The effects of a brain injury vary from individual to individual, but everyone with a brain injury experiences an emotional need to understand what has happened to them. It is very helpful to talk with others who are going through things similar to what you are experiencing. The following is a list of support groups for brain injured individuals and their families and caregivers.
Each of these groups offers emotional support and hope to people with brain injuries; some groups put an emphasis on new research for brain injury, while others focus on offering members adaptive recreational experiences, and still other groups focus on other aspects of coping with a brain injury. Since different support groups do have different focuses, the Brain Injury Association of Florida recommends that you check out more than one before deciding which is most helpful for you. The state of Florida’s Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program also offers helpful resources.
Note that some listings have extensive contact information, while others have only a phone number; we have endeavored to make this information as current and complete as possible, but sometimes groups change or disband without warning. Please call or e-mail the groups you are interested in to receive the most up-to-date information.
Daytona Beach
Halifax Health Medical Center
Halifax Health Medical Center is the only trauma center in area with neurosurgery coverage, involving the critical care team, ICP, EEG and invasive monitoring for head injury patients.
Join us the fourth Thursday of each month at 3:00 pm for a support group.
Contacts:
Gail Sunderland at (917) 363-5880
Website: https://www.halifaxhealth.org/articles/help-stroke-survivors
Meeting place
Halifax Health Medical Center
France Tower Meeting Rooms
303 N. Clyde Morris Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Deland
Deland Brain Injury Support
This group meets regularly to offer SCI patients emotional and practical support.
Contacts:
Tom Dockery
(386) 532-9670
tdoc@fbs.net
Annie Thomas
(386) 532-4522
Meeting place:
Deland Hospital
Class Room 1A
701 West Plymouth Ave.
Deland, FL 32720
Delray
Pinecrest Brain Injury Support
This group meets the second Wednesday of the month from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Contact:
Mary Kaye
(561) 495-3048
Mary.Kaye@tenethealth.com
Website: https://www.delraymedicalctr.com/for-patients/i-am-a-scheduled-or-current-patient/helpful-support-groups
Meeting place:
Delray Medical Center
Pinecrest General Gym
5360 Linton Blvd.
Delray, FL 33484
Fort Walton Beach
The Brain Injury Connection, INC. (BIC)
Support group meetings are held the FIRST and THIRD Friday of each month from 1:30-3:30PM. BIC support group meetings are open to brain injury survivors, family members, caregivers, friends, and professionals. Meetings are organized to promote a positive and supportive environment. Visit their website HERE for additional details/information.
Contact:
Jaci Goodrich at 850-904-4BIC (4242) or admin@bicofflorida.com
Meeting place:
Bayer Behavioral Center
203 Hollywood Blvd NE
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Gainesville
Shands Rehab Brain Injury Support
This support group’s meetings take place on the fourth Thursday of every month from 6:15 to 7:30 pm. Shands Healthcare is affiliated with the University of Florida’s Health Science Center.
Contact:
Marie Mysiuk, RN, CRRN at 352-265-5494 or Mysuima@shands.ufl.edu
Meeting place:
Shands Rehab Hospital
4101 NW 89th Blvd.
Gainesville, FL 32606
Hollywood, Florida
Memorial Regional Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the third Thursday of every month from 6 to 8 pm.
Contact:
Cheri Surloff at 954-265-4725 or CSurloff@mhs.net
Meeting place:
Memorial Regional Hospital
3501 Johnson Street
Hollywood, FL 33021
Hudson/Hernando City
Brain Injury Support Group
Please call Joan or Bob Tavares at 727-3755395
Jacksonville
Shands Jacksonville Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Support Group
This group welcomes patients with either a brain injury or a spinal cord injury or both. The group meets at the Shands Jacksonville Medical Center in Tower II at the 1st floor Blue Room from 12 noon to 1 pm each second Wednesday of the month. For more information please contact Khalisha Mitchell or Myria Mitchell at 904-244-4427 or khalisha.mitchell@jax.ufl.edu ormyriad.mitchell@jax.ufl.edu
Meeting Place:
Shands Jacksonville
655 West Eighth Street
Jacksonville, FL 32209
Tower II, 1st floor Blue Room
Hope Brain Injury Support
This group meets every third Saturday of the month from 10:15 to noon.
