| Name | Emphasis | Description |
| Accredited Online Colleges and Disability Education | Education – Higher Education | Information about online colleges and accommodations for people with disabilities |
| Administration on Developmental Disabilities | Federal Resource | A part of the Administration on Community Living (ACL.) The Administration on Disabilities (AoD) collaborates with states, communities, and partners in the disability network to equip individuals with disabilities of all ages with opportunities, tools, and supports to lead lives of their choice in their community. |
| American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities | Disability Resource | Online resource to access about intellectual and other disabilities. |
| U.S. Department of Transportation - Traveling with a Disability | Security; Travel | Outlines the rights of airline passengers with disabilities, provides resources for traveling safely, and also allows users to file a complaint or to addresses concerns about airport security for passengers with disabilities. |
| American Red Cross | Emergency Services | This organization fosters emergency preparedness. Also offers information on blood donations for individuals and groups. |
| The Arc of Massachusetts | Community Supports | ARC is an advocacy group founded by parents in 1954, representing 80,000 people with specific developmental disabilities and working cooperatively with state and private affiliates to provide services and support. |
| Assisting People With Disabilities In a Disaster | Federal Resource | An organization whose mission it is to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies including natural and man-made disasters. |
| GetATStuff - Massachusetts Assistive Technology Exchange | Disability Resource | Site to facilitate transactions between residents looking for assistive technology devices and those who have assistive technology devices that are no longer needed. |
| Association of Developmental Disability Providers | Disability Resource | Providing services and supports to individuals with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, other developmental disabilities, and traumatic brain injuries. |
| Preparing for the Future - Autism in Adulthood | Autism |
Website developed by former Gopen Fellow and current Councilmember Gyasi Burks-Abbott to provide resources for Autistic adults in Massachusetts |
| Cerebral Palsy Guide | Disability Resource; Cerebral Palsy | Helping children with cerebral palsy and their families learn more about treatment options, financial support and legal aid. |
| Cerebral Palsy Guidance | Disability Resource; Cerebral Palsy | Information for Parents of a child with Cerebral Palsy. This website's mission is to provide quality information on the causes/treatments of CP, living with CP, and financial support. |
| Department of Elementary and Secondary Education | State Resource; Special Education | Lead education agency in Massachusetts overseeing the education of children in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. Responsible for setting state learning standards. |
| Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities | State Resource; Housing | State agency working to create more homes and lower housing costs in every region. EOHLC also distributes funding to municipalities, oversees the state-aided public housing portfolio, and operates the state's emergency family shelter. |
| Department of Mental Health | State Resource; Rehabilitative Services | This department sets the standards for the operation of mental health facilities and community residential programs, provides clinical rehabilitative and supportive services for adults with serious mental illness and children and adolescents with serious mental illness and children and adolescents with serious mental illness or serious emotional disturbances. |
| Department of Developmental Services | State Resource; Rehabilitative Services | Offers a wide array of services to more than 43,000 children and adults across Massachusetts who may require assistance in job placement, transportation, residential services, treatment; monitoring and care through state-operated programs and contracted providers. |
| Department of Public Health | State Resource; Health | Promotes healthy people, healthy families, and healthy environments through compassionate care, education and prevention. |
| Department of Children & Families | State Resource; Child Care | Dedicated to permanency planning for the well-being of children who have been abused or neglected in a family setting. Family-based services; temporary out-of-home care or alternate permanent situation, such as adoption, guardianship or independent living. |
| Department of Transitional Assistance | State Resource; Education; Public Assistance | Formerly known as the Department of Public Welfare. This is an agency responsible for administering public assistance programs for needy citizens of the Commonwealth. |
| MassHire Department of Career Services | Employment | Invests in Massachusetts business and employees through training and ensuring that employers and workers are linked through a state network. Also provides economic data about Bay State to ensure its future and provides between job assistance. |
| Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program (MCPAP): Developmental Screening Toolkit for Primary Care Providers | Healthcare Resource | This site is for primary care providers considering or planning to start screening children for developmental needs using a validated tool. Whether you know you should change but don't know where to start, or are still thinking about how this change could work in your setting, this website will help. |
| Disability Law Center | Legal | The Disability Law Center is a private, non-profit public interest law firm providing free Legal assistance and information to people with disabilities throughout Massachusetts. |
| Disabled Persons Protection Commission | Legal | The Disabled Persons Protection Commission's mission is to protect adults with disabilities from abusive acts and omissions of their caregivers through investigation, oversight, public awareness and prevention. Cooperates with DSS and Elder Affairs. |
| Ready.gov: Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities | Disaster Planning | Disaster preparedness planning and checklist. |
