Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers

The SCIMS program is designed to provide research-based knowledge to support a multidisciplinary system of rehabilitation care for people with spinal cord injury (SCI). For purposes of this program, SCI is defined as a clinically discernible degree of neurologic impairment of the spinal cord. SCIMS Centers must conduct site-specific and collaborative research. SCIMS Centers must also collect and contribute data to the SCIMS longitudinal database. SCIMS Centers will be funded at varying amounts up to the maximum award based on the numbers of database participants eligible for follow-up in the SCIMS longitudinal database. Existing centers with significantly larger numbers of database participants will receive higher funding within the specified range, as determined by NIDILRR after the applicants are selected for funding. The grant will have a 60-month project period, with five 12-month budget periods.