National Brain Injury and Disability Resource Navigator
Start with your situation
Start here: choose one need
You do not need to know a program name to begin. Choose the need that matters most today. Open one resource, then ask that organization for your next step. This guide serves people across the United States, with a more detailed Connecticut pathway below. Eligibility, costs, waiting lists, and service areas vary.
Urgent help
For immediate danger or a medical emergency in the United States, call 911. For emotional distress or a suicide crisis, call or text 988. The 988 Lifeline also offers online chat. ABI Resources is not an emergency response service.
I am not sure what help to ask for
Start with the federal Disability Information and Access Locator (DIAL) to find community organizations. If you are an older adult or helping one, use the Eldercare Locator. Try saying: “I need help with daily life after a brain injury. Which local organization should I contact first?”
Medicaid and help at home
Use the federal directory to find your state Medicaid agency. Ask about home and community-based services, sometimes called HCBS, and any brain injury waiver. Ask how to apply, which assessment is needed, whether there is a waiting list, and how to request communication support. The state agency determines eligibility; a diagnosis alone does not establish approval.
Rehabilitation and recovery
If symptoms are not improving or are getting worse after a mild traumatic brain injury or concussion, contact your healthcare professional. Ask whether specialist care is appropriate. The CDC guidance below concerns mild TBI and concussion; it is not a treatment plan for every type of brain injury. ACL’s Disability Information and Access Locator can help you find local disability and community-living resources.
Social Security and other benefits
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) considers disability and work history. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) considers income, resources, and disability, blindness, or age. They are different programs. Start with the official descriptions and application steps. Ask SSA which applications may fit your situation; this guide cannot determine eligibility.
Housing and staying in your community
Use the federal rental-assistance guide to learn about housing options and how to contact a public housing agency. Ask about application openings, waiting lists, accessible units, and help completing forms. If you also need daily support at home, contact your state’s aging and disability entry point.
Employment and returning to work
Vocational rehabilitation means help preparing for, finding, or keeping work. Use the federal directory to find your state agency. Ask about an intake appointment, accommodations, and services related to your goals. If you receive benefits, ask for qualified benefits counseling before making decisions about work hours or income.
Transportation
Use DIAL to find local disability organizations that can help you identify transportation options. Explain whether you need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, help arranging a ride, or support getting to an appointment. Ask the relevant provider about service boundaries, booking deadlines, eligibility, and cost before relying on a ride.
Civil rights and protection and advocacy
ADA.gov explains disability rights and provides official guidance. For help understanding a disability-related problem, find your state’s Protection and Advocacy organization through NDRN. Ask whether it handles your issue and whether a deadline applies. Availability of representation is not guaranteed.
Veterans and families
Start with VA’s health-care page for eligibility, applications, services, and help managing care. Tell your VA care team about brain injury concerns and ask which services are appropriate. The page also connects veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with assistance.
Caregivers and family support
You can ask for support for yourself as well as the person you assist. Your state’s aging and disability entry point can help you look for local options. Ask about caregiver education, respite, and support groups, and confirm who can use each service. Eldercare Locator focuses on older adults and their families.
Assistive technology
Assistive technology includes tools that help with everyday activities and communication. State programs may offer demonstrations, short-term device loans, reuse, or financing information. Ask to explore options before buying a device, and confirm local availability and any cost.
Disaster preparedness
Plan around your own support and communication needs before an emergency. CDC provides disability-focused planning resources. Do not rely only on a voluntary emergency registry: responders may not be able to reach you during a disaster. Discuss your plan with people you trust.
Connecticut: a more detailed starting point
1. For Medicaid home and community support after an acquired brain injury, begin with Connecticut DSS’s ABI Waiver information and application materials. Ask DSS to confirm current requirements and availability. This guide does not determine whether you qualify.
Connecticut: understand services and transitions
2. Read ABI Resources’ explanations of Connecticut’s ABI Waiver and Money Follows the Person. These are provider explanations, not government eligibility decisions. Use the official DSS source above to confirm program requirements.
Connecticut: work and practical support
For Connecticut employment help, start with Connecticut Aging and Disability Services or the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services. For ABI Waiver eligibility or program requirements, use the official Connecticut DSS sources above. Ask the responsible agency to confirm the current next step in writing.
Find help in another state or territory
Use these maintained directories and select your location. Each offers a different kind of help. A listing is a starting point, not a promise that a service is available or that you qualify. Connecticut’s waiver rules should not be applied to another state.
Common questions about federal and state help
Who runs Medicaid: the federal government or my state?
Each state administers its Medicaid program under federal requirements. Start with your state Medicaid agency for an individual application, service or appeal. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services publishes federal policy guidance and reviews state-plan changes. Use Medicaid.gov to understand the federal program, review approved state changes and find the official state contact.
What should I do if Medicaid denies, reduces or delays a service?
Read the current notice and follow its appeal or fair-hearing instructions and deadline. A complaint, civil-rights report or fraud report is a different route and does not replace a Medicaid appeal. Use the guides below to identify the correct official starting point.
Where can I find disability and brain injury help near me?
Search by location through the federal Disability Information and Access Locator for community organizations supporting independent living. Then use the state directory for official Medicaid, disability and appeal starting points.
Where can I report disability discrimination involving health or government services?
HHS Office for Civil Rights accepts complaints involving covered health and human-services programs. ADA.gov routes disability-discrimination complaints based on the organization and issue involved. These complaint routes do not replace a Medicaid appeal or preserve an appeal deadline.
Federal source pages in this section were checked on September 18, 2026. Requirements and contacts can change; use the current notice and current official instructions for your situation.
A short script for your first call
“I live in [state and county]. I need help with [one need]. I have trouble with [communication or daily task, if you want to share it]. Can you tell me the first step, whether there is a cost or waiting list, and what documents I need? Please give me the next step in writing.” Write down the organization, the date, and the next action. You can ask a trusted person to help you make the call.
Related next steps
Sources, transparency, and corrections
Published by ABI Resources. Prepared with AI assistance and checked against the official source pages linked above on September 17, 2026. This date records a source and link check, not confirmation of individual eligibility. Each descriptive resource link above is also its source citation. Confirm current requirements directly with the responsible agency.
Independence and service disclosure
ABI Resources provides Connecticut services and may benefit if a visitor chooses its services. Government resources are identified separately. Listing a resource does not imply a partnership, endorsement, guaranteed service, or referral relationship.
Corrections and health information
To report a broken link or a factual correction, email ABI@CTBRAININJURY.COM with the page title and the resource name. Do not include medical records, Social Security numbers, or other private case details. This directory is general information, not medical, legal, or benefits advice. It does not diagnose conditions, recommend an individual treatment plan, or replace a qualified professional. For immediate danger or a medical emergency, call 911.
