What Resource Facilitators Do

Resource Facilitation is a relationship-based process that helps individuals with brain injury, and often their families, better understand the effects of brain injury, identify needs, reduce barriers, and connect to the supports that help them move forward.

At BIA-NE, Resource Facilitators help bridge the gap between hospital, home, school, work, community services, and everyday life. For many survivors and families, support needs do not end after discharge from the hospital or completion of rehabilitation. In many cases, that is when the real problem-solving begins.

Resource Facilitators provide education, support, referral, follow-up, and practical problem-solving. They help clients understand how brain injury may be affecting daily life, explore options, build on strengths, and connect to services that support stability and independence.

This work also helps identify service gaps and barriers in Nebraska communities. When we notice patterns, we are better able to advocate for systems change, improve access, and help keep people connected to their communities instead of falling through the cracks.

Resource Facilitators may support clients with goals related to:

• understanding brain injury and its effects

• returning to school or work

• finding community-based services

• meeting basic needs, such as housing, transportation, or benefits

• strengthening support systems

• building self-advocacy skills

• navigating long-term recovery and adjustment

Core Responsibilities

As an RF at BIA-NE, you are responsible for:

• building trusting, professional relationships with clients & families

• helping clients identify priorities, goals, barriers, & next steps

• providing brain injury education in clear, practical language

• offering referrals & resource options based on the client's needs, location, preferences, & abilities

• supporting self-advocacy, choice, and informed decision-making

• communicating with providers, family members, & other supports when appropriate & with permission

• following up to see whether referrals were helpful & whether new needs have come up

• documenting services accurately, clearly, & on time

• recognizing barriers in services & systems, & sharing concerns with leadership when patterns emerge

Key Skills & Qualifications

Strong RFs bring a mix of knowledge, people skills, flexibility, and common sense.

Helpful qualifications include:

• a bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or a related human services field; a master's degree is preferred

• at least two years of direct human service experience working with people with disabilities or other complex support needs

• experience working with individuals with brain injury, preferred

• knowledge of Nebraska's disability, social service, and medical systems

• strong verbal, written, & interpersonal communication skills

• comfort with technology and the ability to learn new systems quickly

• strong organization skills and the ability to balance client needs with documentation requirements

• the ability to work both independently and collaboratively

• flexibility in scheduling to meet client and organizational needs

• the ability to travel independently, or with self-directed accommodations

• the ability to work remotely with reasonable accommodations

• a solutions-oriented mindset, a team-first attitude, and, yes, ideally a collegial sense of humor

We also value team members who are curious, calm under pressure, respectful, and able to problem-solve without making things more complicated than they need to be.

How We Approach The Work

At BIA-NE, Resource Facilitation is:

• person-centered

• trauma-informed

• culturally responsive

• strengths-based

• practical

• respectful

• grounded in client choice

We start by building rapport and listening carefully. We respond in a professional, nonjudgmental, and culturally appropriate way. We focus on what matters most to the client, not what we think should matter most.

We also stay mindful of stamina, memory, communication, and other brain injury-related barriers. A client may need extra time, repetition, breaks, written follow-up, or a simpler plan. Never assume someone can easily make calls, use the internet, remember instructions, or follow through without support. Check for understanding. Ask them to repeat back the plan if needed.

When offering referrals, provide accurate information and, when possible, more than one option so the client can make an informed choice. Our role is to support decision-making, not to make decisions for the client.

When appropriate, and with permission, RFs may communicate directly with providers, agencies, family members, or other supports. Sometimes the most helpful next step is offering to stay on the line for a conference call, helping draft questions, or breaking a task into smaller pieces.

We also recognize that healing and adjustment are not linear. Clients may need support immediately after injury, years later, or somewhere in between. No one is turned away simply because “too much time has passed.” Brain injury is often lifelong, and support may be needed at different points across the lifespan.

At BIA-NE, we want RFs to be warm, clear, practical, and steady. We are here to help people move forward, not overwhelm them with jargon, pressure them into services, or make promises we cannot keep.

