Objectives: (1) Use the Colorado TBI Surveillance System to inform people about the information on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and referral (I & R) system and evaluate this marketing. (2) Evaluate the I & R system's effectiveness. (3) Evaluate the usefulness of Brain Injury Association of Colorado Web site, another way to learn about TBI information and services. Hypotheses: (1) Colorado's direct marketing of the I & R phone number to persons with TBI will result in an increase of the number of persons who contact the I & R phone number and who receive information and services. (2) Callers to the I & R number will find the information useful. (3) The target audience for the Web site will find it easy to use and useful. Participants: (1) Persons hospitalized with TBI in 2000 or 2001, identified from the TBI Surveillance System. (2) Callers to the I & R number. (3) Convenience sample of persons with TBI. Partners: CO Department of Public Health and Environment, Brain Injury Association of Colorado, CO Department of Human Services, and CO State University. Methods: (1) In 2002 or 2003, the state health department mailed persons with TBI or their parents a letter with the 1-800 number for I & R and the Web site. Results: (1) 2.5%-5% of the letter recipients called. (2) 10% increase in calls to the I & R number due to the letter. (3) Rural residents were 4 times as likely to call because of the letter as urbanites. (4) Strain on I & R system to handle volume of calls and depth of need. (5) Services not always available in needed locations. Conclusions: (1) How to reach persons with milder or older TBI or families with children with TBI? (2) How can public health initiate service linkage in an active and sustainable way, not a passive letter requiring families or individuals to initiate the link?

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