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Maine Support Groups and Information

 

Education and Support

MaineHealth Learning Resource Center

  • There are three Learning Resource Centers in the Greater Portland area; they provide information and support to patients, families, and communities. The Health Information Library also contains educational information about hundreds of health conditions and treatments.
  • Question? Ask a health educator at the Learning Resource Center.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Support Groups

  • Meets the fourth Friday of the month from 1-3:00 pm.
    AARP
    1685 Congress Street, Portland, ME
    Contact: Nell Davies, (207) 773-0672 or me@alsanne.org
  • Meets the second Friday of the month from 1-3:00pm.
    Welcome Center
    The State House (Domed Building)
    210 State St., Augusta, ME
    Contact: Nell Davies, (207) 773-0672 or me@alsanne.org

» ALS Association Northern New England Chapter

Alzheimer's Support Groups

  • There is an extensive network of support groups (organized by the Maine Alzheimer's Association Chapter) for individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and their families and friends. Please click here to see the most up-to-date list.

Aphasia Support Groups

  • Meets the first and third Thursdays of the month from 3:15-5:00 pm.
    New England Rehabilitation Hospital Briggs Room
    335 Brighton Ave, Unit 201, Portland, ME
    Contact: Dr. Steven Belanger, (207) 662-8042
    Patients and families welcome.
  • Meets the second Tuesday of the month from 4-5:00 pm.
    New England Rehabilitation Hospital
    Treatment Room #5, First Floor
    335 Brighton Ave, Unit 201, Portland, ME
    Contact: Dr. Steven Belanger, (207) 662-8042
    This support group is specifically for spouses and family members of individuals with aphasia.

» The National Aphasia Association

Asperger's/Autism Syndrome Support Groups

Asperger's:

  • Meets the first Thursday of the month from 7-9:00 pm.
    Aucocisco School
    126 Spurwink Avenue, Cape Elizabeth, ME
    Contact: Monique Myers, meyersmo@us.ibm.com, or Alexis Lincoln, alexis.lincoln@gmail.com
    Adult Support/Activity Group
  • Meets the first Saturday of the month from 1-3:30 pm.
    Portland Public Library (room 419)
    5 Monument Square, Portland ME
    Contact: Robert Lagos, Robert.Lagos@verizon.net or (207) 773-1456, or Lena Hann, lenahann@yahoo.com
    Group for adults with Asperger's
  • Meets the first Saturday of the month from 10 am-noon.
    Sebec Meeting Room, Mayo Hospital
    897 West Main Street, Dover-Foxcroft, ME
    Contact: Becky Morse, bgmorse@midmaine.com
    Group for parents and of children (of all ages) with Asperger's Syndrome and related disorders.

Autism:

  • Meets the third Saturday of the month from 10:00 am-12:00pm.
    Maine Integrative Wellness
    222 Auburn St., Portland, ME
    Contact: Laura Plourde, (207) 829-3474 or mlplourde@verizon.net

» Autism/Asperger's support groups in other regions of Maine
» Asperger's Association of New England
» Autism Society of America
» Southern Maine Parent Awareness website

Brain Injury Support Groups

  • Meets the first Tuesday of the month from 11:30 am-1:00pm.
    New England Rehab Hospital of Portland
    335 Brighton Avenue, 1st Floor, Portland, ME
    Contact: Kathy Kroll, (207) 662-8589
  • Meets the second Tuesday of the month from 6:30-8:00 pm.
    Bayside Neurorehab Services
    26 Portland Street, Portland, ME
    Contact: Tonya Emery, (207) 773-9572 or  Laura Snyder, (207) 761-8402
    Brain injury support to include stroke - open to the public.
  • Meets the first Monday of the month, from 6:30-8:00 pm.
    WestSide NeuroRehab
    618 Main Street, Lewiston, ME
    Contact: Deb Hanmer, (207) 795-6110
    Brain injury support to include stroke - open to the public.

» Brain injury support groups in other regions of Maine

Brain Tumor Support Groups

  • Meets the second Tuesday of the month from 5:30pm - 7:00pm.
    Maine Medical Center, Dana Center Classroom 5
    22 Bramhall Street, Portland, ME
    Contact: Sarah Vreeland, RN, MS, ONC (207) 662-1112 or Ashley Soule, MPH, MSW (207) 662-1110
    We encourage anyone who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, their family or friends, to contact us in order to understand the services we provide. We can send information or be of help even if you never attend a support group meeting.

