teams, wellness leaders, and service providers from law enforcement, fire, EMS, 911 dispatch, and civilian support staff to connect, learn, and strengthen the support systems that protect those who protect us.👮👩‍🚒📞🚑🚓🚒

🧠Why does this matter:🧠
First responders are facing a mental health crisis. Decades of research show elevated rates of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and su***de in our communities. Rates that far exceed the general population. The stressors of repeated traumatic exposure, long shifts, and cultural stigma around help-seeking contribute to very real wounds that aren’t always visible.

That’s why BRAVE is honored to be there. Ready to connect, support, learn, and contribute solutions that help first responders and veterans navigate trauma, brain injury, burnout, and the mental health challenges that too often go unspoken.

If you’re attending: Come say hello.
If you’re not- follow along with us for updates, insights, and resources shared from the conference floor.

Together, we can shift the culture from surviving to thriving. 💪➡💪

👉 Register / Learn more about the conference here: https://wisdoj.cventevents.com/event/2026peersupport/summary

02/27/2026

Yesterday marked Day 1 of the MCW Neurotrauma Symposium, and BRAVE was proud to be part of this powerful gathering of minds focused on advancing care, research, and understanding of neurotrauma. 🧠

This event, hosted by the Medical College of Wisconsin, brings together experts, clinicians, and innovators to share insights that improve outcomes for people affected by brain injury and related conditions.

A huge shoutout to our own Program Manager, Jenna, who served on the planning committee. The event was seamless, thoughtful, and filled with outstanding speakers. Incredible work.🔥

We were especially honored to hear from speakers like BRAVE’s Medical Director, Dr. Greg Burek, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Associate Professor in Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, and one of the voices pushing the field forward with both expertise and lived understanding.💪

BRAVE is incredibly proud of our staff! And we are grateful for this opportunity to engage, learn, and contribute to discussions that shape brain health care for veterans, first responders, and trauma-exposed populations nationwide.

Day 2 is underway and the momentum continues.

Thank you to everyone who brought passion, curiosity, and commitment to the table today. We look forward to what tomorrow brings.

02/25/2026

Back-to-back days at MATC’s Veteran Benefit Resource Fairs!
Milwaukee Campus and Oak Creek Campus- what a great couple of days it was.

BRAVE was proud to host an information table, connect with student veterans, families, and community partners, and be part of an event that truly centers those who have served.

Amanda also had the opportunity to deliver two breakout presentations on the BRAVE Program. Sharing how we support veterans and first responders navigating traumatic brain injury, trauma, and overlapping symptoms. The conversations that followed were meaningful and real.

A huge thank you to MATC for hosting and for the continued investment in supporting your veteran students. Events like this matter. Access matters. Awareness matters. Care matters.

It was also great to learn more about the many organizations showing up for veterans across our community. Collaboration makes the difference.

Grateful to be part of it.

02/23/2026

On Saturday, BRAVE had the honor of attending the Yellow Ribbon Pre-Deployment Event for the 128th Air Refueling Wing.✈

We were grateful to host an information table, connect with service members and families, and meet incredible partners from local organizations who are committed to supporting our military community.

Events like Yellow Ribbon absolutely matter. They remind deploying members and their families that they are not alone. Resources, support, and community stand behind them before, during, and after deployment.

To the Airmen preparing to deploy:

Thank you for your service and your willingness to step forward. We hope for a safe mission, steady leadership, strong connection to home, and a healthy return. Your well-being during and after service matters.

Grateful to stand alongside those who serve.💙

02/19/2026

Last week, we had the opportunity to welcome Congressman Scott Fitzgerald to the BRAVE Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Traumatic brain injury and trauma-related conditions remain some of the most underrecognized injuries among veterans and first responders. Many are living with symptoms that impact sleep, mood, cognition, and relationships, often without realizing a brain injury may be part of the picture.

BRAVE was created to address exactly that.

We are the Midwest’s first program dedicated to treating mTBI in veterans and first responders, using coordinated clinical care rooted in neuroscience.

If you’re in law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch, or are a military veteran and something feels off do not wait for it to escalate.

Reach out. Start the conversation. Support the ones who serve.

