Traumatic brain injury survivors face a variety of different issues. While everyone with TBI has different challenges, depending on the severity of their injury, other people undergoing similar challenges can best understand the problems you are facing. TBI support groups provide the emotional support TBI patients and their families need to tackle the obstacles of living with a traumatic brain injury. Support groups are a wonderful way to make new friends and to learn about TBI.
Different TBI support groups focus on different aspects of coping with TBI. For example, some groups offer special separate meetings for the family members and caregivers of TBI patients, while other groups have one meeting for both the TBI patient and his or her family. Some groups focus on helping new TBI patients adjust to their new lifestyle, while other groups focus on offering adaptive recreational activities for people with TBI. Some support groups offer support for people with either TBI or SCI and several support groups offer help to people with any form of physical disability. It is a good idea to check out several groups before deciding which one to join; some people find it helpful to belong to more than one group.
We have tried to make the following list of TBI support groups in Kansas complete as possible; some groups in neighboring Missouri have been included. Since groups change meeting places and meeting times and may disband without notice, we advise you to call ahead before visiting a group’s meeting place for the first time.
If you cannot find a TBI support group near you, you may want to consider starting your own. The Brain Injury Association of Kansas offers helpful information on starting your own group. Their website is: http://www.biaks.org/index.htm
Burlington
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the second Friday of every month at 2:00 p.m.
Meeting place:
USD #244 Recreation Center
1110 Shea St.
Burlington, KS
Contact:
Gayle Taylor at 620-364-2606
Concordia
TBI Support Group
Please call or e-mail for more information on this group.
Contact:
Judie Deal at 785-243-7221 or 785-243-1977 e-mail: Judie@occk.com
Emporia
TBI Support Group
This group meets every Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. It meets only while the college is in session.
Meeting place:
“The Earl Center,”
1601 State Ave.
Emporia, Kansas 66801
Contact:
Emporia State University School of Counselor Education and Rehabilitation, 620-341-5799
Fort Riley
Support Group for Spouses and Caregivers of Military Personnel with TBI or PTSD
This group meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 5:30-7 p.m. Childcare is provided, but please call in advance.
Meeting place:
ACS Annex Bldg 1020
Contact:
S.O.N Advisor 785-239-7291
Fort Scott
TBI Support Group
This group meets the last Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m.
Meeting place:
Mercy Health Center
401 Woodland Hills Blvd.
Fort Scott, KS 66701
620-223-2200 (hospital number)
Contact:
Patty Magee
Garden City
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the third Monday of every month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. CST.
Meeting place:
Center for Independent Living
1802 E. Spruce St
Garden City, KS 67846
Contact:
Stacy Ritt 620-276-1900
Gardner
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the third Saturday of the month at 3 p.m.
Meeting place:
Meadowbrook Rehabilitation Hospital
427 W Main
Gardner, Kansas
Contact:
Jennifer Jodlowski 913- 856-8747 e-mail: jennifer.jodlowski@pcitexas.net
Kansas City, Missouri
TBI Support Group
This group meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month.
Meeting place:
Hillside Christian Church
900 N.E. Vivion Rd.
Kansas City, Missouri 64118-5398
Contact:
Kathryn Dixon at 816-353-8754
TBI Support Group
This group meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month.
Meeting place:
The Moment of Truth Baptist Church
310 Randolph Rd.
Claycomo, Missouri
Contact:
Dennis Lamp at 816-781-2383 doc59lmp@hotmail.com
Support Group of Spouses and Caregivers of Veterans with Brain Injury
Meeting for spouses and caregivers of veterans with brain injury. Meetings are held on the third Friday of each month from 3-4 p.m.
VA Medical Center (Room 020 in the basement)
4801 East Linwood Blvd.
Kansas City, Missouri 64128
Contact:
Kristen Shelton, OTR/L at 816-861-4700 ext. 57597
TBI Support Group (Lee’s Summit, Missouri)
This group meets on the second Tuesday of every month from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Meeting place:
Truman Medical Center Lakewood
7900 Lee’s Summit Road, Truman Room 2
Kansas City, Missouri 64139
Contact: Dawn Tish at 816-404-8426, e-mail: Dawn.Tish@tmcmed.org
Kansas City, Kansas
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the second Tuesday of every month from 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Meeting place:
University of Kansas Hospital, Wyandotte Room
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, Kansas 66160
Contact:
Jo Ann Lierman at 913-588-0060 e-mail: jlierman@kumc.edu
Dolly Wood at 913-588-6945 e-mail: dwood@kumc.edu
Overland Park
Support Group for TBI-related Seizure Disorders
This group is for individuals with seizure disorders as a result of brain injury and for their family members as well. The meetings on are the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 3 p.m. to 4:40 p.m.
Meeting place:
BIAKS offices
6405 Metcalf
Overland Park, Kansas
Contact:
Heather Matty for additional information 913-754-8883, ext.1
TBI Support Groups
This group offers separate sessions for survivors and caregivers on the same night. The group meets on the third Monday of each month from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Meeting place:
Oak Hills Presbyterian Church office
9557 W. 87th.
Overland Park, Kansas 66212-4552
Contact: Lauren Otto at 913-789-9900, ext 102,
e-mail: laureno@communityworksinc.com
Heather Matty at 913-754-8883, ext.1, email: hmatty@biaks.org
Shawnee Mission
Social TBI Support Group
This group meets for social activities. Meetings are every Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Johnny C’s Pizza
11200 W. 75th Street.
Shawnee Mission, Kansas
Contact:
Melissa Krier (no other information given)
St. Joseph, Missouri
TBI Support Group
Meetings are on the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m.
MERIL
4420 S 40th Street
St. Joseph, Missouri
Contact:
Lori Hanson 816-279-8558
Lawrence
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the fourth Monday of every month from 4:30 to 6 pm.
Meeting place:
Lawrence Public Library
707 Vermont St.
Lawrence, Kansas 66044-2371
Contact:
Crystal Kirkpatrick 913-789-9900, ext. 352
Manhattan
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the fourth Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m.
Meeting place:
United Methodist Church
1609 College Ave.
Manhattan, KS 66502
Contact:
Jane Mertz Garcia at 785-532-1493 or 785-532-6879, e-mail: jgarcia@ksu.edu
Medicine Lodge
TBI Support Group
Contact Heather Henke for more information on this group’s goals and schedule.
Contact:
Heather Henke, RN, Barber County Health Department, at 620-886-4023 e-mail:heatherhenkern@hotmail.com
Paola
TBI Support Group
This group meets on thest Thursday of every month from 7 to 9 p.m.
Meeting place:
Holy Trinity Church
609 E. Chippewa
Paola, Kansas 66071
Contact:
Jeanne Woolsey 913-294-9919 e-mail: swwjcw0960@sbcglobal.net
Web Site: http://www.headsuponline.org
Salina
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the third Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m.
OCCK Inc.
1710 W. Schilling Rd, west door
Salina, Kansas 67401
Contact: Jan Mendell at 785-827-6811 or janmen@att.net
Topeka
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the first Thursday of every month from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Meeting place:
Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
1515 SW 10th Ave.
Topeka, Kansas 66604-1374
Contact:
Toks Folake 785-235-1122
Wichita
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the third rd Tuesday of each month from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Meeting place:
Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital
8338 West 13th Street, Main Floor Dining Room
Wichita, KS 67212-2900
Contact:
Bonnie Stephens at 316-729-1099 e-mail: Bonnie.stephens@healthsouth.com