What An RF Is - & Is Not

Resource Facilitators play an important role, but they are not meant to be everything to everyone.

An RF is a guide, a connector, a problem-solver, an educator, and a consistent point of support.

An RF is not:

• a therapist

• a crisis counselor

• a support group

• a sponsor

• a mentor

• a case aide for every task

• a chauffeur

• a personal assistant

• a family mediator

• a legal advisor

• a medical provider

• the client’s entire support system

• available 24/7!!!!!!!

RFs build trust and provide support, but they do not replace clinical care, emergency services, treatment providers, natural supports, or the client’s own decision-making.

Our role is to help clients understand their options, reduce barriers, build skills, connect to resources, and move forward. We want to support independence and stability, not create dependence on BIA-NE or on one staff member.

Shared Responsibility

Resource Facilitation works best when it is a shared process. The RF brings information, problem-solving, encouragement, & support. The client brings their own experience, goals, choices, and knowledge of what is most important to them. Together, we identify next steps and work toward realistic goals. 

Some clients may be ready to take action right away. Others may need more time, support, repetition, or encouragement. Our role is not to push people faster than they are ready to move. Our role is to meet them where they are, support progress, and keep the door open. 

Guiding Principles

As an RF, you should:

• use active listening to identify the client’s priority needs

• ask open-ended questions to understand the full picture

• stay neutral and avoid jumping to conclusions based on one side of a story

• provide clear, accurate information without misleading, pressuring, or steering the client

• encourage self-determination and self-advocacy

• be mindful of fatigue, overwhelm, and cognitive load

• follow through when follow-up is appropriate

• leave the door open, even when a client is not ready to act

Our advocacy approach is educational, not confrontational. We want clients and families to better understand their options, speak up for themselves when possible, and get their needs met in a way that builds confidence, not dependence.

Ethical Standards

BIA-NE’s ethical standards are grounded in widely accepted case management and Resource Facilitation practices. In plain language, this means we do the work in a way that is honest, respectful, professional, and centered on the client.

RFs are expected to:

• respect each client’s dignity, privacy, values, and right to make decisions

• protect confidential information, and share it only with consent or when legally required

• stay within the scope of their role and training

• provide accurate information and truthful documentation

• avoid conflicts of interest and personal gain

• treat all clients fairly, without discrimination

• seek supervision when facing challenging situations or ethical concerns

• continue learning and improving their practice over time

Any staff member who holds a professional license or certification is responsible for maintaining that credential and notifying the Director of Operations of any change in status.

Ethical Standards

Boundaries protect the client, the RF, and the work.

Good boundaries help keep the focus on the client’s needs, reduce role confusion, support client autonomy, and prevent burnout. They also protect against misunderstandings, dependency, favoritism, and poor decision-making.

As an RF, you should:

• keep relationships professional

• clearly explain your role and the limits of your role

• avoid dual relationships or personal involvement with clients or their families

• avoid making promises you cannot keep

• respect confidentiality

• stay within your scope of practice

• set clear expectations around availability and communication

• show empathy without becoming emotionally over-involved

• seek support when a case starts to feel too personal or too heavy

You are here to support, educate, problem-solve, and connect. You are not a therapist, crisis counselor, chauffeur, savior, or 24/7 on-call service.

That does not make the role less caring. It makes the role sustainable, ethical, and effective..

Working With Trauma

Many people with brain injury have experienced trauma, including the trauma of the injury itself, hospitalization, loss of function, loss of work, financial stress, familiy strain, and major life disruption.

Because of that, RFs should approach clients with the understanding that traditional service systems can sometimes overwhelm, trigger, or unintentionally re-traumatize people.

A trauma-informed approach means:

• recognizing the impact of trauma on behavior, memory, communication, and trust

• avoiding shame, blame, and power struggles

• offering choice whenever possible

• explaining what to expect

• moving at a pace the client can tolerate

• focusing on safety, respect, and predictability

RFs do not provide trauma treatment. Our role is to work in a trauma-informed way and connect clients to appropriate services when trauma-specific treatment is needed.

