Jodi House is a nonprofit organization that supports brain injury survivors and their caretakers. Staff is available by email, phone or in person.
Jodi House Program is composed of three main elements: community integration, supported living services, and vocational supported services. Jodi House Program services focus on survivors' interests and skills rather than their disabilities. Members, volunteers, and staff work collaboratively to make Jodi House a safe, nurturing community of support. Program activities include music, art, adaptive yoga, computer lab, Spanish, support groups, educational opportunities and community outings. Jodi House serves North County through its weekly Solvang support group. Our Resource and Referral Program provides a "life-line" of information for families, friends, caregivers, and survivors that are not Jodi House Members.
03/01/2026
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month! Every March, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) leads the nation in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month. This year, BIAA is continuing to promote the “My Brain Injury Journey” Campaign, which focuses not only on illustrating how unique each survivor and recovery story is, but also on the long-term effects brain injury can have.
In the spirit of this year’s campaign, Jodi House members can join us at Jodi House on March 10th at 1 PM for our “Writing Your Story” Workshop to learn how sharing your brain injury journey can inspire hope, raise awareness, and highlight the needs of survivors.
Thank you for joining us in raising awareness about brain injury!
Happy Birthday to Jodi Wustman, our namesake and the reason for Jodi House’s formation. Thanks to Jodi, the Wustman family, and their supporters, thousands of brain injury survivors in the Santa Barbara community and beyond have found a community and a strong foundation of support.
Jodi’s journey continues to influence survivors every day, and we are eternally grateful for her impact on the world. Happy Birthday, Jodi! 🎂❤️
Thank you so much for visiting Jodi House yesterday! 🐶🥰
02/24/2026
A team effort making Kofta in today’s Life Skills Class👨🍳🍚🧅
02/16/2026
Reminder that Jodi House will be closed on Monday for Presidents’ Day 🇺🇸Services will resume Tuesday, February 17. Have a great and relaxing weekend!
02/13/2026
Just one of the many incredible talents we saw in the 2026 “Talentine’s Day” Talent Show today🎶Thank you to everyone who joined us as performers and audience members, and Happy Talentine’s Day❤️💖
02/12/2026
Please join us next Wednesday, 2/18 at 12 PM to learn about reflex integration after brain injury from practitioner, Amy Lukos! Everyone is welcome, and no pre-registration is required☺️
02/05/2026
Our annual “Talentine’s Day” Talent Show is one week away‼️email info@jodihouse.org for the Zoom link to join us as a performer or audience member. We can’t wait to see your talents🎤🎉
02/03/2026
Our member Michael with his new mountain biking helmet🚵Thank you so much to for this incredible donation so Michael can get back to safely doing something that brings him so much joy☀️🌄
01/21/2026
Please join us via Zoom next Wednesday, 1/28 at 12 PM to learn about nutrition for brain health from registered dietitian, Erin Dougherty! Everyone is welcome, and no pre-registration is required😊
12/31/2025
Some 2025 highlights❤️We can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store!
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to Jodi House Brain Injury Support Center:
Jodi House began as a family’s attempt to help their daughter cope with the life-changing effects of her traumatic brain injury. After their daughter, Jodi, was struck by a drunk driver, Donna and Jerry Wustman had no idea where to turn. Jodi was talented, warm and spirited. She was in college studying art. But after the accident, everything was different. Now what? What resources exist for a twenty-year-old girl who was suddenly, tragically, rendered permanently disabled by something she had no control over?
Her parents looked for answers to these questions and found nothing. But they didn’t give up. In fact, they were inspired by this gap in services to create a place for people like Jodi. So Donna and Jerry, along with their dear friend Louise Fields, started Jodi House. In 1982, they began connecting with other brain injury survivors in the Santa Barbara community. 13 years later, after years of meeting in public spaces and lots of cookie sales, they were able to get a house on Veronica Springs Road that became a hub of support for the members of Jodi House. Then, in 2010, a generous donation allowed Jodi House to move to its current location in downtown Santa Barbara. Here, in our warm, beautiful Victorian house, our members have a place to continue their recoveries, to support one another, and to feel understood.
Brain injuries look different for everyone: for some, Jodi House is a place of transition in which members prepare to reintegrate into the larger community, and for others, Jodi House is their community. Either way, our programs are built to empower our members to the greatest extent possible:
Our Day Program consists of classes that aim to improve cognitive, physical and social functioning after brain injury. This program also helps connect our members to community resources through monthly presentations and field trips. From Memory Skills and Brain Workout to Posture & Stability and Restorative Yoga, our classes can help members in many of the areas a brain injury can impact.
Our Case Management Services allow our members to work on their individualized goals in a one-on-one setting. Securing housing, finding employment, connecting with medical providers, applying for benefits, and learning about our community’s resources can be overwhelming, especially when someone is navigating their brain injury at the same time. Case Management is a great way to receive some extra support as members work toward achieving their goals.
Our Immersion Services Program is a vocational support service we provide in conjunction with the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR). Sometimes, people want to work but aren’t able to return to the same job they had before their brain injury. For brain injury survivors who might need assistance in exploring employment paths, building the skills they need to return to the workplace, and making practical steps toward job readiness like preparing their resume, this DOR funded program is available.
Our Counseling Services can help our members address the emotional and mental components of brain injury. For example, accepting that you have a brain injury, adjusting to a new normal, working through the trauma of an injury, navigating relationship changes, and learning how to cope with everyday stressors can all be extremely difficult to do. Our in-house counselor can provide you with the emotional support and tools you need to better your mental health and overall well-being.
Our Resource and Referral Program provides a "life-line" of information for families, friends, caregivers, and survivors that may or may not be Jodi House members. Our staff is well-versed in the wide range of resources available in Santa Barbara County, and we also do our best to find appropriate resources for people who are not located in the area. Staff is available by email, phone or in person.
Jodi House and its programs have grown a lot over the years, but our commitment to supporting our community’s brain injury survivors has remained constant. This is a special organization, and the only one of its kind. The Wustman family knew that life after Jodi’s brain injury wouldn’t be the same. But they worked hard to ensure that it would still be good. Jodi House empowers brain injury survivors to not merely survive, but to thrive.
