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Mission & objective

In partnership with the clinical services provided through VAMC and VCU’s Medical Center and affiliated programs, VCU-CERSE represents an unparalleled resource to bridge the health disparities that exist among America's warriors and heroes, adults and children with disabilities. The mission is to foster interdisciplinary rehabilitation research across the lifespan through careful coordination and consolidation of VAMC’s and VCU’s significant scientific and educational capacities in the rehabilitation arena. The program stresses comprehensive medical rehabilitation for individuals with traumatic brain injury, stroke, musculoskeletal injury, spinal cord injury, and neurological illness. By establishing an enduring research infrastructure, VAMC/CERSE will provide the foundation for Richmond to become one of the nation’s only comprehensive Center’s of Excellence for the total healthcare of America's warriors and heroes, adults and children with disabilities – from clinical care to basic research sciences.

Mission

The mission is to become the mid-Atlantic flagship center for research, education and clinical care for America's warriors and heroes, adults and children with disabilities, while at the same time become the academic engine for the rehabilitative specialists at VCU (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), Rehabilitation Counseling, Biomedical Engineering, health and human performance, and vocational specialists).

Objective

The Center for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering will unify all of the VCU/VAMC rehabilitation research resources, enhance funding, substantially increase productivity, and establish a national reputation as “The Comprehensive Center For The Total Healthcare For America's Warriors And Heroes, Children And Adults With Disabilities – From Clinical Care To Basic Research Sciences”.

The overriding aims are to:

1. Improve the health, functional ability, and quality of life of persons who experience a disability through education, research, physical medicine and rehabilitation services, clinical care, and leadership development;
2. Create interdisciplinary collaboration synergy within the Hunter Holmes Medical Center, VCU, the Department of Rehabilitative Services; and other community partners;
3. Consolidate these diverse activities under a single umbrella;
4. Foster coordinated alliances with the greater Commonwealth of Virginia community and throughout the mid-Atlantic; and
5. Provide world class, state of the art, physical medicine and rehabilitation services addressing the needs of America's warriors and heroes, children and adults with disabilities, and their families.