Person-Centered Planning

Person-centered planning means the client is at the center of the work. 

We do not build plans for people without them. We build plans with them.

That means:

• listening first

• honoring the client's goals, values, and preferences

• including trusted supports when the client wants them involved

• focusing on real-life outcomes that matter to the person

• helping the client speak for themselves whenever possible

Our job is to create a safe, respectful space where people can identify what they want, what is getting in the way, and what support may help.

Working With Co-Occurring Brain Injury & Substance Use

Some clients will be living with both brain injury and substance use concerns. In these situations, RFs should approach the work with honesty, patience, and realistic expectations.

When appropriate:

• screen for possible brain injury history if it has not already been identified

• provide education about how brain injury may affect daily life, decision-making, and recovery

• explain that substance use can complicate healing, increase risk, and make follow-through harder

• encourage treatment when the person is open to it

• coordinate with treatment providers when the client has signed a Release of Information

• help the client create a simple, realistic follow-up plan for after treatment or discharge

If the client is not interested in treatment, do not argue, shame, or lecture. Provide education as appropriate, be honest about concerns, use your time wisely, and leave the door open. 

A person may not be ready today. That does not mean they will never be ready.

Where appropriate, and with proper consent, it may also help to identify a reliable outside contact in case the client loses access to their phone or becomes difficult to reach.

What Success Looks Like

Success in Resource Facilitation does not mean solving every problem or making everything better overnight. 

Success may look like a client: 

• understanding their brain injury for the first time

• attending an appointment

• completing a benefits application

• asking for help

• finding stable housing or transportation

• returning to work or school

• learning to advocate for themselves

• feeling less alone and more hopeful

• reconnecting after months of no contact and being ready to try again

Sometimes the biggest success is helping someone take the next right step.

Key RF Practice Policies

Duty To Warn & Mandatory Reporting

If an RF has reason to believe that a vulnerable adult or child has been abused, neglected, or exploited, the RF must make a report by calling the Nebraska Child & Adult Abuse & Neglect Hotline at 800-652-1999 or by contacting local law enforcement.

RFs are legally and ethically required to report suspected abuse or neglect.

Frequent Caller Guidance

Some individuals may call often, call for long periods of time, or begin using the RF relationship in place of mental health or crisis support.

RFs are here to provide brain injury education, problem-solving, support, and referrals. RFs are not a substitute for counselors, therapists, psychologists, or crisis staff.

A caller may be considered a frequent caller when there is a pattern of daily, weekly, or especially lengthy calls that go beyond the purpose of Resource Facilitation.

In these situations:

• consult with the RF Team Lead or DOO

• set kind, clear limits

• keep calls focused and purposeful

• redirect to appropriate mental health or crisis resources when needed

• shorten calls when repeated contact is no longer productive

As a general guideline, once education, support, and multiple referral attempts have already been provided, calls may need to be limited to around 10 minutes.

If a caller appears to be at risk of suicide, self-harm, or violence, treat the situation as urgent. If possible, stay on the line and help connect the caller to 988, local crisis services, or emergency responders. If there is imminent risk and the caller disconnects, contact local law enforcement for a welfare check

Medical Records

BIA-NE does not routinely obtain or maintain medical records for clients.

If medical information is necessary to support the client, the client must sign an Authorization for Release of Information (ROI), and the RF should communicate directly with the identified provider or agency as needed.

Release forms should be valid for no more than one year, and clients should be informed that they may revoke authorization at any time.

Accessibility

Brain injury can create hidden barriers to accessing services, including barriers related to memory, communication, attention, stamina, sensory needs, transportation, technology, and language.

BIA-NE works to reduce those barriers and provide access to services in ways that are as usable and inclusive as possible.

This may include:

• language access for clients who speak languages other than English

• ASL interpreters or other communication supports

• TTY/TDD or other accommodations for people with hearing impairments

• physical access for clients with mobility needs

• flexible communication methods, including phone, email, written follow-up, or in-person support when available

RFs should also think broadly about accessibility. Just because a resource exists does not mean it is truly accessible to the client in front of you.

Closing Thought