Alabama, Home to 450K Veterans, Opens Third Center for Traumatic Brain Injury

Alabama has opened a third center to treat veterans and other military personnel with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services opened the center Aug. 21 at the Enterprise Civic Center, offering information and referrals, screenings, education, peer mentorship, clinical evaluation and other care.

TBI occurs when a sudden blow to the head causes damage to the brain. It varies in severity and creates myriad symptoms including headaches, nausea, dizziness and vomiting, as well as cognitive difficulties and emotional instability.

Alabama is home to around 450,000 veterans, many of whom reside in the Enterprise area in the southeastern portion of the state. While there are no official figures tracking the number of Alabama veterans with TBI, between 2001 and 2025, roughly 556,502 veterans screened positive for TBI or a TBI-related diagnosis in VA medical records, or filed claims for VA disability compensation.

The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services has estimated that some 102,000 total residents live with a brain injury. However, this figure included non-veterans.

“We’re real excited that the city of Enterprise welcomed us with open arms,” Alabama TBI Director April Turner told WHDN on Tuesday. “The veterans there and the military first responder coalition really wanted us there as well.”

The Enterprise center is open now but will not offer its full suite of services until the end of September, Turner said.

“We are proud to welcome the TBI Centers of Alabama to Enterprise and honored that our community was selected to be one of the locations for this important statewide initiative,” Enterprise Mayor William Cooper said in a statement.

‘Revolving Door’ of VA Care

At a national level, lawmakers have worked to improve the lives of people living with TBI.

In July, the House of Representatives authorized the creation of the so-called Blast Overpressure Task Force in its annual defense policy bill that will research TBI and other related ailments.

However, some efforts have been hindered by eliminated tens of millions of dollars in funding. Congress decreased spending on TBI research and treatment, from $175 million in Fiscal Year 2024, to $40.5 million in FY26.

The new Enterprise center follows the creation of two other centers in Alabama—one in Mobile, the other in Opelika. The state has planned additional centers in Birmingham and Huntsville to open later this year.

Turner said the goal of the center is to help people with TBI return to work. A TBI services navigator will staff the center with a veteran peer mentor and a master’s-level counselor.

“It just compliments their services they get through VA care. We don’t build VA care, it’s free,” she said. “They can come through our door and help fill in those gaps, they can take it back to their provider with another piece to stop that revolving door.”