SOHP Dean Lewis Presents on Culture and Brain Injury Care at BIAC Conference

By Office of the President | Apr 8, 2025

Allen N. Lewis, Ph.D., CRC, Dean of the School of Health Professions, joined national leaders at the Brain Injury Alliance of Connecticut (BIAC) Conference, held at Quinnipiac University’s School of Medicine in collaboration with Yale New Haven Health.

Dean Lewis delivered a compelling presentation, “Tools for Providing Culturally Efficacious Services to Individuals with Brain Injury,” highlighting the critical importance of culturally responsive care in rehabilitation and how greater cultural awareness among providers can directly improve patient outcomes.

Whether caused by accidents, strokes, falls, or underlying medical conditions, no two brain injuries are alike, and each one presents a unique set of physical and cognitive challenges. In addressing this complexity, Dean Lewis underscored two essential principles for providing equitable and effective care:

• Cultural Humility – Recognizing that healthcare providers are not experts in others’ lived experiences and must approach each interaction with openness, respect, and a willingness to learn.
• Cultural Efficacy – Applying culturally informed knowledge in ways personalized to each patient’s unique background and needs.

To advance these principles, Dean Lewis developed two influential frameworks, both of which apply to serving patients in a culturally sensitive manner, giving BIAC conference practitioners a chance to explore how these tools could help brain injury survivors rebuild their lives.

• The Lewis Disability Disparities Model pinpoints systemic gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and long-term support—especially in underserved communities.
• The Lewis Three-Dimensional Model Tool helps providers move beyond clinical facts to consider a patient’s recovery goals, cultural identity, and developmental stage, ultimately fostering more effective and personalized care planning.

By championing cultural competence in brain injury care, Dean Lewis is advancing more inclusive, patient-centered approaches—equipping providers to close treatment gaps and enhance outcomes for individuals across diverse communities.

Dr. Lewis has published extensively on disability disparities and culturally competent care, including Disability Disparities: A Beginning Model, published in Disability and Rehabilitation in 2009, and A Three-dimensional Model for Multicultural Rehabilitation Counseling, featured in the 2009 textbook Race, Culture, and Disability: Rehabilitation Science and Practice by Balczar, Balczar, Taylor-Ritzler, & Keys. He also leads the ongoing SOHP Dean’s Lecture Series, available on the School of Health Professions website, including Disability 101 for Healthcare Providers.

Tags: Conference