Traumatic brain injury affects different people in different degrees, but everyone with TBI experiences similar emotions. 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.
We have tried to make the following list of TBI support groups in Wisconsin as complete as possible. We have also included information on the Well Spouse Association which offers support to the spouses of the disabled. 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. Information about starting your own TBI support group can be obtained from the Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin:http://www.biaw.org/site/
Appleton
This group meets the fourth Monday of the month from7:00pm – 8:30pm (Sept. – April Meetings)
Meeting Place:
St. Elizabeth Hospital
1506 S. Oneida Street
Appleton, Wisconsin
Contact:
920-738-2749 Kathleen Clarke, PhD
Ashland
This group meets the third Wednesday of the month from 1:00 – 2:00pm
Meeting Place:
Memorial Medical Center
1615 Maple Lane – North Twin Island Room
Ashland, WI 54806
Contact:
Stewart Holman 715-682-5676
Brown County
TBI Support Group
This group meets the second Tuesday of every other month from 5:30 – 7:00 pm
Meeting Place:
N.E.W. Curative Rehabilitation
2900 Curry Lane
Green Bay, WI 54311
Contact: Stephanie Umentum 920-593-3570
Making New Connections
This group meets the fourth Wednesday of the month from 7:00 – 9:00 pm.
Meeting Place:
Varied locations in the Green Bay area.
Contacts:
Karen Feld 920-866-9493
Carol Sweney 920-433-8088
Burnett County
TBI Support Group
This group meets the second Sunday of the month from 1:00 – 2:30pm.
Meeting Place:
Siren Covenant Church
7686 Lofty Pines Drive
Siren, Wisconsin
Contact:
Jerry or Karen 715-349-8985
Eau Claire
Young Persons TBI Group
Meetings have varied locations/days.
Contact:
Mary Beth Clark or Tom Sather 715-838-3258
Acquired Brain Injury Group
For more information on this group please call Tom Sather.
Meeting Place:
Eau Claire
Contact:
Tom Sather 715-838-3310
Mild Brain Injury Group
This group meets the third Tuesday of the month from 6:00 – 7:30pm.
Meeting Place:
Luther Hospital – Eau Claire
1221 Whipple Street
Eau Claire
Contact:
Mary Beth Clark 715-838-3258
Eau Claire Self Help
This group meets the third Thursday of the month from 7:00pm – 8:30pm.
Meeting Place:
Sacred Heart Hospital-Eau Claire
900 West Clairemont (Bishop Hall)
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Contact:
Audrey Nelson 715-838-9352
Fond du Lac
TBI Support Group
This group meets the second Tuesday of the month from 7:00 pm.
St. Agnes Hospital, Plaza Level Conference Room
430 E Division St.
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Contacts:
Shirley Speier 920-923-5462
Niki Bartus 920-929-7322
Janesville
TBI Support Group
This group meets the second Tuesday of the month from 7:00pm.
Meeting Place:
United Way Building
205 N Main St
Janesville, WI
Contact:
John Weber 608-752-4993
La Crosse
Big River Chapter – La Crosse
This group meets the last Tuesday of the month from 5:30pm – 7:00 pm.
Meeting Place:
Franciscan-Skemp Healthcare, Rose Conf. Rm-second Floor
700 West Avenue South
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Contacts:
Janet Papenfuss 608-785-0940 ext 22857
Vicki Monk 608-775-3050
TBI Support Group
This group meets the third Monday of the month from 6:00 – 7:00pm.
Meeting Place:
Clearview Brain Injury Center, Clearview North
199 Home Road
Juneau, WI
Contact:
Laura Bertagnoli 920-386-3400
Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Support Group
For more information on this group please call Mark Roesler-Begalke
Meeting Place:
Independent Living Resources – La Crosse
4439 Mormon Coulee Road
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Contact:
Mark Roesler-Begalke 608-787-1111
Email: mark.rb@ilresources.org
Madison
Mild Brain Injury Resource Network*
This group meets the third Thursday of the month from 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Madison Meriter Hospital 10 Tower Conference Room, 10th floor
202. S. Park
Madison, Wisconsin
Contact:
Ellyn Kroupa 608-238-3571 Email: elkroupa@tds.net
Mild Brain Injury Group for Spouses & Significant Others*
This group meets the second Monday of the month from 6:30 – 8:00 pm.
Meeting Place:
Madison Meriter Hospital Guest Services Conf. Rm. in Patient Registration Suite
202. S. Park
Madison, Wisconsin
Contact: 608-238-3571 Ellyn Kroupa
Email: elkroupa@tds.net
*There will be no support group meeting if Madison Schools are closed that day.
Manitowoc County
TBI Support Group
This group meets the third Monday of the month from 6:30 – 8:00pm
Meeting Place:
First Lutheran Church
North 8th Street
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Contact:
Lynn Paider 920-755-2692
Oshkosh
This group meets the second Thursday ( in alternate months) from 10:30am – 12:00pm.
Meeting Place:
Ability Resource Center
115 Washington Avenue, Ste. A
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Contact:
Mr. Ashley Hesse 920-236-9230
Sheboygan
Brainstorm
For more information on this group please call Kay Konik.
Contact:
Kay Konik 920-917-0918
Miracle Point Head Injury Society
This group meets the first Monday of the month from 6:30 – 8:00pm.
Meeting Place:
St. Nicholas Hospital / Francis Room
3100 Superior Ave
Sheboygan, WI 53081-1994
Contact:
Wendy Clark 920-459-4642
Milwaukee
Embracing Hope
This group meets the fourth Wednesday of the month 6:45-8:15 pm.
Meeting Place:
Zablocki Library
3501 W. Oklahoma Ave.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Contact:
Lisa Alberte 262-679-9684
Milwaukee Support Group
This group meets the fourth Monday of the month from 6:00 – 7:30 pm.
Meeting Place
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center of Milwaukee at Mt. Carmel
5700 W. Layton Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Contacts:
Mary Smith, CTRS 414-325-4018
Colleen 414-325-4226
Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Institute Brain Injury Groups
These groups meet the second Wednesday of the month from 4:00 – 5:00pm. One group is for survivors and the other is for caregivers.
Meeting Place:
SHRI – second Floor
2025 E. Newport Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Contact:
Joy Tanguay 414-298-6798
Milwaukee Area Self-Help (MASH)
This group meets the second Tuesday of the month from 7:00pm. Please call for the most current schedule.
Meeting Place
West Milwaukee Community Center
1345 S. 47th Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Contact:
Ruth Kleist 414-444-7270
Racine
TBI Support Group
This group meets the fourth Thursday of the month from 7:00pm.
Meeting Place
Alpha Homes of Wisconsin, Inc
6216 Washington Ave.
Racine, Wisconsin
Contact:
Betty Carlsen 262-886-3328
Rice Lake
TBI Support Group
This group meets the first Sunday of the month from 1:30pm – 3:30pm.
Meeting Place:
Lakeview Medical Center, Conference Room
1100 N. Main
Rice Lake, WI 54868
Contact:
Corinne and Jim Richie 715-234-0079
Wausau
This group meets the second Wednesday of the month from 6:30pm.
Meeting Place:
Aspirus Wausau Hospital
333 Pine Ridge Blvd
Wausau, Wisconsin
Contact:
Lea Ratajczyk 715-847-2826
Well Spouse Association
Well Spouse is a national, not-for-profit membership organization which gives support to wives, husbands, and partners of the chronically ill and/or disabled. Well Spouse support groups exist or are being formed in many areas of the country. To contact a support group near you or to learn how to start a group, please go to their website and the “Support Groups” page.
Website: wellspouse.org