This Executive Order establishes a Task Force on Economic Opportunity for Populations Facing Chronically High Rates of Unemployment, which is responsible for identifying challenges and barriers to employment and recommending strategies for helping target populations (including people with disabilities) prepare for and connect to employment opportunities.
This bill establishes a Commission on Autism, which consists of representatives from the Department of Education, the Department of Labor and Workforce, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, the higher education and community college systems and more. The Commission is tasked with investigating the range of services and supports necessary for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder to achieve their full potential, including around education, employment and behavioral and mental health services. The bill also establishes an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Account to enable individuals with disabilities to save private funds for the purpose of education, employment, transportation, assistive technology and other qualified expenses.
This bill establishes a permanent commission on the status of people with disabilities, which is tasked with studying and advising on the status of transportation for people with disabilities, including to access employment opportunities; establishing school-to-work activities for transition-aged youth with disabilities that engage family members (among other stakeholders); and promoting and facilitating collaboration among local disability commissions, disability right advocacy organizations and disability employment service providers.
This program provides adaptive devices and technical consulting to individuals who are blind and employers to help in the workplace, classroom, or the management of a consumer’s home.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB), MCB Support Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program provides consultation and information for those receiving disability benefits, who need help understanding eligibility and the impact work may have on their benefits.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
CAP helps individuals who experience problems when applying for or receiving vocational rehabilitation or independent living services. This includes advising and informing individuals of their rights and providing advocacy services.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program acts as the initial information resource for the public related to issues of deafness and hearing loss, including around sign language and speech reading classes, assistive technology, programs and support services for deaf and hard of hearing individuals, and schools and summer camps. The program also provides technical assistance around assistive technology to individuals and organizations.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
The Massachusetts Office on Disability answers questions about disability rights, reasonable accommodations, and issues related to equal access and opportunity.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program provides classes for people with disabilities to learn skills that will assist them in pursuing independence. Topics include self-advocacy, choice and control, your rights 101, awareness and action, and voting. Participants will also have the opportunity to become actively involved in a project of their choice.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC)
Entity Type: Other
Topic(s): Youth Development & Leadership
This program assists individuals with disabilities in seeking, securing, and maintaining employment. Services include career planning, resume development, training, and more.
Operating Entity: University of Massachusetts Boston, Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI)
Entity Type: College / University
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This group mentoring program enables youth with disabilities to engage in self-advocacy and social skills trainings, interactive discussions, role-playing, guest speaker presentations, games, and adaptive recreational activities.
Operating Entity: Partners for Youth with Disabilities
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Youth Development & Leadership
This program supports Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers in 12 eastern states plus DC and two territories. Services include one-to-one consultations, trainings and webinars, peer-to-peer mentoring, site visits, non-profit management tools, and more.
Operating Entity: Navigating Excellence Parent Center Assistance & Collaboration Team (NE-PACT)
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
These programs offer students with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to take college classes, engage in career development and independent living activities, and participate in the social life of a college campus.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Project IMPACT provides personal benefit counseling to people that get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and are employed or looking for a job. This can help individuals with disabilities understand what may happen when they go to work or increase earnings.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program protects individuals with disabilities by empowering them and advocating on their behalf. This includes providing information and referrals, providing training and technical assistance to service providers, and conducting self-advocacy training.
Operating Entity: Disability Law Center
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
STEPS is a resource center where young adults (ages 18-25) can receive mental health support. The program promotes self-advocacy, and offers opportunities for vocational, educational and social development.
Operating Entity: Wayside Youth & Family Support Network
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program works with individuals who are blind or visually impaired to help them navigate their environments and use technology to improve their independence. Services include help with assistive devices, vision evaluations, rehabilitation teaching to help consumers learn new way of doing daily activities, and more.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program works with special education departments to coordinate services for students who will be graduating high school and need supported living services. Students begin meeting with a case coordinator during their last year in school to transition into post-secondary education, work, and living in the community.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities, Systems Coordination
This program enables eligible individuals with disabilities to save money in a tax-exempt account that may be used for qualified disability expenses while keeping their eligibility for federally-funded, means-tested public benefits. Eligible expenses include education, employment training and support, and assistive technology.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program provides paid, temporary work opportunities for individuals with disabilities at Children's Hospital Boston. The program’s focus is on helping participants develop work skills and behaviors that will enhance their vocational success.
Operating Entity: University of Massachusetts Boston, Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI)
Entity Type: College / University
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program matches youth and young adults with mental health challenges (ages 16-22) with the services and supports that best meet their clinical and developmental needs, including around personal stability, community housing, employment, education, and positive family/social relationships.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Department of Mental Health
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program supports young adults with mental health challenges across a range of issues, including attaining employment. Peer mentors offer their firsthand experiences of living with and overcoming mental health issues to support and assist the young adults they are teamed up with on their road to recovery.
Operating Entity: Aspire Health Alliance
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program is offered through Independent Living Centers and provides students with employment related skills, guidance, and paid internships to improve future employment opportunities.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program helps people with physical, psychiatric, and learning disabilities prepare for, secure, maintain, advance, or regain employment. Services are offered at 22 locations across the state.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program helps individuals with disabilities who are receiving Social Security Disability benefits make informed choices about work and make a successful transition to self-sufficiency.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This transitional program provides daily structure and support to help young adults with psychiatric disabilities integrate back into the community. It includes structured groups and individualized support to help individuals build pre-vocational, vocational, and educational skills, as well as daily life skills as they relate to work or school.
Operating Entity: Eliot Community Human Services
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education developed a web page which hosts information regarding special education in the COVID-19 environment. The web page includes guidance regarding instruction and services for students with disabilities in the COVID-19 Environment, Family Resources and Information, Fiscal Considerations, Timelines, Procedural Safeguards and recordings of the Special Education Directors' meetings.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Topic(s): Distance Learning, Family Engagement
Massachusetts published a letter to families explaining the process of distanced learning going forward. The letter emphasizes adjustments to IEPs to best accommodate students with disabilities during distance learning. It also requires schools to provide assistive technology for students. Finally, it communicates future policies with parents.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Topic(s): Family Engagement, IEP
This webpage provides links to resources for teachers and other education system personnel to address the mental and behavioral needs of their students during the pandemic, including trainings and online supports.
Operating Entity: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Topic(s): Mental Health
The Michigan Department of Education released guidance on addressing the return to school for students with IEPs. Topics include developing a contingency plan, parent counseling and training, informal assessments, and recovery services.
Operating Entity: Michigan Department of Education
Topic(s): Family Engagement, IEP, Transition