Continue to use your primary care physician (PCP) and urgent care when needed.  The State’s main site on the virus and your health is on the Dept. of Public Health (DPH) website (prevention and treatment).

MassHealth has a page on feeling symptoms: scroll down to “Members” and “If you are not feeling well.”

Personal Protective Equipment continues to be in short supply (April 27), but if a family member is positive and PCA services are involved, directions on PPE are here in English and here in Spanish.

Please reach out as you are experiencing need. We list below three main pathways to obtaining assistance:

• Family support centers and chapters of The Arc
• Department of Developmental Services (DDS) offices
• MassHealth

Further below in this section we note other pages at the state agencies we encourage you to explore.

• If you or your family member is or has been receiving services from an agency, call that agency first.
• Your local family support or autism support center is another option for assistance. You can use the directory to find one in your area here.
• Contact the chapter of The Arc in your area.
  • You can look up the closest chapter to you based on city/town here.
  • Find the chapter’s contact info here.
• Contact your DDS area office if you are unable to receive assistance through your agency provider or family support or autism support center.
  • Look up your DDS area office by city/town.
• If you are not DDS eligible, you have these options:  explore MassHealth, and contact your Independent Living Center.  If you are served through an accountable care organization, you may want to check with entity for further support or the community partner which serves you. You should have that contact information. Here is a list.

Resources and Guidance from MassHealth, DDS, & Mass Commission for the Blind

• DDS COVID-19 Resources Page
• Rehabilitation Commission offers a “warm line” five days a week, 9:00am-4:00pm. Consumer and Family number is 617-204-3665.​
• Commission for the Blind COVID-19 Resources Page
• Download caregiver guidance from MassHealth. Scroll down to “Apr 14 Update Residential & Congregate Care Guidance.”
• MassHealth General Member Updates.
• MassHealth has approved 90-day medication refills (as long as you have approval for at least 1 refill); this isn’t extending to all medications and we are advocating for full extension. It has expanded home health for those who can’t fill hours.
• MassHealth Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Provider Frequently Asked Questions

• State’s main information site on the virus at the Department of Public Health (DPH)
• COVID-19 Response Center – Dial 211 (scroll down for translation into multiple languages)  
• Fact sheet in plain language on health safety during crisis.
• Fact sheets plain language posted on DDS site on variety of topics (scroll down to testing resources)
• Video in plain language on health safety during virus.
• For explaining Coronavirus to children.
• A shorter more general ‘coping’ page for children.
• CDC page on Coronavirus.
• A visual guide to using Zoom meetings for communications.
• Activities during this period can be found through Google, but here are two options posted at DDS and social inclusion options from The Arc.
• State of Emergency State Command Center