General

• Easterseals Massachusetts provides services so children and adults with disabilities have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play.
  • EasterSealsMA Youth Leadership and Mentoring – free programs focusing on mentorship and leadership
• Waypoint Adventure– Waypoint’s Mission is to help youth and adults with disabilities discover their purpose, talents and strengths through the transforming power of adventure.
• Partners for Youth with Disabilities – build the skills and abilities of young people with disabilities, and increase the inclusivity of workplaces, organizations, and communities.
• Disability Resource for Pediatrics – From UMass Medical School’s Lamar Soutter Library – a resource to help healthcare professionals and caregivers better understand and advocate; be aware of support systems, and be informed of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and school issues. Some families may need financial aid, and some may need assistance with daily living skills, speech and or occupational therapy.
• Greater Mass Special Needs Events
• 18? Section 8! – How to Apply for Section 8 when turning 18 in Massachusetts
• National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts (NAMI) – Kids and Teens page – resources for families with kids and teens.

Autism

• Helping Your Child with Autism Thrive – a Help Guide with parenting tips, treatments, and services
• Communicating with an Autistic Child: A Parent’s Guide – from WiseOldSayings.com, has many useful resources.
• MASS General Aspire specializes in helping children, teens and adults on the autism spectrum achieve success.
• Autism Speaks
  • Directory of Services and Supports
  • Guide to Individualized Educational Program (IEP)

Education through High School

• MA Department of Special Education – policy, guidelines and resources for administrators, teachers and parents.
• Parent and Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools from the U.S. Department of Education (2016)
• Federal guidance on effective communication for public elementary and secondary students with hearing, vision or speech disabilities. (2014)
• ADA National Network
  • Postsecondary Institutions and Students with Disabilities
  • Exams and Courses
• National Center on Accessible Educational Materials
• IEP FAQs – Pop-Up Tool: Resolving Parent-School Disputes

Transition – HS to College or Work

• Center on Technology and Disability
• Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology – defines the steps needed for a successful transition.
• EPIC – Empowering People for Inclusive Communities (EPIC) prepares young people with disabilities to be actively engaged community leaders through education, leadership development and community service.
  • EPIC Service Warriors – community service and leadership development program for youth with disabilities between the ages of 16-23. EPIC Service Warriors meet for one year to participate in community service projects and leadership development workshops.
• Transition Tool Kit by Autism Speaks! – This guide assists families on the journey from adolescence to adulthood.
• Autism NOW Transition Planning

College

• Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative– offers grants to college-school partnerships to support eligible public high school students with intellectual disabilities, ages 18–22, to increase their academic and career success by being included in a college or university community of learners.
• LD Online – website about learning disabilities and ADHD
  • Questions to Ask Colleges About Assistive Technology Resources to ask colleges about assistive technology resources
• Preparing for College: An Online Tutorial – from the University of Washington. The resources include deciding what to study, where and how to apply, and how to fund an education, among many other helpful topics.
• Think College – Think College is a national organization dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disability.
• Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities – includes details about the obligations of a post-secondary school to provide academic adjustments, including auxiliary aids and services, to ensure the school does not discriminate on the basis of disability.
  By The Office for Civil Rights within the U.S. Department of Education
• College Resources for Students with Disabilities
• Nursing Career Guide for People With Disabilities from Nursing Education. Includes a comparison of some of the benefits and challenges of a nursing career, tips on choosing an accessible nursing school, and examines different nursing career paths, their demands, and accommodations available. It also includes practical advice on job interviews, disclosing disabilities to employers, and understanding legal protections.

Turning 22

• Turning 22 DDS Services – Transitioning from school into the DDS adult service system.
  • Call ( (508) 861-2534) or Email (brandy.m.eder2@mass.gov) Brandy Eder at DDS Framingham for Turning 22 Services

Work

• Massachusetts Partnership for Transition to Employment (MPTE) is a systems-change project of the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services. The project is designed to improve employment outcomes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities transitioning from school to adult life.

For Parents

• Family Connect – for parents of children with visual impairments.
• Family Ties of Massachusetts – parent-to-parent support, information and referral services, and workshops in caring for children with special needs.
  • Directory of Resources for Families of Children and Youth with Special Needs
• Federation for Children with Special Needs – parents and parent organizations work together for children with special needs and families. Organized in 1975 as a coalition of parent groups representing children with a variety of disabilities, the Federation offers workshops and training, advocacy and resources to parents of children with special needs and the professionals who serve them.
• Parent / Professional Advocacy League – PPAL is a statewide, grassroots family organization that advocates for improved access to mental health services for children, youth and their families. PPAL’s goals are to support families, nurture parent leaders and work for systems change.
• The Parents’ How-to Guide to Children’s Mental Health Services in Massachusetts – is by the Boston Bar Association with support from Children’s Hospital to help parents in Massachusetts find the child mental health services and resources their children need.