AHEAD - new england resources
Disability-related Resources for each New England State
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Vermont
Rhode Island
Maine
National Resources
Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Office on Disability
The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) was created in 1981 as the state advocacy agency that serves people with disabilities of all ages. MOD's primary mission is to ensure access.
Phone: (800) 322-2020 (Voice/TTY)
http://www.mass.gov/mod - Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC)
MRC promotes dignity for individuals with disabilities through employment and independent living in the community.
Phone: 1-800-245-6543 (Voice/TDD)
http://www.mass.gov/mrc - Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB)
MCB provides a broad array of social and rehabilitative services to all legally blind residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Phone: (617) 727-5550 or 1-800-392-6556 (TDD)
http://www.mass.gov/mcb - Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
MCDHH explores innovative solutions for accessible communication, identifies links to resources and supports, and becomes better prepared for current and future challenges impacting people who are deaf, hard of hearing, and late-deafened.
Phone: 1-800-249-9949 (TTY/Voice)
http://www.mass.gov/mcdhh - Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH)
The Department of Mental Health provides access to services and supports to meet the mental health needs of individuals of all ages, enabling them to live, work and participate in their communities.
Phone: 1-800-221-0053
TTY: 617-727-9842
www.mass.gov/dmh - Department of Developmental Services
The Department is dedicated to creating, in partnership with others, innovative and genuine opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities to participate fully and meaningfully in, and contribute to, their communities as valued members.
Phone: (781) 894-3600
www.mass.gov/dds - Disability Law Center
DLC is a private, non-profit organization responsible for providing protection and advocacy for the rights of Massachusetts residents with disabilities.
Phone: (617) 723-8455
http://www.dlc-ma.org/
New Hampshire
- Granite State Independent Living
Granite State Independent Living works to identify, bring attention to and improve issues affecting people with disabilities. The goal of our advocacy efforts is to help guarantee full and equal participation in society for people with disabilities and those who are aging.
Phone: 800-826-3700
http://www.gsil.org/ - Disability Rights Center
The Disabilities Rights Center is dedicated to eliminating barriers existing in New Hampshire to the full and equal enjoyment of civil and other legal rights by people with disabilities. The DRC provides information, referral, advice, and legal representation and advocacy to individuals with disabilities on a wide range of disability-related problems.
Phone: 603-228-0432
V/TTY: 1-800-834-1721
http://www.drcnh.org/ - ATECH
ATECH is a non-profit statewide organization, whose mission is to maximize abilities at home, school, work or play, for individuals affected by disabilities or the aging process, through the provision of assistive technology, education, or community health services.
Phone: 603-226-2900
http://www.crotchedmountain.org/crotchedmountain/html/atechservices.htm - NH services for the Blind
This program plans and directs the functions of education, training and vocational rehabilitation and related services to individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
Phone: 603-271-3537 or 800-581-6881
TTY/V: (603) 271-3743
http://www.nhbvi.com/SBVI/ - Institute on Disability
The IOD advances policies and systems changes, promising practices, education, and research that strengthen communities and ensure full access, equal opportunities, and participation for all persons.
Phone: 603.862.4320
TTY: 603.228.2084 or 1.800.238.2048 (NH Only)
http://iod.unh.edu/Home.aspx
Vermont
- Vermont State for Independent Living
VCIL believes that individuals with disabilities have the right to live with dignity and with appropriate support in their own homes, fully participate in their communities, and to control and make decisions about their lives.
Toll-Free Voice/TTY:800-639-1522
http://www.vcil.org/ - Disability Rights Center
Disability Rights Vermont is a statewide agency dedicated to advancing the rights of people with disabilities and mental health issues. It works towards a system that honors the dignity and needs of all people with disabilities.
Phone: 1-800-834-7890
http://www.disabilityrightsvt.org/ - Developmental Disability Services
Developmental disability services assist children, adolescents, and adults who have a developmental disability to live, attend school, work, and recreate in their communities.
Phone: 802-241-2614
http://www.ddas.vermont.gov/ - The Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VABVI)
The Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, a nonprofit organization founded in 1926, is the only private agency to offer free training, services, and support to visually impaired Vermonters.
http://www.vabvi.org/ - Vermont Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
At the Vermont Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VCDHH), our goal is to break down the barrier of hearing loss by making connections—connections between deaf and hard of hearing individuals and each other, their families and the broader hearing community around them. At the same time, we provide greater access to opportunity through quality education, employment support and advocacy.
TTY: 802-258-9500
Phone: 866-947-7409
http://www.vcdhh.org/ - Disability Determination Services (DDS)
The Vermont Office of Disability Determination Services (DDS) determines the eligibility of Vermonters who apply for disability benefits under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). We also determine the medical eligibility of Vermonters who apply for Medicaid based on having a disability.
