Resources Grouped by
Category
Independent
Living | Housing | Transportation | Finances |
Health and Wellness | Emergency Preparedness | Mental Health | Employment |
Other |
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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The Maine Emergency Management Agency
(MEMA) coordinates the State of Maine’s programs of emergency
preparedness, response and recovery. Visit the MEMA website.
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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.
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.
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Visit the Social Security
Administration website
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Living with a disability is often associated with significant amounts of exra 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
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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.
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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.
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Here are some curated
hurricane startup prep tips https://disasterstrategies.org/disaster-tips/#fl-accordion-gz2l18j0pqua-label-5
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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
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Here is the link to the Maine
Suicide Prevention Program – www.maine.gov/suicide
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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rev: 2025-01-13