02/18/2026

Today BRAVE had the opportunity to visit the Crystal Lake office of Veterans Path to Hope and spend time with Director of Outreach Jim Dolan, Clinical Mental Health Counselor Sean Merchant, and Executive Director Laura Franz.

I walked away incredibly impressed.

Veterans Path to Hope is doing meaningful, boots-on-the-ground work to support veterans and their families. From housing stability and employment services to clinical mental health support and long-term case management. The depth of care and intentionality behind their programs is evident the moment you walk through the door.

Collaboration matters in this work. No single organization can meet every need, but it is in strong partnerships that ensure veterans don’t fall through the cracks.

If you’re not familiar with Veterans Path to Hope, I encourage you to check out their social media and learn more about the impact they’re making.

Thank you, Jim, Sean, and Laura, for your time today. I’m grateful for the relationship and look forward to continued partnership.

And a special thank you for keeping Amanda caffeinated... that might be the fanciest coffee maker I’ve ever seen. ☕️

02/17/2026

In Veterans & First responders, symptoms like irritability, brain fog, poor sleep, headaches, emotional reactivity, and hypervigilance are often labeled as PTSD.

But many of those same symptoms overlap with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Car crashes. Falls. Assaults. Blast exposure. “Getting your bell rung.”
Rapid movement of the brain can stretch neural pathways ... even when scans look normal.🧠

🧠PTSD changes brain function.
🧠 alters brain structure and connectivity.

In high-risk professions, these injuries often coexist.

When we don’t screen for both, we risk treating only half the injury.

This isn’t about toughness.
It’s about biology.

If we want healthier First Responders and Veterans, we have to stop guessing and start assessing.

At BRAVE, we treat the whole brain.

Because “just stress” has cost us too much already.

02/13/2026

Congratulations to our BRAVE Medical Students Elizabeth and Aaditya!

Yesterday was their last day with us, as they step forward on the next leg of their journey! Medical Students rotate through clinics as they progress through their education.

We are so proud of you both! Thank you for jumping in on the team, having a spirit of curiosity, and learner attitude. You both went above any beyond in your rotation with us!

Good luck and Come visit!!

02/11/2026

Two conferences. Two cities. Countless conversations that matter. 💪

Last week, BRAVE had the honor of attending the Wisconsin EMS Association (WEMSA) Conference at the Resch Center in Green Bay. We connected with EMS providers from across the state - old friends, new faces, and the next generation of leaders in emergency services.

This week, we were at the 2026 Wisconsin Professional Law Enforcement Foundation (WPLF) Winter Training Conference at the Kalahari Resort - continuing conversations about brain health, trauma recovery, and real support for those who serve.

Every handshake, every shared story, every “I didn’t know this existed” reminds us why BRAVE matters.

We are here for Veterans.
We are here for First Responders.- including 911 Dispatchers.
We are here to make sure no one fights these battles alone.

If you stopped by the booth ➡ THANK YOU. If you grabbed a flyer ➡ share it. If you’ve been thinking about reaching out ➡ THIS IS YOUR SIGN 🔰

We’re just getting started.

#911

02/09/2026

This message is for the ones who say, “I should be fine.”

We’re really good at ranking our pain against others and telling ourselves we don’t deserve help yet.

But waiting until it’s “bad enough” comes at a cost.

If something changed after the job like your sleep, your patience, your joy, your relationships- this matters.

You don’t have to be falling apart to ask for help.
You just have to be honest.

At BRAVE, we see this every day and support starts long before crisis.
Learn more about what we do at the intersection of having your bell rung & PTSD for ALL Veterans
& First Responders - How we can help you or someone you love?

02/05/2026

Where is BRAVE going now?
We are going to the WPLF & WCPA Winter Training Conference & Expo next week at the Kalahari Resort! Come visit Amanda at our Booth . Stop by- Say Hi- and Learn more about BRAVE Program & Avalon Action Alliance.

✨Spoiler✨: we are the Midwest's first program specifically designed to evaluate and treat mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), along with the overlaying symptoms of PTSD. Many veterans and first responders are unaware that this program exists...find us at events throughout WI, the Midwest and IN this spring!

Want to learn more- jump in our DMs- call the hotline (office)- visit us online at: https://www.mcw.edu/.../wisconsin-institute.../brave-program

BRAVE Program

02/27/2026

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