Resources and Services
This list of resources is intended to help Wakefield residents looking for resources for loved ones with a disability. This list is not intended to be exhaustive or to represent the endorsement of any of the organizations listed below. We hope to update this website at least twice a year, so please check back for updates.
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Advocacy/Community/Informational
The Arc of Massachusetts: The Arc advocates for community support and services that foster inclusion, social inclusion, self-determination, and equity across all aspects of society. The Arc works on legislative advocacy, trains medical professionals through Operation House Call, and engages with transition services through an annual conference.
Advocates for Autism: This group has advocated and been behind legislation to support all people with Autism since the early 1990s. This organization speaks with one voice to build the capacity of our communities to welcome, fully include, and support people with ASD.
Best Buddies MA & RI: Best Buddies works to promote inclusion of individuals with disabilities into their communities, schools, workplaces, and housing. The organization offers a variety of services from job and living placement and long-term support to high school and college friendship programs promoting equal and inclusive environments.
Disability Info.org: INDEX helps people with disabilities find the information they need. This includes, but is not limited to, information on support groups, training, conferences, and recreation for families. They provide a clearing house of up-to-date information on programs, providers, and services in Massachusetts that have something to offer to people with disabilities. INDEX is a project of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Family TIES of Massachusetts: Family TIES of Massachusetts provides information and referral services, emotional support, and training to parents of children and youth with special needs. Driven and staffed by parents of children with special needs, they offer a unique type of emotional and practical support to families with similar life experiences.
Federation for Children with Special Needs: The Federation Is dedicated to ensuring that every family and child has equitable access to the educational, medical, and community supports they need and deserve. They offer trainings, annual conferences, and resources for children supported through an Individualized Education Program or (IEP). These resources include information on parental safeguards, advocates, and information on what programs may be right for each child.
Mass Advocates Standing Strong (MASS): MASS is a community of self-advocates dedicated to the empowerment of the disabled community. The organization promotes the agenda set by self-advocates and holds community events.
Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress: The Congress works to ensure individuals are valued and given the same opportunities to pursue fulfilling lives by providing information, networking opportunities, and advocacy for people with Down Syndrome and their families, educators, health care professionals, and the community-at-large.
MassFamilies: MassFamilies is a grassroots organization of individuals with disabilities and/or chronic illness and their families. They organize leadership training and advocate for legislation.
Legal
Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD): MOD is a state agency that focuses on helping people understand how disability laws and regulations apply in their situations in order to best explore their options.
Disability Law Center (DLC): DLC is the Protection and Advocacy Agency for Massachusetts. The non-profit provides legal advocacy on disability issues at the systemic level and through individual representation.
Services offered through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH): MCDHH provides accessible communication, education, and advocacy to consumers and private and public entities so that programs, services, and opportunities throughout Massachusetts are fully accessible to persons who are deaf and hard of fearing.
Commission For the Blind (MCB): The Commission provides the highest quality vocational rehabilitation and social services to Massachusetts residents who are legally blind and visually impaired, leading to their independence and full community participation. MCB can be contacted for registration identification and Certificates of Blindness.
Department of Developmental Services (DDS): The Department of Developmental Services provides supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, to enhance opportunities to become fully engaged members of their communities.
Early Intervention (EI): EI is a program for infants and toddlers (birth to 3 years old) who have developmental delays or are at risk of a developmental delay. This division provides resources to get families started in the process of receiving services.
Independent Living Centers (ILC): ILC provides the option for individuals with disabilities to live and work independently. By working with individuals and their communities, ILC advocates and places individuals into community-based, inclusive living environments. Read the Massachusetts housing search guide.
Department of Mental Health (DMH): The Department of Mental Health, as the State Mental Health Authority, provides access to services and supports the mental health needs of individuals of all ages; enabling them to live, work, and participate in their communities.
Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC): The Commission helps individuals with disabilities live and work independently. MRC is responsible for vocational rehabilitation, community living, and disability determination for federal benefit programs.
Agencies that provide services to residents of Wakefield
American Training: This organization offers programs for adults with disabilities including work readiness programs, day programs, as well as a variety of forms of residential services for people with a disability.
Bridgewell: Bridgewell supports people who have substance abuse, mental health concerns, and those with intellectual disabilities. Bridgewell delivers support through community housing, day programs, outpatient treatment, recovery services, as well as education and employment training.
Communitas: Communitas supports people with intellectual disabilities and Autism in their homes and communities across the life-span. These community-based services are offered through adult family/foster care, day services, family support, residential support, and recreation. Communitas is the family support center for everyone with a disability who lives at home with their families in Wakefield and surrounding towns.
Disability Resource Center: The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is a service and advocacy center run by and for people living with disabilities. The DRC supports people of all ages who have any type of disability to live independently and participate fully in community life. They offer information and referral, independent living skills, peer counseling, advocacy, education and options counseling in there Salem office.
Elliot Community Human Services: Elliot provides clinical, residential, and other services to people with mental health and other disabilities. Elliot is the Community Service Agency (CSA) that supports Wakefield residents for the umbrella of services through Mass Health’s Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI). Elliot also provides mobile crisis services for the Wakefield community.
North East Arc: Northeast Arc provides support across the life span, including early intervention, applied behavior analysis (ABA) services, Autism support, and art, employment, recreation, and residential services.
Riverside Community Care: Riverside provides an array of services across the state. Available to Wakefield residents, Riverside has outpatient and in-home counseling, behavioral support services, family therapy, and programming through their trauma center.
Triangle: Triangle, Inc. offers opportunities for employment, empowerment, independence, and community inclusion for people with disabilities. This includes services for adults in employment, day, and residential support.
Transportation
The RIDE: This paratransit service provides door-to-door, shared-ride transportation to eligible people who can’t use the subway, bus, or trolley all or some of the time due to temporary or permanent disability. The RIDE is a shared service, so you’ll travel with other customers going in the same general direction.
RIDE Flex: Starting July 1, 2022, The RIDE customers can book on-demand service through MBTA partners, Uber and Lyft. While the RIDE Flex does not offer traditional ADA paratransit-level service, customers may ask drivers for assistance getting into and out of the vehicle.