A brain injury can turn life upside down in an instant. Tasks that once felt effortless, remembering details, focusing at work, or finding the right words, suddenly feel like climbing a mountain. In Washington State, injured workers don’t have to face that climb alone.

The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program (BIRP), offered through Washington State Labor & Industries (L&I), was created to help workers recover from concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI) through coordinated, specialized care.

At Convivio Health, we deliver these same services through our Brain Injury Rehabilitation Therapy (BIRT) program in Lynnwood, Washington. BIRT is L&I-approved and designed specifically for injured workers, combining medical expertise, therapy, and real-world recovery to help you rebuild your life and return to work safely and confidently.

Understanding the BIRP Program

The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program helps people recover from mild, moderate, or severe brain injuries that interfere with thinking, memory, communication, or emotional balance.

Unlike general therapy, BIRP focuses on integrated, team-based care. That means your doctors, therapists, and rehabilitation specialists all work together to treat you as a whole person, not just a list of symptoms.

The program includes:

• Initial evaluation and testing to understand how the injury affects you.
  

• Individualized therapy targeting physical, mental, and emotional recovery.
  

• Ongoing coordination between medical providers, therapists, and L&I case managers to keep your care plan on track.
  

If you have been injured at work and still have symptoms weeks or months later, like headaches, dizziness, memory problems, or difficulty concentrating, you may be eligible for BIRP or BIRT services.

Who Can Benefit

You may qualify for the program if:

• You have had a concussion or traumatic brain injury at work.
  

• You continue to have trouble thinking, remembering, organizing, or communicating.
  

• You are feeling fatigued, anxious, or overwhelmed when trying to resume normal life.
  

• You need help returning to work safely and confidently.
  

Many people enter the program after injuries from falls, vehicle accidents, or heavy-equipment incidents. Even a mild concussion can cause lasting effects if it isn’t treated early, and that is where structured rehabilitation makes all the difference.

What Treatment Looks Like

BIRP and Convivio Health’s BIRT program uses a step-by-step approach to match your care to your recovery stage.

1. Early Evaluation and Education

The first step is understanding what’s happening in your brain.
You will meet with a provider trained in occupational and neurological medicine who explains your injury, answers questions, and sets up your treatment plan.

Early intervention can:

• Prevent symptoms from becoming chronic.
  

• Reduce stress by explaining what to expect.
  

• Coordinate referrals to the right therapy team quickly.

2. Personalized Rehabilitation

Once your needs are clear, you will work with a team of specialists, which may include:

• Physical therapists – to improve balance, coordination, and dizziness.
  

• Occupational therapists – to rebuild endurance, problem-solving, and daily routines.
  

• Speech-language pathologists – to address memory, focus, and communication.
  

• Neuropsychologists – to support emotional regulation, motivation, and attention.
  

Together, this team helps you regain skills for home, community, and work.

“Therapy is aimed at improving your ability to perform daily activities and solve problems,” explains the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

3. Structured, Intensive Therapy (When Needed)

Some injuries require a higher level of support.
In those cases, you may join a structured multidisciplinary program like BIRT at Convivio Health.

This program involves full daily therapy, focusing on:

• Thinking, memory, and attention training
  

• Fatigue management and pacing strategies
  

• Emotional and behavioral coping tools

• Real-world practice, such as mock work tasks or daily scheduling
  

You will have consistent communication with your medical provider and your L&I case manager so everyone understands your progress.

What to Expect at Convivio Health

A Team Working Together for You

At Convivio Health, your treatment happens under one roof.
Our Lynnwood clinic brings together experts in:

• Neuropsychology
  

• Speech and language therapy
  

• Physical and occupational therapy
  

• Vocational rehabilitation
  

• Occupational medicine
  

Every week, your care team meets to review your progress and make sure your plan is moving you forward. You’re part of that conversation too; your goals, symptoms, and job requirements shape every decision.

Real-World Recovery

We know healing isn’t just about feeling better; it is about getting back to work, family, and life.
That is why BIRT focuses on functional recovery, meaning the therapy tasks mirror what you actually need to do every day.

Examples include:

• Re-learning how to follow multiple instructions.
  

• Managing fatigue during a typical work shift.
  

• Planning and organizing a daily routine.
  

• Communicating effectively with coworkers or customers.
  
  

As you improve, therapy gradually increases in intensity until you’re ready to handle your normal routine again.

Returning to Work, Safely

Getting back to work too soon, or without support, can slow your progress. That is why we work closely with L&I, vocational counselors, and employers to create a gradual return-to-work plan tailored to your situation.

This might include:

• Reduced hours at first.
  

• Modified duties to lower cognitive strain.
  

• Scheduled breaks to manage fatigue.
  

• Clear communication between you, your care team, and your workplace.

The goal isn’t just to return, it is to stay successful once you are there.

Why Multidisciplinary Care Works

Recovering from a brain injury involves more than just the brain, it affects the body, emotions, and confidence too.
That is why programs like BIRP and BIRT combine multiple therapies instead of treating one symptom at a time.

Research from Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Mayo Clinic shows that patients recover faster when their care is integrated and consistent:

“Rehabilitation after a traumatic brain injury helps patients relearn basic and complex skills as they occur during recovery.”
(Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine)

In other words, you heal best when your physical, cognitive, and emotional recovery happen together, not in separate appointments that don’t communicate.

Your Rights and Support Through L&I

If your brain injury happened at work, you are entitled to care under Washington State Labor & Industries (L&I).
Here’s what that means:

• You can choose an L&I-approved provider like Convivio Health for your treatment.
  
  

• Your program may be covered under the BIRP authorization system.
  
  

• Your provider will send progress reports and coordinate directly with your claims manager.
  
  

If you are not sure how to start, Convivio Health can help verify your eligibility and guide you through the process of connecting to care.

Taking the First Step

If you are reading this because you or someone you love is struggling after a concussion or brain injury, even months later, know that recovery is possible.
Brain injury rehabilitation isn’t just medical treatment; it is a guided path back to the life you know.

At Convivio Health, our Brain Injury Rehabilitation Therapy (BIRT) program combines Washington’s trusted BIRP model with a compassionate, hands-on approach tailored to injured workers.

We help you rebuild skills, confidence, and independence, one step, one goal, one success at a time.