Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Program

ABI Program Overview

What Is the ABI Program?

Coastline's ABI Program is a demanding one-year educational program designed to provide structured cognitive retraining for adults who have sustained a brain injury due to traumatic (such as a motor vehicle accident or fall) or non-traumatic (such as a non-age-related stroke, brain tumor or infection) injuries.

Each year, according to the Brain Injury Association, more than 700,000 Americans sustain brain damage from traumatic head injuries alone. Most are between the ages of 15 and 30—young, active, involved individuals, suddenly and unexpectedly disabled.

In many cases, impaired attention and concentration, memory disturbances, language disabilities, and/or loss of reasoning skills prevent these individuals from resuming even minimal pre-accident activities. Awareness of limitations and shattered career and personal goals lead to frustration and depression, further contributing to the individual's unemployment, isolation and alienation from friends, family and community.

Coastline's ABI Program has developed a unique curriculum to address these special needs. The ABI Program emphasizes cognitive retraining, socialization, and career development to promote individual responsibility and independence. Students in the program learn strategies to compensate for deficits in:

Verbal skills
Memory
Figural skills
Critical thinking
Attention
Organization

With a strong focus on emotional adjustment to brain injury and appropriate psycho-social skills, the program teaches students to apply these skills to practical, real-life home and work environments.

Coastline's ABI Program also offers the following program support services:

Neuroeducational Assessment
Counseling for students and their families
"Future Planning Development" (whether for employment, training, or volunteering).

Classes meet Monday through Thursday, four hours per day. The school year includes two 16-week semesters and a six- to eight-week summer session. Classes are held at Coastline's Costa Mesa Center, 2990 Mesa Verde Dr. East, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

What Makes the ABI Program Unique?

Staffed by a team of credentialed special education instructors, assisted by a neuropsychologist, instructional associates, aides, interns and volunteers, the ABI Program's goal is to provide structured cognitive retraining, allowing students to maximize their abilities, regain their independence, and achieve academic and vocational goals. A Student Educational Contract, developed in a student/family/team conference, serves as a guide for assisting students in achieving their individual goals. With an average student-to-staff ratio of seven-to-one, students are ensured individualized attention. Coastline's ABI Program was named 1998 Exemplary Program by the Academic Senate of the California Community Colleges, and 1990 Outstanding Program by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)/National Organization on Disability and featured in Disability Support Practices in Community Colleges: Selected Examples published by AACC in 1993.

Coastline was the first community college in the nation to offer cognitive retraining to brain-injured adults. Its program has long served as a model for other colleges. With support from a grant by the U.S. Department of Education's prestigious Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education, Coastline developed an assessment and curriculum package, C₆A₃BI (Coastline Community College Comprehensive Cognitive-Retraining Curriculum for Adults and Adolescents with Acquired Brain Injury) that has been sold to organizations and educational institutions across North America.

Eligibility and Fees

Who Is Eligible for the ABI Program?

Applicants to the program must be goal-oriented and committed to achieving maximum independence. As program space is limited, priority consideration is given to those applicants deemed by the Admissions Committee to have the greatest potential for success within the ABI Program. To be eligible for enrollment consideration, an applicant must meet all of the following requirements:

Be a high school graduate or over 18 years of age.
Have sustained a brain injury at or after the age of 13.
Possess sufficient self-help skills for control of basic bodily functions.
Be medically stable.
Provide own transportation to and from classes.
Have sufficient receptive and expressive communication skills to benefit from the rigorous educational program.
Be free of blatant psychosis and/or behavioral problems which require physical restraining or which would adversely affect progress in the program.
Have been free of dependency and problems associated with the use of non-prescribed drugs (including alcohol) for a minimum of six months at the time of application to the program, and remain dependency-free throughout enrollment.
Have a willingness to participate fully in the program and Student Educational Contract.
Be ready to commit to full-time participation in an individually prescribed educational program.
Be willing and able to adhere to all college rules and regulations.

What Is the Cost of the ABI Program?

California residents pay the standard community college enrollment fee (see Fees and Expenses); out-of-state students are subject to non-California resident policies and tuition (see also Residence Requirements). Nominal fees for materials and supplies may be required.

NOTE: Department of Rehabilitation (D.R.) consumers may have fees paid by D.R. Students receiving SSI and other low-income students are eligible for grants from the Board of Governors.

What Forms Do I Need in Order to Apply to the Program?

ABI Application
ABI Cover Letter
Record Release Form (Complete, sign, and send to medical facility, doctor, or therapist.)
Research Release
Photo ID
Release Statement (allows Coastline to release information to specified entities)

Calendar of Application Dates

Please refer to the enclosed calendar of application dates to determine the date by which your application and records must be received by our office. Upon receipt of the completed application and requested medical records (no microfiche), we will contact you to schedule a testing appointment. Following the test you will have an interview with a member of our staff and your significant other. Then we will administer some group testing to assist us in assessing your specific needs.

Please be advised that submitting an application, attending an interview, and going through the pre-admission evaluation does not guarantee acceptance into the ABI Program. The Admissions Committee will make the final decision on your application based on all available information and on the appropriateness of the ABI Program to meet your needs.

All applicants who are accepted for enrollment in the ABI Program are required to attend an orientation for new students prior to the start of regular classes. The Orientation class is normally scheduled for a Saturday morning (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.), and a family member or close friend is required to attend along with the applicant.

Additional ABI Program Information

ABI Program Tours

Tours of the ABI Program typically are scheduled for Tuesday mornings at 10:30 a.m., but other arrangements can be made upon request. The tour provides an overview of the program and an opportunity to observe classroom interaction. Tours must be scheduled in advance. To schedule a tour, please call (714) 241-6214 and speak with Erica Valle.

Student Testimonials

Read touching stories from Coastline's ABI students here:

Brain Injury Links

Additional College Information

Policies and Regulations (PDF)
Student Services (including admissions, registration, counseling, financial aid, etc.)