The Olympian

How to find help

• Published November 05, 2007

The Brain Injury Association of Washington works to help survivors of traumatic brain injuries and to raise public awareness. The organization, at 3516 S. 47th St., Suite 100, in Tacoma, can be reached at 253-238-6085. Its Web site is www.­biawa.org, or find out about the national association at www.biausa.org.

There are support groups for survivors of traumatic brain injuries. A list is at www.biawa.org/support.htm.

• The Olympia support group meets from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in third-floor classroom in the Emilie Gamelin Pavilion on the campus of Providence St. Peter Hospital, 410 Providence Lane, on the second Tuesday of each month. For more information, call Pat Gabrielse at 360-493-4432.

• The Tacoma support group meets from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Tacoma Area Coalition for Individuals with Disabilities Center, 6315 S. 19th St., on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. For more information, call 253-426-5735. Web site: https://home.comcast.net/~tbisg/

• The Lewis County support group meets at 5 p.m. at Providence Chehalis Hospital, 500 S.E. Washington Ave., the first four Tuesdays of each month. For more information, call Larry Carroll at 360-864-4341 or Ann Grabhorn at 360-983-3166.

• The Seattle support group meets from 4 to 6 p.m. at the ElderHealth Northwest adult day health center, 800 Jefferson St. For more information, call 206-782-9093 or 425-778-3707.

A comprehensive guide about TBI and recovery from it is available at www.aasa.dshs.wa.gov/Library/tbitoolkit.pdf.

For active-duty soldiers and veterans, a 29-minute documentary about TBI is available at the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center at www.dvbic.org. Click on the "education" tab. The site includes comprehensive information about traumatic brain injuries.