Adult Services

Learn about Adult Services

Adult services for autism and disabilities focus on resources that impact all facets of adult life including employment, housing, community life and post-secondary education.

Quick Links

Autism Support Centers
The mission of the Autism support centers, which are funded by The Department of Developmental Services, is to provide support for children, and adults with ASD, and their families throughout Massachusetts. The Autism support centers offer trainings, workshops, and activities to help connect families and help them to enable their children and adults with ASD to be integrated members of their communities. The link and the list below will guide you to the support center closest to your community.

Autism Speaks

DDS – Adult Autism Resource Guide
DDS Northeast Region Adult Autism Resource Guide - 2019

Department of Developmental Services
https://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dds/

Social Security: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/consumer/basic-needs/financial/ssi-ssdi/

Turning 22: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/consumer/disability-services/a-guide-to-the-turning-22-law.html

DDS Adult Eligibility Form
http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dmr/awp/dds-elig-app-child-adult-eng.pdf 

Adapting to PhD Studies – Tailored Resources for Students with Disabilitie
https://www.phds.me/resources/students-with-disabilities/

Employment

The ARC of Massachusetts
https://thearcofmass.org/join

Work Without Limits
http://www.workwithoutlimits.org/

Mass Rehabilitation Commission (MRC)
https://www.mass.gov/vocational-rehabilitation

Employment First Massachusetts
Promoting Inclusive Employment in Massachusetts

More people with disabilities are working at a competitive wage in their communities than ever before. At Employment First MA, you will find resources about community work, including practical guidelines, an overview of employment history, and stories of people with disabilities who are thriving in community-based careers. We have a variety of trainings, tools, videos, webinars, briefs, and other resources for employment specialists, job coaches, advocates, self-advocates, and others who work to promote inclusive employment for individuals with developmental disabilities.
https://employmentfirstma.org/

Housing

Autism Speaks
https://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/housing-and-community-living

Autism Housing Pathways
Autism Housing Pathways (AHP) was created to provide information, support and resources for families who seek to create secure, supported housing for their adult children with disabilities. Autism Housing Pathways seeks to foster education and awareness and disseminate information about the creation of self-directed housing for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities; to promote and support the formation and maintenance of such housing; and to assist families in creating self-directed housing for their adult children that supports their residential, recreational and community needs.  http://autismhousingpathways.org/

Turning 18 Checklist
www.autismhousingpathways.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Turning18checklist_01-2022.pdf

Turning 18 and Applying for Section 8 Voucher
www.18Section8.org

Mini-tutorial on housing for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, including housing subsidies and supportive services
http://autismhousingpathways.org/housing-in-a-months-worth-of-tweets/

Language Translations for Autism Housing Pathways Presentations
http://autismhousingpathways.org/services/presentations/#Translations

Housing Options for Adults with Autism
http://autismhousingpathways.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Shriver_webinar-2.pdf

Insurance

AFAM
www.massairc.org

The Massachusetts Autism Insurance Law (ARICA)
ARICA requires health insurers in Massachusetts to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder.  It is important to note that not all private insurance plans are required to follow the Massachusetts law requiring insurance to cover autism treatment. If you have private health insurance you will need to ask your insurance company what coverage exists in your policy for autism treatment, including coverage for ABA services and AAC devices.  http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/eohhs/autism/arica-factsheet.pdf

The Autism Insurance Resource Center, part of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center at UMass Medical School
he Autism Insurance Resource Center provides information, technical assistance, trainings, webinars, and other resources for consumers, providers, educators, employers, and others on issue related to medical insurance for autism treatment. www.massairc.org

MassHealth Services

MassHealth or Mass CommonHealth
MassHealth (as a primary insurance) or Mass CommonHealth (as a supplemental insurance)provides comprehensive health insurance - or help in paying for private health insurance – to more than one million Massachusetts children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities:

MassHealth customer service 1-800-841-2900.

  • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
    Children under the age of 21 who have been diagnosed with autism and are covered by MassHealth Standard, CommonHealth and Family Assistance are entitled to medically necessary ABA services. Coverage is also available to members who have MassHealth as secondary insurance.
  • Alternative and Augmentative Communication (ACC) Devices
    In addition to insurance coverage for ABA services, the new law expands MassHealth coverage for medically necessary Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. In the past, MassHealth covered AAC devices but did not cover electronic tablets, such as iPads, used for AAC.   MassHealth now covers electronic tablets dedicated to use as AAC, along with related software, when medically necessary for communication.  http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/masshealth/guidelines/mng-aac.pdf
  • PCA Services from MassHealth 
    The PCA Program is a MassHealth program that helps people with permanent or chronic disabilities keep their independence, stay in the community, and manage their own personal care by providing funds to hire personal care attendants (PCAs). The PCA consumer (the person receiving PCA services) is the employer of the PCA, and is fully responsible for recruiting, hiring, scheduling, training, and, if necessary, firing PCAs. www.mass.gov/masshealth-personal-care-attendant-pca-program

Contact   for Adult Services

Address

1000 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02118

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