Resources & Associations
A non-profit organization providing protection and advocacy services in the State of Florida. Their stated mission is to advance the dignity, equality, self-determination and expressed choices of individuals with disabilities.
> American Spinal Injury Association
The American Spinal Injury Association has developed an Internet website to provide information and education about Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) to ASIA members and to the general public. The website may also serve to facilitate e-commerce and provide value-added services to members, other spinal cord injury-related providers, health care businesses, and the general public.
The American Trauma Society is dedicated to the elimination of needless death and disability from injury. For over 40 years, ATS has served as an advocate for the trauma care system, trauma prevention programs, and the victims of trauma and their families throughout the United States. Their goals are to prevent injury whenever possible, and to ensure optimal treatment of trauma when it does occur.
> Brain Injury Association of America
The Brain Injury Association of America was founded in 1980 by a group of individuals who wanted to improve the quality of life for their family members who had sustained brain injuries. Despite phenomenal growth over the past two decades, the Association remains committed to its grassroots. The Brain Injury Association of America encompasses a national network of more than 40 chartered state affiliates across the country, as well as hundreds of local chapters and support groups.
> Brain Injury Association of Florida
BIAF is a non-profit organization founded in 1985 by the mother of a young man who sustained a traumatic brain injury from an automobile crash. The organization assists individuals with brain injuries, their families and professionals by providing statewide information and resource center education and training; support services toll-free help line; awareness and prevention programs; legislative advocacy
All resources are provided free of charge to persons with brain injuries and their families who request information. Anyone who might benefit from our support services, educational materials, or other resource information is encouraged to participate in the organization.
> Brain Injury Recovery Kit by Day-Timer
A five- step program that provides strategies, support and tools needed for the day-to-day challenges unique to brain injury.
> Brain Injury Resource Foundation
The stated mission of the Brain Injury Resource Foundation is to provide education, advocacy and support for persons affected by brain injury.
Bright Steps Forward, Inc. is a 501c nonprofit organization that provides funding for intensive pediatric therapy to financially disadvantaged children with neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, disabilities of prematurity, autism and other congenital or acquired conditions that affect their physical functioning.
Intensive pediatric therapy uses state-of-the-art therapy techniques, such as the TheraSuit Method and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy along with more traditional physical therapy methods to achieve rapid strides in physical strength and coordination.
Bright Steps Forward, Inc. accepts grant applications from individuals, regardless of their geographic location, race, gender or sexual orientation. If accepted, all that’s needed is the drive to succeed and the expectation that miracles, indeed, can happen.
Those found to qualify for and who receive a grant (based on financial need and documentation of illness) may attend any of the forty or so clinics nationwide that offer this type of therapy.
The Broward Homebound Program Inc. has provided cost effective home care to clients since its inception in May 1986. The program is housed at and is sponsored by North Broward Medical Center. To be eligible for the program clients must be at least eighteen (18) years of age, be homebound by virtue of a chronic functional impairment, and reside in Broward County.
Founded in 1989 by Caridad Asencio and Connie Berry, The Caridad Center and The Migrant Association of South Florida provides free medical and dental care to a large population of migrant farmworkers, laborers and the working poor of Palm Beach County through the dedicated work of more than 500 licensed professional and community volunteers.
CaringBridge® is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization offering free personalized Web sites to those wishing to stay in touch with family and friends during significant life events. Their mission is to bring together a global community of care powered by the love of family and friends in an easy, accessible and private way.
> Center for Information & Crisis Services
The Center for Information & Crisis Services now called 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast is in its fourth decade of providing a team of specially trained paid and volunteer staff to assist callers with information and referral services, crisis counseling, and suicide intervention, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Additionally, 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast collects and maintains information on community health and human services and makes this information available via its hotlines, helplines, printed directories, and on the web. Services are provided at no cost to anyone regardless of race, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.
> Centers for Independent Living
Nonprofit corporations that provide free of charge services to maximize the independence of individuals with disabilities and the accessibility of the communities they live in. The main services provided are advocacy, independent living skills training, information and referral, peer counseling. CIL have branches throughout the state of Florida. Some offices provide equipment loan program, crime victim’s advocacy, after-school and summer programs for adolescents with disabilities. Below are the offices in the South Florida area:
- CIL of South Florida. Dade County
- CIL of Broward. Broward County
- Coalition for Independent Living Options. Palm Beach County
The Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy.
