About Family Support: Family Support Programs For People Of All Ages

Family Support is provided across the lifespan, from the early years through the person’s lifetime while living with a family caregiver.

Family Support Centers

The core of our family-support system is our family-support centers. Family-support centers are available to people of all ages who have an intellectual or developmental disability and who live with members of their family—parents, aunts or uncles, siblings, etc. These centers offer a broad range of services to families in their community. They help families discover new resources, understand how support systems work, and connect with other families. They also provide different goods and services to help families. While all of our centers support families from different cultures, some family- support centers provide specific cultural or language support. These centers are especially helpful for the unique needs of family groups for whom English is not their first language.

All family-support programs are funded by DDS but managed by nonprofit provider agencies. Some services are available to individuals and their families who haven’t been found eligible for DDS services but many more options are available for those who are eligible.

Family-support centers across the state funded by DDS provide information, help, and a variety of support services to families with children and to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are living at home.

How can a family support center help you?

By giving information and help in getting a wide variety of services. Here are some of those services.

• Social and recreational opportunities
• Support groups for parents, siblings, and other family members
• Resources in your community
• Public benefits for which you may qualify

By offering the chance to attend trainings or receive information on topics like the following:

• Guardianship options and special-needs Trusts
• Planning for the future
• Special education and IEPs
• Transitioning to adulthood

By offering opportunities to meet other families through networking and organized social and community activities.

By helping you to plan, solve problems, and develop a vision for “a good life.” It can also help you to share that vision with people who support your family.

“From the moment you learn your expectations of parenting are woefully inadequate to meet this challenge, you reach out for help, not knowing where to turn. Thankfully, those who have gone before have cleared a path, and you can find advice and support for almost any imaginable problem. A great place to start is your Family Support Center.” – Julie P.

Supports you can access now! Contact your family-support center!

Services Available to Anyone

Services Available to DDS eligible Families

Information and Referral: Call your center with questions. If they don’t have the answers, they will tell you where to get the information you need. Family Trainings on important topics such as special education, legal matters, public benefits, and more. Family Networking opportunities for people to connect, including parents, grandparents, siblings, and you. DDS Eligibility Application: Support centers can help you apply for DDS.

Service Navigation: Helping families understand how systems work so that they can get services like health insurance, special education, elder services, etc. Family-support center staff can provide this help. Social/Recreational Activities Centers provide many social activities and also help families learn about opportunities in their community. Community Connections and Resources: Helping families learn what they can find in their community for recreation, emotional and spiritual support, financial assistance, and more. Flexible Funding is provided on an individual basis, based on the unique needs of your family and the availability of resources. It can be used to buy goods or services, like adaptive equipment, recreational opportunities, costs for short-term emergencies, and more. Individual and Small group Consultation Opportunities for families to get information and guidance from professionals on common complex topics, like IEPs or behavioral supports.

You can find a list of family-support centers and contacts in this guide, or in the Statewide Family Support Directory, at: www.mass.gov/dds-family-support

Autism Support Centers

In addition to our family-support centers, DDS funds regional autism-support centers throughout the state. These centers can help address the unique needs of children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and their families. They are meant to work with the services provided by our family-support centers, so families may use both their family- and autism-support centers.

Autism Autism-support centers offer a variety of services. Some of these services are information and referral; support groups; access to the latest information on autism, family trainings, parent networking, and mentoring; and social/ recreational events.

What’s unique about Autism Support Centers?

• Throughout the state, there are different kinds of autism-support centers. Some are specifically focused on supporting families with children; others focus only on adults; and some support people throughout their lives. Many family-support centers also have autism specialists, like autism-support centers do.
• Many of the services they provide are similar to regular family-support centers, but these services are specifically for individuals and families with autism.
• Autism-support centers offer help and support to DDS-eligible adults with ASD who do not have an intellectual disability, and their families.
• Autism-support centers help individuals and families connect with local resources and health care providers who have experience in serving children and adults with ASD.

Supports you can access now! Contact your autism support center!

Services Available to Anyone

Services Available to DDS Eligible Families

Information & Referral Call your center with questions. If they don’t have the answers, they will tell you where to get the information you need. Trainings on important topics like understanding autism, behavior management, social skills, and more. Networking opportunities for people to connect, including parents, grandparents, siblings, and individuals with autism. DDS Eligibility Application: Autism-support centers can help you apply for DDS.

Social/Recreational Activities Centers provide many social activities for children, adults, and family members. They also help families learn about opportunities in their community. Individual and Small-group Consultation Opportunities for families to get information and guidance from professionals on common complex topics, such as IEPs or behavioral supports. Community Connections & Resources Helping families learn about what their community offers for recreation, emotional and spiritual support, financial assistance, etc.

These centers are where you’ll find our Children’s Autism Waiver Programs. Families participating in those programs will work closely with an autism-support broker in their autism- support center. You can find more information on this program is in the section on specialized programs for children and young adults. 

A Great Opportunity for Any Family

Family Leadership Programs

• Our Family Leadership Programs are free and available to any family member who wants to learn more from other families.
• These programs provide education, leadership training, and mentoring for families that include a person with a disability who lives with them.
• The Family Leadership Series is a free, intensive training that takes place over several weekends. It’s a unique opportunity for families to invest in themselves and connect with other families.
• Contact Mass. Families (www.massfamilies.org) or your DDS service coordinator or family support center to learn more.
   

Individualized Services for People Living with Their Families

As part of our wide range of family-support options, DDS has developed in-home and community-support services available to children and adults living with their families. The Area Office funds these services through individual allocations based on what a person needs and which resources are available.
 

In-home & Community-support Services (SSQUAL Services)

• These are services in your home or community, depending on the needs of your family member. They can include individualized home supports, behavioral supports, adult companion, peer support, a break from caregiving, and more. Some of these services are available only to adults; some are for children; and some are for both.
• These services are provided by qualified agencies who have been contracted by DDS. They are sometimes referred to as “SSQUAL” (support services/qualifying list services).
• These are provided on an individual basis, based on the what your family member needs and which resources are available. Many family-support agencies also provide these in-home support services.
• Contact your DDS service coordinator or family-support center to learn more.

Specialized Programs for Children & Young Adults

Program	Information
IFFS (Intensive Flexible Family Support Services)	This short-term program helps families when they are experiencing major challenges and instability. IFFS navigators work closely with families for about 9–18 months, helping them access different services that will help their family find stability. Contact your DDS service coordinator to learn more.
Medically Complex Program	This program helps families access the information, resources, and emotional support that they need to care for their child or young adult (ages 3–25) with complex medical needs. There are some specific eligibility criteria that families must meet to get the services. These criteria include the need for in-home nursing or daily medical care provided by a trained family or staff for chronic, potentially life-threatening medical conditions. Contact your DDS service coordinator to learn more.
DESE/DDS Program	This program is a partnership between DDS and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). It provides in-home services for children and young adults aged 6–22 who might be at risk of going to a residential school. Families apply during Open Interest Periods. Let your DDS service coordinator or family-support center know if you want to be contacted when applications are being accepted.
Children’s Autism Waiver Program	Provides in-home services for children 3–9 years old with autism. The child must meet specific eligibility criteria, and the family must qualify financially for MassHealth Standard. Families apply during Open Enrollment Periods. Let your DDS service coordinator or family-support center know if you want them to contact you when applications are being accepted