PROVIDENCE – Hasbro Children’s Hospital has been designated the Rhode Island site for a nationwide initiative to address traumatic brain injury, the No. 1 cause of death and disability for children and young adults in the U.S.

The project, expected to cost $125 million and covering every state plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, is based on the National Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Plan developed by more than 60 top pediatric neurologists at a meeting in New York last January.

The goal is to develop a “seamless, standardized, evidence-based system of care” that is accessible to all youngsters regardless of where they live, with regional and national centers of excellence in seven categories of care: prevention, acute care, rehabilitation, adult transition, rural/telehealth, mild traumatic brain injury, and the “virtual center,” focusing on electronic medical records, a family registry and other health care IT tools.

As the Rhode Island lead center, Hasbro will be responsible for developing the master plan of care for children/young adults with brain injuries for the entire state. It is also the “virtual center” site for the Northeast. •