General Chiarelli (U.S. Army, ret), interviewed by Dr. James Chesnutt, Chair, TBI Initiative, OHSU Brain Institute.
What do the NFL, the military, litigation, amateur sports, airbags and the country's best medical research institutes have in common?
Answer: A focus on the brain, the least understood organ in the human body.
General Chiarelli (U.S. Army, ret) has advocated for research and treatment support for our country's soldiers during his entire career. Now as CEO of One Mind, he has broadened his focus in recognition of the need for collaborative, multi-disciplined medical research. Progress includes the development of real-time assessment tools in sports and accidents, precautions in the form of better helmets/equipment, on-field medical supervision and understanding of post-trauma symptoms.
One Mind is an independent, non-profit consortium supported by a broad international coalition of scientists, advocates, philanthropists, the pharmaceutical and health-care industries, and government dedicated to delivering accelerated new treatments and cures for all brain illness and injury. One Mind is led by CEO Pete Chiarelli, U.S. Army General (retired) who as Vice Chief of Staff of the Army led the DOD efforts on Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and suicide prevention. One Mind was founded by former Congressman Patrick Kennedy, who led the passage of the mental health parity bill, and mental health advocates Garen and Shari Staglin.
General Peter Chiarelli,General Peter Chiarelli, USA (Ret.) was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of ONE MIND in 2012. As the CEO of ONE MIND, Chiarelli continues his advocacy to benefit all affected by brain disease and injury through eliminating the stigma and fostering fundamental changes that will radically accelerate the development and implementation of improved diagnostics, treatments, and cures. As the 32nd Vice Chief of Staff in the Army, Chiarelli was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Army and its 1.1 million active and reserve soldiers. This included the oversight of many of the Army's R&D programs, and the implementation of recommendations related to its behavioral health programs, specifically its Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention Program. As commander of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, Chiarelli coordinated the actions of all four military services and was responsible for the day-to-day combat operations of more than 147,000 U.S. and Coalition troops. He was also the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
Dr. Jim Chesnutt is the Medical Director of OHSU Sports Medicine Program and OHSU Concussion Program. He serves as Co-Director of the Oregon Concussion Awareness and Management Program (OCAMP), a member of the Oregon Governor's Task Force on Traumatic Brain Injury and as a member of the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) Medical Aspects of Sports Committee that governs Oregon high school sports. Dr Chesnutt is involved in concussion research, education and community outreach programs for concussion and sports injury awareness and prevention. He was instrumental in helping to pass one of the first concussion state laws in the country in 2009 and a recent update in 2013.
