Programs

Advocacy and Empowerment

The Arc of Massachusetts plays a leadership role in advocating on both the state and federal levels to obtain services and supports for people of all ages with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). This includes ensuring that elected leaders and public officials understand the needs of our constituents, advancing progressive regulations or policies, and working with the judicial system if needed. We encourage families and individuals to advocate for their personal goals.

Education, Trainings, and Webinars

The Arc provides a range of webinars and outreach sessions to assist families in their caregiving role and to educate them about resources that are available. We provide self-advocates, parents, educators, and other professionals the tools they need to assure positive transitions from school to adulthood, so they can be fully included in the community with access to housing, employment, and recreation. Our work with the Massachusetts Alliance for 21st Century Policy, including the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council, involves both education and empowerment.

Operation House Call

Operation House Call (OHC) teaches new medical professionals essential skills to enhance the health care of persons with I/DD. Families, parents, and individual self-advocates serve as educators in a health care field that seldom focuses on more than making a diagnosis. It is a rare and important training opportunity for students at Boston University School of Medicine, Tufts Medical School, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Simmons College School of Health Sciences, and Yale University School of Nursing. Through OHC, students begin to build confidence and interest in working with individuals with I/DD and their families.

SUPPORTbrokers

SUPPORTbrokers assists persons with disabilities achieve their vision. We accomplish this through planning, education, and advocacy. Consumers or families hire a support broker to help them find appropriate services and supports to thrive in their community. Brokers can help consumers find transportation, a place to live, someone to help them with daily living skills, a job counselor, and other linkages. They also can facilitate and create a person-centered plan and help consumers apply for Social Security or health insurance, among other benefits.

Pathways to Friendship (Widening the Circle)

Widening the Circle explores the benefits of relationships between people with and without disabilities and provides information on engaging in and sustaining those relationships. Building friendships can be especially challenging to people who have disabilities, whose relationships are often limited to family, paid staff, and others with disabilities. All people benefit from a diversity of relationships.

Headlines

Government AffairsLeo's LettersNewsWorkforce Initiative
September 28, 2023

Leo’s Letter: Two Steps Forward and How Many Steps Back?

In 2018, when we published our workforce report outlining a four-step strategy to solve the crisis we faced, we had no idea that 2020 would bring us a pandemic -…
Government AffairsNewsWorkforce Initiative
September 25, 2023

Advocates: Ask Your Legislators to Act on the Workforce Crisis Now!

The Arc is grateful for the advocacy from our community regarding our top priority bills to raise the rates of pay for the DDS and MassHealth workforce (H171/S83) and to…
Government AffairsLeo's LettersNewsWorkforce Initiative
September 22, 2023

Leo’s Letter: How Four of The Arc’s Priority Bills Directly Affect Families

In this week's video message, Executive Director Leo Sarkissian provides an overview of how some of The Arc's priority bills directly affect the families we serve. The bills he discusses…

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