Phone: 1-800-734-2463
http://dcf.vermont.gov/dds
Rhode Island
- Ocean State Center for Independent Living
Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL) is a consumer controlled, community based, nonprofit organization established to provide a range of independent living services to enhance, through self direction, the quality of life of Rhode Islanders with significant disability and to promote integration into the community.
Phone: 866-857-1161
TTY: (401) 738-1015
http://www.oscil.org/ - Office of Rehabilitation Services
Our mission is to empower individuals with disabilities to choose, prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment, economic self-sufficiency, independence, and integration into society.
Phone: 401.421.7005
TDD: 401.421.7016
http://www.ors.ri.gov/ - National Federation for the Blind NFB
The National Federation of the Blind is not an organization speaking for the blind, it is the blind speaking for themselves. We have the motto Equality, Security, and Opportunity. Blind people should be equal, secure in the knowledge of their equality, and have the opportunity to do anything they wish like their sighted counterparts.
Phone: (401) 433-2606
http://www.nfbri.org - Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Our Mission is to provide innovative leadership in public policy, advocacy, service delivery and accessibility throughout the Ocean State, RI CDHH ensures opportunities for every deaf and hard of hearing person to become an empowered and contributing citizen.
Phone: (401) 256-5511
http://www.cdhh.ri.gov/
Maine
- Maine Personal Assistance Services Association
The Maine Personal Assistance Services Association is committed to the development of all professional personal assistance workers in order to enhance the quality of life and independence of all Maine people.
Phone: 207-890-0773
http://www.mainepasa.org/ - Independent Living Services
The Independent Living Services (ILS) Program assists people who have significant disabilities to live more independently in their homes and communities. The program provides and arranges needed IL services subject to the availability of funds. The program is also an advocacy program for people with disabilities and their families.
Phone: (800) 640-7200
TTY: (207) 767-5387
http://www.maine.gov/rehab/dvr/independent_living.shtml - Developmental Services (DS)
Developmental Services will provide leadership and be an active partner in Maine's comprehensive system of support to individuals with mental retardation and autism. At the foundation of this system is the belief that all individuals, through self-determination, can achieve a quality of life consistent with the community in which they live. Supports will be flexible and designed in a manner that recognizes people's changing needs throughout their lifetimes.
Phone: (207) 287-4242
TTY - (207) 606-0215
http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/OACPDS/DS/ - Bureau of Rehabilitation Services
BRS works to bring about full access to employment, independence and community integration for people with disabilities.
Telephone: 1-800-698-4440
Toll Free TTY: 1-888-755-0023
http://www.maine.gov/rehab/index.shtml
- Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, also known as "VR," is a Department of Labor program that helps people who have disabilities to get and keep a job. VR helps people who have physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. - Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing & Late Deafened
The Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing & Late Deafened (DDHHLD) provides a variety of services for Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing and Late-Deafened citizens of Maine,
Toll Free:1-888-755-0023
Phone: 866-760-8430
TTY: 207-623-7998
http://www.maine.gov/rehab/dod/index.shtml
- Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
- Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired
The Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides vocational, educational and independent living services to blind and visually impaired consumers. The division provides adaptive-skill training to accomplish activities of daily living, homemaking skills training including meal preparation, shopping and cleaning, orientation and mobility instruction to assist individuals to travel safely through the use of alternative techniques, personal management skills training such as managing money, dialing a telephone and telling time. - Disability Rights Center (DRC)
The Disability Rights Center (DRC) provides protection and advocacy services for eligible people of all ages with developmental disabilities or mental illness. DRC offers direct advocacy assistance, information and referral, and training.
Phone/TTY: 800-452-1948
http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oes/resource/disab_rights.htm
National Resources
- New England ADA & Accessible IT Center
A comprehensive source for information on the Americans with Disabilities Act and accessible Information Technology (IT). Providing toll-free technical assistance (800-949-4232 Voice/TTY), training and materials on the ADA, Sections 508 & 255 and accessible IT.
http://www.NewEnglandADA.org - ADA Information Center for the Mid-Atlantic Region
The ADA Information Center for the Mid-Atlantic Region is one of ten regional centers established to provide training, information, and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and accessible information technology in education to businesses, consumers, schools, and state and local governments.
http://www.adainfo.org - Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
CAST is an educational, not-for-profit organization that uses technology to expand opportunities for all people, especially those with disabilities.
http://www.cast.org - The Northeast Technical Assistance Center (NETAC)
The Northeast Technical Assistance Center (NETAC) provides outreach and technical assistance to postsecondary programs in the Northeast serving individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.
http://www.netac.rit.edu - Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
RFB&D's materials are for all people who cannot effectively read standard print because of a visual, perceptual or other physical disability.
http://www.rfbd.org
