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Massachusetts Office on Disability Client Services Program Barbara E. Lybarger, Esq., Assistant Director
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Deval Patrick, Governor Tim Murray, Lt. Governor Myra Berloff, Director |
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Find out more about |
The
Client Services Program provides information and advocacy system
for people with disabilities.
Responding to over 11,000 requests a year, the program helps people, their
families and friends, as well as professionals and government officials,
learn about the government programs that help citizens with disabilities
live independently and about their civil rights.
When consumers report systems are not responsive to their individual or
collective needs or that their civil rights have been violated, this
program investigates and advocates that legitimate problems be corrected.
The Program also houses the federally mandated Client
Assistance Program (CAP), which addresses similar information and advocacy
concerns about the functioning of federally funded vocational
rehabilitation and independent living programs. CAP provides an unbiased source of information and referral and advocacy services for people who are having difficulties in obtaining rehabilitation and independent living related services. It is run within the Client Services Unit of MOD under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration. In order for the Commonwealth to be eligible for in excess of $48 million in federal funds for vocational rehabilitation and independent living services, the Commonwealth must operate this program fully separate from, and independent of, any vocational rehabilitation agency. The Governor has designated MOD to conduct the CAP because of its unique independent position outside of the Health and Human Services Secretariat where all other Rehabilitation funding is administered. Examples of Advocacy
by Client Services: A young woman with a traumatic brain injury was at risk because her state-funded residential program was abruptly closed. Her parents were told that the state would no longer provide care unless they agreed to a program at the opposite end of the state. Following MOD intervention, two state agencies cooperated to place her in a program close to her family’s home. A professional woman had been so badly abused by her spouse that she developed epilepsy. She was denied safe haven in a battered woman’s shelter because the shelter’s no drug policy was applied to her epilepsy medication. MOD was able to work with the shelter to modify their policy. This triggered system-wide training for and on-going discussions with battered women’s shelter providers.
[MOD Home Page] [Commonwealth of Massachusetts Home Page]
Last revised September 2003 Comments, questions, concerns email the Webmaster. |
Related Links |
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To request information or an advocate, click here or call us. at (617) 727-7440 or (800) 322-2020 (V/TTY) | |
