RESOURCES
Statewide
SPED Child and Teen: Upcoming events and opportunities from many of the MA and NE region’s organizations.
Federation for Children with Special Needs The Federation is a center for parents and parent organizations to work together on behalf of children with special needs and their families. The Federation operates a Parent Center in Massachussetts which offers a variety of services to parents, parent groups, and others who are concerned with children with special needs.
Disability Info INDEX: Search for local and statewide disability services, programs, and providers.
FamilyTies: Family TIES of Massachusetts provides information and referral services, emotional support, and training to parents of children and youth with special needs.
Advocates & Law
SEPAC's Advocate & Attorney Handout: Provides useful links and information for finding an advocate.
Disability Law Center: Provides legal advocacy on disability issues that promote the rights of people with disabilities in MA.
Massachusetts Advocates for Children (MAC): Provides help and resources for children who are facing barriers to receiving educational supports and services to which they are legally entitled. Also works to effect policy change at the legislative level. Available in English and Spanish. Helpline: (617) 357-8431 ext. 3224.
What's Happening in Education
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), PBIS supports schools, districts, and states to build systems capacity for implementing a multi-tiered approach to social, emotional and behavior support.
National Association for School Psychologists: NASP works to advance effective practices to improve students' learning, behavior, and mental health.
National Center on Universal Design Learning: UDL helps address learner variability by suggesting flexible goals, methods, materials, and assessments that empower educators to meet these varied needs.
Council for Exceptional Children: A professional association of educators dedicated to advancing the success of children with exceptionalities.
The Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative (TLPI): Helps schools create trauma-sensitive environments and advocate for laws, policies and funding streams that will enable schools to create those environments.
Local Services & Organizations
The Center of Hope: To assist individuals with severe disabilities to develop and acquire the skills, services, and resources, which will allow them to meet their goals for meaningful and productive living.
Cater 2 Kids OT: Pediatric Occupational Therapy designs a child-driven and family-oriented approach that helps your child become more independent in everyday tasks; playing, school performance, and daily activities.
Learning Disabilities (LD)
Learning Alley: Helping struggling readers succeed in the classroom with strategies, audio books, and resources. Serving students with dyslexia, blindness and visual impairment. Memberships may be available through your school district.
National Center for Learning Disabilities: Focuses on improving lives of those with learning and attention issues.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
HMEA's Autism Resource Central: Serves all families in the Central MA area; members must reside in one of these towns and complete our intake process. Some programs are available only to children who are eligible for the Department of Disability Services (DDS) Autism Division and the Center's intake specialists can assist you in the application process.
Down Syndrome
Mass Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC): Providing information, networking, and advocacy for and about Down syndrome in Massachusetts.
UMASS Memorial Down Syndrome Program: Assists families in finding coordinated, specialized services and medical care close to home in Central and Western MA. A coordinator will assess your child’s health care needs and coordinate appointments with pediatric subspecialty providers. Our multi-disciplinary program brings together a variety of devoted specialists.
High School & Transitioning Out
The Center of Hope: To assist individuals with severe disabilities to develop and acquire the skills, services, and resources, which will allow them to meet their goals for meaningful and productive living.
Work Without Limits: Programs and services are geared to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities who are seeking jobs, businesses that actively recruit people with disabilities, and the employment providers that serve individuals with disabilities.
Mass Advocates Standing Strong: State-wide, self-advocacy organization run for and by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our board, our presenters, and many of our staff members are all individuals with disabilities.
Other
National Society for the Gifted and Talented: Focused on advancing the development of gifted, talented, and high potential youth.