| https://budget.digital.mass.gov/bb/h1/fy10h1/brec10/dpt/hnhcf.htm | State Resource; Health | Responsible for health care information and pricing and regulatory functions, formerly known as the Rate Setting Commission, also administers the uncompensated care pool which reimburses hospitals and centers providing services for uninsured individuals. |
| Easterseals Massachusetts | Disability Resource | Easter Seals provides comprehensive, up-to-date information on disability services and resources, plus referrals to all Easter Seals services and a wide variety of agencies/organizations statewide offering help to people with disabilities. |
| Job Accomodation Network (JAN): Emergency Procedures for Employees with Disabilities | Emergency Services | Provides information on creating a safe evacuation plan in case of emergencies that includes disabled employees.. |
| The Sierra Group: Employment Incentives | Employment | This organization provides information on employment incentives for businesses including tax credits, business loans and grants, vocational rehab services, assistive technology information and other financial advantages that will encourage businesses to employ people with disabilities. |
| Epilepsy Foundation | Disability Resource | The Epilepsy Foundation helps ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences, and will prevent, control and cure epilepsy through research, educational advocacy and services. |
| Executive Office for Administration and Finance | State Resource; Policies and Procedures | Provides state agencies with reliable administrative services and expertise in fiscal policies, information, technology, procurement and human resource. |
| Executive Office of Health and Human Services | State Resource; Health | Providing leadership and oversight to 15 state agencies. Effective leadership in delivery of health and human services that promote health and safety, independence and quality of life for individuals, families and communities. |
| Executive Office of Public Safety and Security | State Resource; Public Safety | Executive Office of Public Safety is the planning and management arm of the Commonwealth's public safety efforts. |
| Federation for Children with Special Needs | Special Education | A center for parents and parent organizations to work together on behalf of children with special needs and their families. |
| Future of the Workforce | Disability Resource |
A preliminary findings draft for the Councils on State Governments 2019 National Conference - Approaches to Increasing Access & Inclusion as well as Options for State Policymakers |
| Voting | Information and resources on voting and cognitive access for people with disabilities. | |
| Governor's Commission on Intellectual Disability | State Resource; Accountability | The Governor's Commission on Intellectual Disability was established to examine the quality and comprehensiveness of the Commonwealth's program of services designed to address the wide variety of needs of people with intellectual disability. |
| Guardianship Challenges and Options | Disability Resource | A guide for concerned persons when you think there may be a problem between someone and their guardian, and provides information on the process of making changes to an individual’s guardianship. |
| University of Minnesota: Impact Newsletter | Disability Resource; ID/DD | Impact is a quarterly newsletter published by the Institute on Community Integration (UAP) and the Training Center on Community Living, College of education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. |
| KFF: Information on Medicaid and the Uninsured | Medical | From the Kaiser Family Foundation, provides timely, relevant and trusted information and analysis on health care coverage and access to care, the role of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and coverage of the uninsured to inform policy discussions. |
| Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston | Disability Resources; Independent Living | Supports the rights of children & adults with disabilities to participate in all aspects of the community. |
| The Spectrums Careers: Job Portal for Individuals with Autism | Employment | Job portal for individuals with autism featuring job postings and educational resources for job seekers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. |
| Housing Navigator MA | Housing | Online listing and search tool for accessible and affordable rental homes in Massachusetts. |
| MyMassHome | Housing | Online listing and search tool for accessible and affordable homeownership opportunities in Massachusetts. |
| Mass Advocates Standing Strong | Self-advocacy | Statewide organization empowering self-advocates through education to make choices that improve and enrich their lives. |
| Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination | State Resource; Legal | To ensure equality of opportunity by enforcing the Commonwealth's anti-discrimination laws, chapters 121B & 272 through the resolutions of complaints of discrimination in areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, services, credit and education. |
| Massachusetts Commission for the Blind | State Resource; Rehabilitative Services | State agency working in partnership with legally blind individuals to reach their goals of independence, and to participate in their communities. |
| Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing | State Resource; Rehabilitative Services | State agency mandated to provide leadership, coordination of public policies, and specialized services to ensure full and equal opportunities for the deaf and late deafened and hard of hearing persons. |
| Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council | State Resource; Education; Disability Resource | Independent agency, funded by the federal government, dedicated to empowering people with developmental disabilities and their families to enjoy full productive lives by promoting self-sufficiency, community inclusion & opportunity. |
| Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency | Federal Resource; Disaster Planning; Emergency Services | Assisting people with disabilities in a disaster; providing assistance to people with disabilities, who, under normal circumstance, would need no assistance. |