> Epilepsy Foundation of South Florida
The Epilepsy Foundation is the national voluntary agency solely dedicated to the welfare of the 2.7 million people with epilepsy in the U.S. and their families. The organization works to ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences; and to prevent, control and cure epilepsy through research, education, advocacy and services. In addition to programs conducted at the national level, epilepsy clients throughout the United States are served by affiliated Epilepsy Foundation offices in nearly 100 communities.
> Family Network on Disabilities of Florida
Family Network on Disabilities of Florida, Inc. is a statewide network of families and individuals who may be at-risk, have disabilities, or have special needs and their families, professionals, and concerned citizens. Their stated mission is to ensure through collaboration that Floridians have full access to family-driven support, education, information, resources, and advocacy and to serve families of children with disabilities, ages birth through 26, who have the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA.
> Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology
FAAST is a non-profit organization funded by the US Department of Education through the Assistive Technology Act of 2004, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), private foundations and individuals. FAAST has worked with thousands of people with and without disabilities throughout the state to provide hands on assistive technology demonstrations and trainings; financing for assistive technology purchases; assistive device lending programs; community outreach to rural and underserved groups; accessible, affordable housing; advocacy and education on consumer choice.
> Florida Spinal Cord Injury Resource Center
The Florida Spinal Cord Injury Resource Center (FSCIRC), established in January 1994, serves as the statewide clearinghouse of SCI resource information for persons who have survived an SCI, their families and friends, healthcare professionals, support groups, the media, and the general public. The purpose and benefits in operating such a center are to increase knowledge of SCI related resources; help prevent secondary medical complications resulting from lack of knowledge; foster independence through self-knowledge; provide immediate access to current SCI resource information when needed by consumers throughout their lifetime.
> International Brain Injury Association
The International Brain Injury Association (IBIA) is dedicated to the development and support of multidisciplinary medical and clinical professionals, advocates, policy makers, consumers and others who work to improve outcomes and opportunities for persons with brain injury.
Founded in 1993, the IBIA was created in response to the growing demand from professionals and advocates throughout the world for collaboration and more information on all aspects of brain injury, from prevention to long-term care issues. In 1998, the International Association for the Study of Brain Injury, a professional association, merged with the IBIA.
The IBIA works to develop positive relations and interactions between individuals, families, groups, organizations, institutions, diverse cultures and nations. The IBIA strives to provide international leadership for creative solutions to the issues associated with brain injury.
> K-9 Companions for Independence
Canine Companions for Independence is a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. CCI is funded by private contributions and receives no government funding. CCI graduates pay only a $100 Team Training registration fee that is reimbursed in supplies.
> Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis is the world’s largest comprehensive spinal cord injury (SCI) research center; dedicated to finding more effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure for paralysis; a Center of Excellence housed at the Lois Pope LIFE Center at the University of Miami School of Medicine.
> Mothers Against Brain Injury
Our mission is to help families within the first few hours of arrival at the Trauma Center by supplying our Tote Bags free of charge. Due to HIPPA regulations, we maintain a level of tote bags to be presented by the nursing staff. We have no direct contact with families while in the PICU.
> National Spinal Cord Injury Association
Founded in 1948, the National Spinal Cord Injury Association is the nation’s oldest and largest civilian organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Americans living with the results of spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) and their families. This number grows by thirty newly-injured people each day.
At NSCIA, we educate and empower survivors of spinal cord injury and disease to achieve and maintain the highest levels of independence, health and personal fulfillment. We fulfill this mission by providing an innovative Peer Support Network and by raising awareness about spinal cord injury and disease through education. Our education programs are developed to address information and issues important to our constituency, policy makers, the general public, and the media, and including injury prevention, improvements in medical, rehabilitative and supportive services, research and public policy formulation.
> North American Brain Injury Society
The North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) was established in June 2003 as the North American chapter of the International Brain Injury Association (IBIA). NABIS is a society comprised of professional members involved in the care or issues surrounding brain injury. The principal mission of the organization is moving brain injury science into practice. Whether it is in the area of clinical care, research, policy or litigation, the organization stands behind the premise that advances in science and practices based on application of the scientific evidence will ultimately provide the best outcomes for those with brain injuries and the community as a whole.
Parent to Parent of Miami, Inc., is a federally funded Community Parent Resource Center serving Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. Our program is a community wide, tax exempt, non-profit organization that provides information, educational training, support, and emergency assistance, to families who have children and adults with disabilities and/or special needs. The services are provided in English, Spanish and Creole.
> Spinal Cord Injury Support Group
The Spinal Cord Injury Support Group (SCISG) is a not for profit organization that promotes camaraderie through friendship, education, advocacy and recreation to enhance the quality of life for those affected by spinal cord injuries and disabilities.