Contact:
Jane Elkins at 904-0771-6658
Meeting place:
Brooks Outpatient Rehab Center
3901 University Blvd. South
Jacksonville, FL 32216
Largo
Largo Brain Injury Support
This group meets the first Wednesday of the month from 5 to 6:30 pm.
Contact:
Brian Madrinan at 727-588-1864 or Brian.Madrinan@healthsouth.com
Meeting place:
HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital Largo
Classroom C
901 N. Clearwater-Largo Road
Largo, FL 3370
Leesburg
Brain Injury Support of Central Florida
This group meets on the fourth Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Contact:
Barbara Castlow at 352-483-1353 or wordcrafter954@aol.com
Meeting place:
Leesburg Regional Medical Center
North Annex
700 N. Palmetto
Leesburg, FL 34748
Miami
Traumatic Brain Injury Family Education and Support Group (English and Spanish)
This group is under the auspices of the University of Miami’s Jackson Health System and is part of the hospital’s Neurological Rehabilitation Program. The group, which meets from 3:30 to 4:30 pm on the first and third Tuesday of each month, focuses on educating and support the family of TBI patients.
Contact:
Susan Ireland, Ph.D. at 305-585-1267
Meeting place:
Jackson Memorial Hospital
Ryder Trauma Center
Room 459 Dining Room
1800 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL 33136
(HealthSouth) Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the last Thursday of the month from 6 to 7:30 pm.
Contacts:
James Nadell, Ph.D at 305-259-6433 or JNadell2000@yahoo.com
Rhonda Vivas at 305-259-6434
Meeting place:
HealthSouth Rehab Hospital
20601 Old Cutler Road
Miami, FL 33189
Miami Brain Injury Support at Baptist Hospital of Miami
Please call Sharon Wright at 786-596-6578 or Caroline Godinez at786-596-6108
New Port Richey
New Port Richey Brain Injury Support
This group meets every Saturday from noon to 2:30 pm at the Lane Glo bowling alley.
Contact:
Joan Tavarese at 727-375-5395 or art10710@yahoo.com
Meeting place:
Lane Glo North Lanes (bowling alley)
6935 Ridge Road
New Port Richey, FL 34655
Panama City, Florida
Second Chance
This group meets the first Tuesday of every month from 6 to 9 pm.
Contact:
Cheryl Morden at 850-769-7779 or secondchancefl@hotmail.com
Meeting place:
Second Chance
222 East Beach Dr.
Panama City, FL 32401
Pensacola
Pensacola Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the second Wednesday of every month from 4 to 5 pm.
Contacts:
Joann Massey, Psy.D. at 850-494-6178 or Joann.Massey@HCAHealthcare
Rinda Gray-Astley, CTRS at 850-494-6195 or Rinda.GrayAstley@HCAHealthcare
Meeting place:
West Florida Rehab Institution
Community Room
8383 North Davis Highway
Pensacola, FL 32514
Pompano
Brain Injury Support Group
Please contact Mark E. Todd or Angela Todd at 954-776-5010
Port Charlotte
Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the first Thursday of the month from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Contact:
Bob Binese at 941-697-3055 or 941-268-7879 or bobhb7@aol.com
Meeting place:
Med County Regional Library
Meeting Room A
2050 Forrest Nelson Road
Port Charlotte, FL 33952
Orlando Brain Injury Support (O-BIS)
This group meets on the third Wednesday of the month from 7 to 9 pm. It was founded in 1988 and it puts the focus on recreational activities for people with brain injuries, as well as on recovery from brain injury.
Contact:
Marie-Terese Henderson at 407-228-2818 or mt@orlandobraininjurysupport.org
Meeting place:
Mayor William Beardall Senior Center
800 S. Delaney Ave.
Orlando, FK 32801
Rockledge
Rockledge Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the second Wednesday of the month from 7 to 9 pm. No street address given.
Contact:
Chris Jeavarde at 321-637-0009 or nike000033@yahoo.com
Sarasota, Florida
BIG Brain Injury Group
This group meets on the second Monday of every month from 1 to 3 pm and it emphasizes learning to do things independently.