| MassFamilies | Family Support/Legislative Advocacy | A statewide, grassroots coalition of individuals with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses and their families. We believe that supports for individuals and families can be more flexible and better designed to respond to the actual needs people have. We are actively organizing families and individuals to use the power of our numbers to effect positive change. |
| Massachusetts Health Connector | Health | To provide affordable health care coverage for Massachusetts residents as part of health care reform. |
| Massachusetts Health Council | Health | Non-profit, non-partisan statewide organization of more than 150 government and volunteer agencies, consumer and advocacy groups, professional societies and private corporations committed to improving and protecting the health of its citizens. |
| Massachusetts Office on Disability | State Resource; Legal | To bring about full and equal protection of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. The Commonwealth's "Americans with Disabilities Act" coordinating agency. |
| Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission | State Resource; Independent Living | MRC assists individuals with disabilities to live independently and go to work. It serves individuals with all types of disabilities except those who are blind, because they are served through MCB. |
| MassHousing | Housing | Independent, quasi-public agency charged with providing financing for affordable housing in Massachusetts. |
| Massachusetts Housing Partnership | Housing | Self-supporting state agency that promotes more stable and diverse neighborhoods in cities and towns across Massachusetts through the development and preservation of affordable housing. |
| National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities | Developmental Disability Council Support | NACDD's mission is to provide support and assistance to member councils in order to promote a consumer and family centered system of services and supports for those with disabilities. |
| National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) | Education | A national information and referral center that provides information on disabilities and disability-related issues for families, educators, and other professionals. Special focus is from birth to 22 years old. |
| National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research | Federal Resource; Disability Resource | National leader in sponsoring leadership for a comprehensive program of research related to the rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities from birth through adulthood. |
| New England ADA Center | Disability Resource | The New England ADA & Accessible IT Center is one of ten regional disability and business technical assistance centers funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The Center is a project of Adaptive Environments, Inc., a nonprofit organization. |
| DisabilityInfo.org: New England Index | Disability Resource | Information on disabilities, technical services, information and referral services, and technical assistance on programs. |
| Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity | State Resource; Employment | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. |
| MassHealth | State Resource; Insurance | The MassHealth program 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. |
| Office for Refugees and Immigrants | State Resource; Refugees and Immigrants | To assist refugees in adjusting to life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Offers programs, public advocates, coordination of state and federal services and works to make mainstream programs linguistically and culturally accessible. |
| Department of Children & Families | State Resource; Child Care | Invests in children. Helps families improve the quality of child care. |
| Rewarding Work | Personal Care Attendants | A web site for elders, people with disabilities, and family members to find qualified personal assistants. Free trials are available. This is a non-profit 501(C)(3) organization that has been cited as a "Promising Practice" by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). |
| Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Special Education | State Resource; Special Education | Highlights issues and initiatives connected to Special Education |
| Council of State Governments: Stay-At-Work / Return-To-Work Toolkit | Disability Resource |
A resource from the Council of State Governments, designed for state policymakers to increase employment retention. |
| National Resource Center for Supported Decision-Making | Disability Resource | Provides information on supported decision-making (SDM), an effective alternative to guardianship that is gaining momentum in Massachusetts and nationwide. Provides tools, resources, and state-level information for anyone interested in SDM. |
| Supporting Siblings of Explosive Children | Disability Resource; Family Support | This document, prepared by former Gopen Fellow Emily Rubin, explores the way in which explosive children change family dynamics. |
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U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services |
Federal Resource; Special Education | Support to parents and individuals, school districts and states in special education, vocational rehabilitation, and research. |
| U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development | Housing | Department of Housing and Urban Development was developed by the Act of 1965 as a cabinet level agency. |
| United States Department of Justice | Federal Resource;Legal | Rights and Americans with Disabilities Act Information Line: 1-800-514-0301 and 1-800-514-0383 |
| U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | Federal Resource; Employment | A resource of job opportunities, training, and information regarding equal employment. |
| Council of State Governments & National Conference of State Legislatures: Work Matters | Disability Resource |
A report on the Framework for States on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities from the Council of State Governments and the National Conference of State Legislatures |
The following is a list of resources meant to help those with a wide range of disabilities, including intellectual/developmental disabilities.