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Brain Injury Specialty Program

A brain injury can affect how you move, think, feel and manage daily life. At Roper St. Francis Healthcare, we provide personalized care to help you regain strength and independence.

therapist helps patient use equipment

Recognized excellence in brain injury rehabilitation

Roper Rehabilitation Hospital, where we provide inpatient care, and our outpatient brain injury specialty program are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). CARF accreditation recognizes our commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered care and service excellence. These enable us to deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients.

CARF Seal

Patient walks with specialty equipment

Our highly skilled team provides a wide scope of services, expert care and experience with addressing the needs of the brain injury population.

The medical director for our Brain Injury Specialty Program, Dr. David Powell, is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, brain injury medicine and spinal cord injury medicine. Our interdisciplinary team members also have specialized training to support your recovery.

Patient touches therapy wall

We work with you to set treatment goals and determine the best way to help you reach them. We begin with an assessment that determines your needs -- reviewing your medical history and evaluating physical strength and mobility, as well as your abilities to process information, think and remember. We may also evaluate your communication and swallowing abilities. 
 
We offer physical, occupational and speech therapy services, along with additional support from specialists such as recreational therapists, psychologists, social workers/ case managers. Your treatment may include a variety of interventions conducted in individual or group settings. As an inpatient, you can expect to spend a total of 3 or more hours a day on therapy. Outpatient sessions are typically shorter.

Using electrodes on patient leg
  • Lite Gait© and Maxi-Sky© body weight support systems
  • Functional electrical stimulation devices, including: 
    • Ampcare
    • FES cycle
    • Xcite
  • Dynavision
  • Saebo
Doctors shake hands

The Brain Injury Specialty Program is actively involved in the broader spinal cord injury community. Our staff assists with many adaptive sport and spinal cord injury awareness events. We provide community reintegration outings and referrals for continued care in the community.

We regularly collaborate with:

  • Brain Injury Association of South Carolina
  • Charleston County Parks and Recreation (CCPRC)
  • South Carolina Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (OIDD)
  • Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
  • South Carolina Brain Injury Leadership Council

We also participate in NAMI's Crisis Intervention Training for Law Enforcement across the tri-county area.

Rehab staff helps patient exercise

We offer opportunities to learn more so you and your family can better understand the effects of a brain injury and how to manage them. Upon admission to our rehabilitation hospital, you’ll receive a personalized brain injury education handbook. You’ll also gain access to weekly education classes for both you and your family/caregiver.

Our peer mentoring program allows brain injury survivors to counsel and encourage current brain injury patients. We also offer regular in-person and online support groups. Current survivors and their support systems as well as members of the community are invited.

What sets our brain injury care apart?

Our rehab team makes a significant difference in the lives of our patients. Here are some highlights from our 2025 inpatient and outpatient outcomes.

  • 76.9%

    Of inpatients returned to the community after discharge rather than another level of care

  • 91%

    Of inpatient brain injury patients rated their care as excellent or very good

  • 100%

    Of outpatients rated our staff's competence as very good or excellent

  • 100%

    Of outpatients reported being very satisfied with the goals they achieved

Additional program outcomes

People also ask

  • “One day he let out this very small, very shallow breath to say, ‘hi,’ and I lost it. Seeing his progress affirmed my decision to pursue this career path. You never forget those people.”

    – Jessica Trego , Physical Therapist with Roper Rehabilitation Hospital

Take the next step toward recovery: Request an evaluation

When you or someone you love is facing the challenges of a brain injury, it can be hard to know where to begin. Our team is here to listen, guide you through your options and help you take the next step with confidence and care.

Inpatient program: 
Michelle Moore, MSP, CCC-SLP, CBIST-AP 
Speech Language Pathologist 
Brain Injury Coordinator 
Roper Rehabilitation Hospital 
[email protected]
(843) 720-8378

Outpatient Program 
Emma Chambers, OTR/L, CCDT 
Manager of Rehabilitation Services at Roper Hospital 
[email protected]
(843) 724-2760