Contact:
Mary Morris at 941-351-9545 ex 105 or Mary@scil4u.org
Meeting place:
Sun Coast Independent Living
2989 Fruitville Road, Suite 101
Sarasota, FL 34237
Sebring
New Beginnings Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the first Thursday of some months from 6 to 8 pm. For more details on the exact dates contact Deanna Pieretti at 863-385-1196 or halloinc@embarqmail.com
Meeting place:
HALLO
112 Medical Center Ave.
P.O. Box 7082
Sebring, FL 33872
St. Petersburg
Pinellas County Brain Injury Support
This group meets twice a month on the second and fourth Thursdays from 6 to 7 pm.
Contacts:
Steven Frank, Ph.D. at 727-322-6123
Anita Lenas, LCSW at 727-322-6123
Meeting place:
Bayfront Medical Center
Sheen Conference Center
701 6th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Sumterville
Brain Injury Support Group of Sumterville
This group meets on the third Thursday of each month from 2 to 4 pm.
Contact:
Margie Sovercool at 352-793-7841
Meeting place;
Lake Sumter Community College
Sumter Campus
1405 CR 526A
Sumterville, FL 33585
Tallahassee
Big Bend Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the second Monday of the month from 7:30 to 9:00 pm.
Contact:
Teddy McQuat, RN at 850-421-3890 or 850-431-1155
Meeting place:
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital
Ground Room Conference A
1300 Miccosukee Road
Tallahassee, FL 32303
Tampa
Tampa South Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the first Wednesday of the month from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Contact:
Bob Barrett at 813-908-1375 or bobjbarrett@msn.com
Meeting place:
Tampa South Brain Injury Support
McFarland Park Barksdale Bldg.
1801 North Lincoln Ave.
Tampa, FL 33602
VA Brain Injury Survivor Support
This group has two different meetings: one for TBI patients and one which is designated families only. The meeting for TBI patients is held every Monday from 3 to 5 pm. The meeting designated as families only is held every Saturday from 10 am to noon.
Contact:
Steve Klemz at 913-972-2000 ex 6663 or steve.klemz@med.va.gov
Office: 2C West
Meeting place:
James Haley Veteran Hospital
Poly Trauma Unit 5 North
13000 Bruce B Downs Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33612 The Monday meetings are held in the Family Day Room and the Saturday meetings are held in the Conference Room of the Second Floor Rehab Unit.
Tampa Brain Injury Support at Tampa General Hospital
Please contact Rebecca McAlaster 813-844-7759
Tampa Brain Injury Support at the University of South Florida
Please contact Gayle Holden at 813-949-1564
Tarpon Springs
Brain Injury Support Group
Please call Cathy Buka at 727-938-6800
The Villages
North Lake Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the second Thursday of the month from 2 to 4 pm.
Contact:
Florence Korpi at 352-553-2370 or FlorenceKorpi@hotmail.com
Meeting place:
North Lake Presbyterian Church
Harbor Bldg.
975 Rolling Acres Road
The Villages, FL 32159
West Palm Beach
Brain Injury Support
This group’s meetings take place at a Goodwill center every fourth Tuesday of the month (except December) from 6 to 7:30 pm.
Contact:
Ellise Johansen at 561-848-7200 or Johansen@gulfstreamgoodwill.com
Marsha Martino at 561-848-7200 or Martino@gulfstreamgoodwill.com
Meeting place:
Gulfstream Goodwill
1715 Tiffany Drive East
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
Wildwood
Wildwood Brain Injury Support
This support group meets from 6 to 8 pm on the first Tuesday of the month at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church.
Contacts:
Linda Bull at 352-446-5647 or lindabull63@hotmail.com
Tom Bull at 352-399-2166
Meeting place:
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church
5323 E. Country Road 462
Wildwood, FL 34785
Winter Haven
Winter Haven Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month from 7 to 8:30 pm. It offers the Esteem Program.
Contact:
Linda Rumrell at 863-292-4061 or linda.rumrell@mfms.com
Meeting place:
Winter Haven Outpatient Hospital
3425 Lake Alfred Road
Winter Haven, FL 33881