People with traumatic brain injury suffer a variety of challenges depending on the degree and extent of their injury. Dealing with TBI is challenging for both the patient and his or her family, but sharing your experiences with people who have had similar experiences can help. TBI support groups provide the opportunity to make friends and learn more about TBI.
Different TBI support groups have different focuses, so check out several, if possible, to see which one best meets your needs. Some TBI support groups emphasize learning about TBI, while others emphasize offering adaptive recreational opportunities for TBI patients. Some groups have meetings for patients and separate meetings for caregivers and family members, while others invite any one interested in TBI to the same meeting. There a few groups solely for people with mild TBI.
We have tried to make the following list of TBI support groups in Maryland as complete as possible. Since support groups change or disband without warning we advise you to call before traveling to the group’s meeting place for the first time. If you cannot find a group in your area, you may wish to start one. The Brain Injury Association of Maryland offers helpful advice on starting your own support group: https://www.biamd.org/
Baltimore Area
Brain Injury Support Group
This group meets on the first Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Meeting place:
Kernan Hospital
2200 Kernan Drive
Baltimore, MD 21207
Contact:
Sonja Thoreson 410-448-6303
Caregivers Support Group
This group for caregivers meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 6 to 7 p.m.
Meeting place:
Kernan Hospital – Conference Room C
2200 Kernan Drive
Baltimore, MD 21207
Contact:
Gwen Alexander 410-448-6311
RETURN! Brain Injury Support Group
This group meets the third Tuesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Meeting place:
Sinai Hospital
Schoeneman Building
2401 West Belvedere Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21215
Contact:
Kerry Riggs 410-601-6080
Caregiver Support Group
This group meets on the first Thursday of the month from 7 to 9 p.m. Please call the Spiritual Care department ahead of time to register.
Meeting place:
St. Joseph Medical Center
7601 Osler Drive
Towson, MD 21204
Contact:
Spiritual Care 410-337-1109
Bel Air
Upper Chesapeake Support Group
This group meets at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month.
Upper Chesapeake Medical Center
500 Upper Chesapeake Drive
Bel Air, Maryland 21014
Contact:
Paul Neilson 410-803-7399
Columbia
Humanim Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings for Individuals with Brain Injury
This group aimed at support people who have a brain injury and are addicted to alcohol meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm.
Meeting place:
6355 Woodside Court
Columbia, MD 21046
Contact:
Bill Kerrigan 410-381-1500 ext 2330
Eldersburg
TBI Survivor Support Group
This group meets from 7 to 9 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month.
Meeting place:
St. Joseph’s Catholic Community
915 Liberty Road
Eldersburg, Maryland 21784
Contact:
Eileen Rudnick 410-795-7318
E-mail: mrudnicks@aol.com
Elkton
Caregivers Support Group
This group meets on the first Tuesday of the month from 3 to 4 p.m. After a hiatus, these meetings are scheduled to resume in September 2009.
Meeting place:
Union Hospital, Adult Daycare Center
106 Bow Street
Elkton, Maryland 21921
Contact:
Gay Nell Straughan 410-392-0539
Hagerstown
Headway Support Group
This group meets from 3 to 4 p.m. on the first Monday of the month.
Meeting place:
Robinwood Medical Center
Community Room, Suite 102
11110 Medical Campus Road
Hagerstown, Maryland 21740
Contact:
Matt Lilly 301-714-4028
La Plata
Charles County Brain Injury Support Group
This group meets from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month.
Meeting place:
Spring Dell Center
6040 Radio Station Road
La Plata, Maryland 20646
Contact:
Jerry 301-934-4561 ext 111
Website: www.ccbrain.wordpress.com
Rockville
Brain Injury Support Group of Rockville
As a partnership between Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland and TLC’s Outcomes Service, brain injury survivors, caregivers and their families meet twice monthly to exchange information and offer support.
Meeting place:
Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital
9909 Medical Center Drive
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Contact:
Tom Wilkinson 301-294-9205 ext. 6915
Young Stroke Group (20’s – 60’s)
This group for younger stroke patients meets on the first and third Fridays of the month from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Bethesda/Rockville area. Please call for more information.
Contact:
Susan Montgomery 301-897-8815
Washington, D.C. Area
The John “Jack” Godfrey Brain Injury Support Group at Prince George’s
The 2nd Tuesday of every month
6:00PM – 7:00PM
Gladys Spellman Family Health and Wellness Center
2900 Mercy Lane, Cheverly, MD
Conference Room, 1st Floor
(On the campus of Prince George’s Hospital Center)
For more information, please contact:
Dawn Moreland, Trauma Program Manager
dawn.moreland@dimensionshealth.org
(301) 806-5640
Or
Anna Cleveland, Trauma Social Worker
anna.cleveland@dimensionshealth.org
(240) 353-4106
Montgomery County Stroke Association, Inc (MCSA)
This association offers support groups and programs in Leisure World of Maryland, Bethesda, Rockville, and Silver Spring, Maryland. Please call for more information.
Contact:
301-681-6272
Website: www.mcstroke.org
E-mail: info@mcstroke.org
Salisbury
Chesapeake Rehabilitation Support Group
This group meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m.
Meeting place:
Chesapeake Rehabilitation Hospitalp
220 Tilghman Road
Salisbury, Maryland 21082
Contact:
Dr. Glenwood Brooks, Jr 800-938-4600
Servena
Anne Arundel County Brain Injury Support Group
This group meets on the third Tuesday of the month from 7 to 8 p.m.
Meeting place:
Lifequest – Mary T. Maryland
820 Ritchie Highway
Severna Park, MD 21146
Contact:
Debbie Cottrill 410-956-0015