Resources
A brain injury can be an overwhelming experience for survivors and family members. Even though every brain injury is uniquely different, the information and resources available on these pages should provide the foundation for better understanding and coping with the condition.
Family Helpline: 800-444-6443
Information & Advocacy
Disability Network/Michigan represents the collective voice of Michigan’s 15 Centers for Independent Living (CILs). Their focus is on leadership development, relationship building, effective communication, and mobilizing around issues that will have the greatest impact on delivering high-quality independent living services to people with disabilities.
Michigan Protection and Advocacy Services ( MPAS) is the independent, private, nonprofit organization designated by the governor of the State of Michigan to advocate and protect the legal rights of people with disabilities in Michigan.
The Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program strives to improve the quality of care and quality of life experience by residents who reside in licensed long term care facilities.
Public Benefits Programs
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is a principal department of state of Michigan, headquartered in Lansing. It provides public assistance, child and family welfare services, and oversees health policy management.
Social Security has provided financial protection for our nation’s people for over 80 years.
The Michigan Department of Military & Veterans Affiars provides support to military personnel, civilian employees, families, retires, and veterans.
Children’s Services
Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS) strives to enable individuals with special health care needs to have improved health outcomes and an enhanced quality of life through the appropriate use of CSHCS system of care.
Early On Michigan offers early intervention services for infants and toddlers, birth to three years of age, with developmental delay(s) and/or disabilities, and their families.
Michigan Alliance for Families provides information, support, and education for families who have children and young adults (birth to 26 yrs of age) who receive (or may be eligible to receive) special education services. This website can help you with finding information on special education issues as well as disability specific information.
Vocational Rehab
Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) provides specialized employment and education-related services and training to assist teens and adults with disabilities in becoming employed or retaining employment.
Michigan Works! was established in 1987 to provide services and support to Michigan’s workforce development system.
The Arc Michigan serves people with intellectual and development disabilities.
Workers’ Compensation Agency (WCA) administers the Worker’s Disability Compensation Act and provides prompt, courteous, and impartial service to all customers.
Mental Health & Substance Abuse
The Community Mental Health Association of Michigan (CMHAM) is the state association of representing the state’s public Community Mental Health (CMH) centers, the public Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHP) public health plans formed and governed by the CMH centers and the providers with the CMH and PIHP provider networks.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is a principal department of state of Michigan, headquartered in Lansing. It provides public assistance, child and family welfare services, and oversees health policy management.
Survivors & Family Resources
College Guide for Students With Physical Disabilities
Michigan Alliance for Families
Michigan Resource Guide for Persons with Traumatic Brian Injury and Their Families
Important Information about Working with and Caring for Persons with Brain Injury
Recovering from Mild Traumatic Brain Injury/Concussion Summary Fact Sheet
Important Information about Working with and Caring for Persons with Brain Injury (Arabic version)
Important Information about Working with and Caring for Persons with Brain Injury (English version)
Important Information about Working with and Caring for Persons with Brain Injury (Spanish version)
Legal Resources
BIAMI does not recommend or endorse attorneys or law firms, although we do provide links to BIAMI member firms and lawyers in our Provider Directory. That said, survivors have found the information and resources on the following law firms’ websites and blogs especially helpful.
- Neurotrauma Law Nexus
- Oakland County Legal Aid Clinics
- Southeastern Michigan Administrative Services Group
- State Bar of Michigan: Legal & Law Related Programs by County (for those who can not afford lawyers)
- UM Law School: Community Resources
- UM Law School: Veterans Legal Clinic
- Wayne State University Law School Free Legal Clinic
- ABA Commission on Disability Rights
- Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disability Act
- Disability Rights Legal Center
- Legal Aid of Western Michigan
- Michigan Legal Help (for those who want to learn how to represent themselves)
- MSU Law School Free Clinic
- National Council on Disability
- National Disability Rights Network
Military and Veterans
Brain Injury Resources
The nature of recent wars and conflicts, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq, have resulted in tens of thousands of brain injuries to US servicemen and women and, frequently, the added complications of post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These TBI survivors deserve special recognition and support, not only for the contribution of their armed forces service, but, quite often, for the lack of acknowledgement, treatment, and post-injury services initially offered by the military and occasional lack of respect and sympathy from the public. Today, the Department of Defense has become both active and proactive in diagnosing and treating TBI and PTSD, although support services still tend to lag.
BIAMI salutes all our veterans and active servicemen and women, and hopes the following resources may be useful to them and their families in better understanding and better supporting their efforts for the highest quality of life possible.
Excellent informational, medical, and supportive information from Brainline: Military Brain Injury.
The Department of Defense and other official governmental sources offer a full menu of TBI and PTSD resources for veterans and others Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center: TBI & the Military.