» American Brain Tumor Association

Epilepsy Support Groups

» The Epilepsy Foundation of Maine

The epilepsy support group meets monthly from September though June. There are no support groups in July or August. The support groups occur the 4thThursday of every month, September through June at 7pm. The group takes place at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford. Any individual with epilipsy and/or their family or caregivers are welcome to attend. Please contact Ashley Soule at 662-1110 or soulea1@mmc.org for further questions.

Huntington's Disease Support Groups

Meets the first Wednesday of the month from 6-7:30 pm, starting May 7, 2008.
Maine Medical Center, Dana Center Classroom 1
22 Bramhall Street, Portland, ME
Contact: Cindy Tack, LCSW, (207) 662-4514

» The Huntington's Disease Lighthouse: information and community

Mental Illness Support Groups

  • Meets the 2nd & 4th Mondays of the month from 7-8:30pm
    Maine Medical Center, Dana Center
    22 Bramhall Street, Portland, ME
    Contact: Alyce Woodall, (207) 899-0465
    This is a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) affiliated support group specifically for families of individuals with mental illness.

» Depression/Bipolar Disorder support groups
» Mental illness support groups in other regions of Maine

Multiple Sclerosis Support Groups

  • MS Support Group meets the second Wednesday of the month, September - June, 5:30 p.m.
    New England Rehabilitation Hospital
    3rd Floor Conference Room
    335 Brighton Avenue
    Portland, ME
    Contact: Stacey, PortlandMSGroup@yahoo.com 
  • Coffee & Conversation meets the third Friday of the month, September - June, 10 - 11 a.m.
    Panera Bread
    11 Main Street
    Westbrook, ME
    No registration required, attendees purchase their own breakfast.
    Contact: Heidi, heidi.eastman@nmss.org

Learn more about resources: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/
Direct link to Maine Resources: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/mam/maine/index.aspx 

Parkinson Disease Support Groups

  • There is an extensive network of support groups for individuals with Parkinson Disease and their families and friends. Please click here to see the most up-to-date list.
  • A new support group is starting in Lewiston, ME. Join them for the first meeting:
    Friday, October 3 from 1:00pm - 3:00pm. 
    St. Mary's Regional Hospital, (Potvin Conf Room)
    318 Sabattus St (Red Brick Building)
    Park in Lot G
    Future meetings are tenatively scheduled to take place on the first Friday of the month. You may contact Kate Adams for more information at (207) 729-0991.
  • Parkinson's Support Group
    APDA Parkinson's I&R Center
    4th Sunday of each month at 2pm
    A place to share information & support for people with Parkinson's disease, their families, caregivers, and those in related health fields.
    *click for more info*

» Maine Parkinson's Information and Referral Center

Spinal Cord Injury Support Groups

  • Meetings were previously held at the Seton Campus of Maine General Medical Center in Waterville, ME, but there are no meetings scheduled currently. Please contact Katie Donovan at (207) 872-4400 if you are interested in starting a group.

» The National Spinal Cord Injury Association

Stroke Support Groups

  • Call for schedule
    30 Cluff Bay Road, Brunswick, ME  04011
    Contact:  Joanna Dumdey, (207) 725-2770
    Open to the public.
  • Meets the last Thursday of the month from 4-5:00 pm.
    New England Rehab Hospital Briggs Conference Room (First Floor)
    335 Brighton Avenue, Portland, ME
    Contact: Kathy Kroll, (207) 662-8589 or Wendy Lombard, (207) 662-8533
    Caregiver support group - open to the public.
  • Meets the first Saturday of the month from 10-11:00 am.
    New England Rehab Hospital Brighton Room, 3rd Floor
    335 Brighton Avenue, Portland, ME
    Contact: Enoch Barton, (207) 854-5703 or (207) 642-2117
    Community stroke support group - open to the public.
  • Meets the third Tuesday of the month, from 6:30-8:00 pm.
    MaineGeneral Medical Center Seton Campus, Hall A & B
    30 Chase Avenue, Waterville, ME
    Contact: Marianne Poirier, (207) 872-4123
    Open to the public.

**Please see Brain Injury listings for additional Support Groups.

» National Stroke Association