Advocacy Organizations Maine and Regional

Civil Rights

AMHI Consent Decree - This guide was developed by the Disability Rights Center. It explains the rights of consumers governed by the Augusta Mental Health Institute (AMHI) decree.
http://www.drcme.org/publications.asp?pubid=17

Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic - This organization provides assistance with criminal, civil, domestic violence, elder law, estate planning, and probate issues. Attorneys are third-year law students at the Maine School of Law with faculty supervision.
http://mainelaw.maine.edu/programs-centers/clac.jsp

Disability Rights Center of Maine - DRC provides information about rights and service systems, referrals, legal representation at meetings and hearings, training on rights and advocacy.
http://www.drcme.org/

Help Maine Law - Help Maine Law provides legal information for low-income Mainers, including easy-to-read, self-help information on topics such as divorce, tenants' rights, Medicaid, and food stamps.
http://www.helpmelaw.org/

Maine Equal Justice Project - The Maine Equal Justice Partners and Project provide low-income Mainers with legal representation on housing, food, utilities, source of income, health care, child care, education and training, and working conditions.
http://www.mejp.org/

Maine State Bar Association - This site contains legal resources for the public. Go to the Lawyer Referral page to find pamphlets on Workers Compensation, Landlord-Tenant Relations and other topics of interest.
http://www.mainebar.org

Pine Tree Legal Assistance - Pine Tree Legal Assistance is a non-profit corporation providing legal assistance to people in the State of Maine whose income is one hundred twenty-five percent of the federal income poverty guidelines or less.
http://www.ptla.org/index.html

Volunteer Lawyers Project - This state-wide provides assistance on civil cases to income-eligible individuals. Provides referrals to appropriate sources of assistance for problem resolution and written materials to help people understand their legal situation and options.
http://www.vlp.org

Elders/Children

AARP in Maine - AARP is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization for people 50 and over. AARP provides information and resources; advocates on legislative, consumer, and legal issues; and assists members to serve their communities.
http://www.aarp.org/statepages/me.html

Maine Alzheimer's Association - Maine Alzheimer's Association is a statewide resource for Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, the association provides a helpline, support groups, information and supported referral.
http://www.mainealz.org/

Maine Legal Services for the Elderly - Legal Services for the Elderly provides free, high quality legal assistance to socially and economically needy Maine residents age 60 and older.
http://www.mainelse.org/

Maine Long Term Care Ombudsman Program - A Swedish word, an Ombudsman (pronounced om-budz-man) is a specially trained advocate who is given authority under federal and Maine law to investigate and resolve complaints made by, or on behalf of, long-term care consumers.
http://www.maineombudsman.org/

Maine Parent Federation - Maine Parent Federation is a private non-profit organization that provides free information, support and training to parents and professionals including parenting, education, services, support groups, information on specific disabilities, and other resources to assist families and professionals within the home, school and community.
http://www.mpf.org/

Southern Maine Parent Awareness - This organization sponsors workshops and consultations for parents of children with special needs. They have an extensive special education guide and parent to parent group.
http://somepa.org

Disability-Specific Advocacy Organizations

American Council of the Blind of Maine - American Council of the Blind of Maine is a consumer group that promotes independence and opportunities for Mainers who are blind and visually impaired. Some of their programs include: annual convention, fun weekends, and scholarships for post-secondary education. This organization does not have a website, but they can be reached by this email address: mclarrage1@maine.rr.com

American Heart Association - Maine Offices - The American Heart Association provides heart disease and stroke information for effective prevention and treatment.
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=10000018&state=ME

American Lung Association of Maine - American Lung Association of Maine has information about asthma, air quality and tobacco. Projects include vehicle donation, legislative advocacy, and education.
http://mainelung.org/alam_home.htm

Autism Society of Maine - The Autism Society of Maine provides informational and referral services, outreach programs, newsletter, lending library, free publications, trainings and workshops for parents, educators and providers.
http://www.asmonline.org/default.asp

Brain Injury Association of Maine - Brain Injury Association of Maine offers a calendar of events, information on speakers, and a listing of support groups in Maine.
http://www.biame.org

Goodwill Industries of Northern New England - Goodwill Industries of Northern New England helps people with disabilities live more independently. Our mission is “through employment, residential, educational and support services, Goodwill works to enhance the social and economic independence of people with disabilities and others who experience barriers to such independence”.
http://www.goodwillnne.org/

Huntington's Disease Group of Maine - This webpage posts meeting time and place for a Portland, ME based support group for Huntington's disease. The page also lists contact persons for more information.
http://www.pccs-nh.com/huntingtons/

Maine Center on Deafness - The Maine Center on Deafness serves people who are deaf, late-deafened or hard-of-hearing by providing resources, advocating for social equality, and helping the general public to better understand and appreciate Deaf culture and effective ways of communication.
http://www.mainecenterondeafness.org

Maine Developmental Disabilities Council - The DD Council supports individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to participate in the design of, and access to, community resources. The council provides information and referral, works on systems change, educates legislators, and funds projects.
http://www.maineddc.org

Multiple Sclerosis Society - Maine Chapter - The Maine Chapter of the MS Society provides education and support for individuals with MS and their families.
http://mem.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=MEM_homepage

NAMI Maine (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) - NAMI Maine is a grassroots, nonprofit organization that supports improving the quality of life of everyone affected by mental illness. Services are provided both directly and through a statewide structure of local affiliates and support groups.
http://me.nami.org/

Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of New England - This is a New England group that provides information, a newsletter, and conferences about Prader-Willi Syndrome.
http://www.members.aol.com/pwsane/

Other Resources

Ability Maine - Ability Maine is by and for persons with disabilities and is a place for collecting and sharing information and opinions about living with disabilities. Ability Maine's provides a place on the web for people to get information that will help them create better lives for themselves and others.
http://www.abilitymaine.org/

Community Mediation Center - This center provides mediation services to providers and consumers of the Department of Health and Human Services. Also provides Victim-Offender conferencing and general community mediation.
http://www.communitymediation.net

Consumers for Affordable Health Care - This Maine coalition works for affordable healthcare through legislative action, education, and advocacy.
http://www.mainecahc.org/

M.A.I.N. (Maine Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods) - This is a grassroots coalition that advocates for low-income Mainers; their activities include workshops on applying to MaineCare (Medicaid).
http://www.bairnet.org/organizations/main/

Maine Guide to Resources and Opportunities for Transportation Advocacy - This is a huge listing of many transportation related resources in the state. If you are interested in advocating for improved transportation, this would be a good place to start.
http://www.mainerealchoices.org/commliving_trans_materials/GROTrans_TOC.htm

Maine Public Advocate Office - A great site full of useful information regarding advocacy in the State of Maine.
http://www.state.me.us/meopa/

New England ADA & Accessible IT Center - New England ADA & Accessible IT Center, funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, explains compliance with ADA, has a FAQs and an e-newsletter.
http://adaptiveenvironments.org/neada/site/home