Aging and Disability Services

Maine DHHS Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) supports Maine's older and disabled. OADS provides information and resources for:

Aging Resources

Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging (M4A) Maine’s network of Agencies on Aging is the leading source of information for thousands of Maine seniors on aging, healthy living and benefits. Programs and outreach support services are designed to improve the physical, social and emotional well-being of older adults and to reduce the burden on families and caregivers.

Maine Legal Services for the Elderly provides free, high quality legal services to Maine’s socially and economically needy elderly ages 60 and older

Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is a non-profit agency that advocates for quality of life and care for long-term care consumers, including residents of nursing homes, assisted housing programs including residential care and assisted living, consumers receiving home care services including homemaker, adult day and hospice, as well as patients in hospitals facing barriers in accessing long-term care services.

Alzheimer's Association, Maine Chapter provides information resources to help and support Maine people living with or caring for individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

SAGEMaine is a program of EqualityMaine that provides support and advocates on behalf of the older LGBTQ+ adults. SAGEMaine also provides resources for older adults across the state in need of support and community.

Disability Resources

Autism Society of Maine provides education and resources to support the valued lives of individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. 

Disability Determination Services: The Maine Disability Determination Service is the local field office of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and processes applications and determines eligibility for Social Security and Social Security Income (SSI) benefits for Maine residents. You can apply online for SSA benefits or visit the website to learn about other ways to apply.  

Disability Rights Maine is an organization that works to ensure autonomy, inclusion, equality, and access for people with disabilities in Maine.

Maine CITE is a government-funded project designed to help make assistive technology more available to Maine children and adults with disabilities.  Maine CITE Coordinating Center contact information can be found here.

Section 21 and 29 Waiver Services: People with Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) and/or Autism Spectrum Disorders want to live as independently as they can. There are services and supports available that can help them to do so, in their homes, in their communities, and at work. An individual must be receiving MaineCare Benefits to be eligible.  

Maine Department of Labor Division of the Blind and Visually Impaired provides training in adaptive skills and alternative techniques for accomplishing daily tasks that enable individuals who are older and blind/visually impaired to be more self-sufficient. 

Maine Department of Labor Division of Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Late Deafened delivers services to individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, and late deafened.  Services include information, resources and advocacy, and vocational rehabilitation to assist individuals with preparing for, finding, maintaining and advancing in employment.  

Maine Relay is a free statewide service that connects voice telephone users with people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability. The service allows consumers to use specialized equipment (such as a captioned telephone), IP Relay or Relay Conference Captioning to communicate using specially trained relay operators. 

Telecommunications Equipment Program (TEP) is a program established by state law to provide 'no' or 'low' cost adaptive telecommunications equipment to any Maine resident who cannot use their home's conventional telephone due to a physical or cognitive disability. Qualifying Mainers may also be able to get a hearing aid through TEP.  

Independent Living Services (ILS) Program assists people who have significant disabilities to live more independently in their homes and communities. The program provides and arranges needed IL services subject to the availability of funds. The program is also an advocacy program for people with disabilities and their families.  

Maine State Library Outreach Services for Blind or Reading Impaired  provides talking books, large print, and home bound services.  Contact outreach by telephone: (207) 287-5650 or Toll-Free 1-800-762-7106.

Youth Transition Services and Education Services for Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired:  The Bureau of Rehabilitation Services offers a variety of services for youth. In addition to the lifelong services DBVI provides to those with blindness and visual impairments, BRS offers Vocational Rehabilitation Services to assist youth with blindness and visual impairments in preparing for the transition from school to work. Contact by phone, toll free: 1-800-762-7106.

    For local community information about resources to help families and individuals meet their needs contact 211 Maine, a free and confidential helpline: