A Handbook for People with Disabilities – Becoming a Tenant and Staying Housed
This book was developed to assist people with disabilities, their families, case managers and advocates with moving to supportive or independent housing within the community.
Use
this link to download a copy of My Own Front Door –
MS-Word
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Goodwill Industries Northern New England was established in
1933 in Portland, Maine by Reverend Frederick Olsen. Today, Goodwill
Industries NNE continues to help others overcome barriers to achieve
social and economic independence. For a full list of programs
Goodwill offers, please visit their website.
Through support, education and advocacy,
the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine is dedicated to
building better lives for the 1 in 4 Mainers who are affected by mental
illness. For a full list of programs, visit
the NAMI-Maine website
Maine Parent
Federation (MPF), in existence since 1984, is a private non-profit
organization. MPF offers information, referral, one on one telephone
support and training to parents of children with disabilities or special
health care needs and the professionals who work with these families.
Services are offered at no cost parents and are available
statewide. Visit the
MPF website
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If you have a vision problem that prevents you from
carrying out the activities of daily living, getting an education or a
job, there is help. The Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired
(DBVI) can provide many services to persons with severe visual
impairments. Visit the DBVI
website.
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The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) is a
Department of Labor program that helps people who have disabilities. DVR
offers Career Exploration Workshops, soft skills training and education
necessary for people with disabilities to gain, regain or retain
employment. Visit the DVR
website
If you are an American Indian with a
disability living near a Federal reservation in Maine and your disability
keeps you for getting or keeping a job, the Wabanaki Vocational
Rehabilitation program helps individuals who want to return to work, find
employment or maintain employment. Visit the Wabanaki
website.
The purpose of the Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC) is to ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families participate in the design of, and have access to needed community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity, integration and inclusion in all facets of family and community life. Visit the Maine DDC website.
The Brain Injury
Association of America – Maine chapter (BIAA) works to increase
awareness of brain injury, provide information, resources and support for
individuals who have sustained brain injuries and their families, and
advocate for prevention and improved funding and services across the state
of Maine. Visit the BIAA-Maine
website.
Alpha
One empowers individuals with disabilities to take charge of choices and
act of their own behalf to achieve their goals for independence. Alpha One
advocates for consumer programs and services, as well as change within
society throughout the state of Maine. Visit the Alpha One
website.
Catholic
Charities of Maine (CCME) bring help and hope to Maine’s most vulnerable
men, women and children regardless of faiths. Catholic Charities of Maine
believes that by sharing their Respect, Integrity, Compassion,
Hospitality, Excellence and Stewardship – we create more enriching and
fulfilling lives for us all. Visit the Catholic Charities of
Maine website.
The
Maine Department of Education’s Maine CITE program is designed to help
to make assistive and universally designed technology more available to
Maine citizens of all ages who may need them. Visit
the Maine CITE website.
Disability
Rights Maine (DRM) is Maine’s protection and advocacy agency for people
with disabilities. DRM provides individuals with information about their
rights and service system, and represents individuals at meetings and
hearings by providing legal services to individuals and groups. Visit
the DRM website.
Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
(LTCOP) is a non-profit agency whose mission is to advocate for quality of
life and care for long-term care consumers. Their services are free and
confidential. Federal law and state law authorize our staff to investigate
complaints made by or on behalf of long-term care consumers and to assist
consumers in exercising their rights that are guaranteed by law. Visit the Maine LTCOP
website.
Work Incentives are special rules
that apply when a Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipient returns to work. Benefits
Counseling Services help navigate this process. Visit
the Maine Medical Center Benefits Counseling Center website.
The Office on Aging and Disability (OADS) support older
and disabled adults by providing Adult Protective, Brain Injury, Other
Related Conditions, Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Long Term
Care, and Aging and Community services to the people of Maine. Visit the Maine OADS
website.
The Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)
coordinates the State of Maine’s programs of emergency preparedness,
response and recovery. Visit the MEMA website.
Having an affordable, safe and accessible home is often a
barrier to employment. The Maine State Housing Authority (MSHA) can help
with this. They offer subsidized housing, energy assistance, mortgage help
and home buyers classes. Visit the Maine State
Housing Authority website.
Visit the Social Security
Administration website
Mission: NCIL advances independent living and the rights of people with disabilities.
Vision: NCIL envisions a world in which people with disabilities are valued equally and participate fully.
The National Council on Independent Living is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands of organizations and individuals including: individuals with disabilities, Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs), and other organizations that advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities throughout the United States.
An outcome of the national disability rights and Independent Living Movements, NCIL was founded to embody the values of disability culture and Independent Living philosophy, which creates a new social paradigm and emphasizes that people with disabilities are the best experts on their own needs, that they have crucial and valuable perspective to contribute to society, and are deserving of equal opportunity to decide how to live, work, and take part in their communities.
For more information, visit: https://ncil.org.
Speaking Up for Us (SUFU) is run by and for adults (maybe like you) who live with developmental disabilities. SUFU shows us how to have more control of our lives, and use our voicces to “Speak Up” for issues that are important to us and all people with disabilities. And … we do have FUN!
For more information, visit: http://sufumaine.org.
The Moving Maine Network is a multi-sector, statewide collaborative. Our members are people working in transportation, planning, aging, disability, health care, human services, environment, public health, faith communities, housing, philanthropy, as well as individuals with lived experience of transportation barriers.
For more information, visit: https://movingmaine.org.
Living with a disability is often associated with significant amounts of extra costs. That’s why individuals and families can now contribute to ABLE accounts — tax-advantaged accounts that can fund disability expenses without impacting means-tested benefits eligibility.
For more information, visit: https://www.bangor.com/ABLE
Aphasia Nation, Inc.’s mission is to educate the wider
public and particularly the healthcare and hospital communities about
aphasia and plasticity, the foundation of all learning. About 25-40% of
people with stroke acquire aphasia yet few in the public are aware of it.
Please visit the Aphasia Nation website for more info, articles and
videos. Please visit the Aphasia Nation
website for more info, articles and videos.
Here are some curated hurricane
startup prep tips https://disasterstrategies.org/disaster-tips/#fl-accordion-gz2l18j0pqua-label-5
Here is the link to the Maine Suicide
Prevention Program – www.maine.gov/suicide
rev: 2024-11-15