Disability Services

The Home for Little Wanderers: Family Resource Center

Mailing Address (if different than physical location): 

Roslindale (main site)
780 American Legion Highway
Roslindale, MA 02131

Dorchester (satellite site)
Up Academy Dorchester
35 Westville Street
Dorchester, MA 02122

Boston (satellite site)
Suffolk County Juvenile Court
24 New Chardon Street
Boston, MA 02114
*check in at Juvenile Clerk’s office, 2nd floor

Phone: 

(617) 469-8501

Email: 

FRC@thehome.org

Website: 

www.thehome.org/frc

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Roslindale

  • Tuesdays 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Wednesdays 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Thursdays 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Fridays 12 noon– 4 p.m.
  • Saturdays 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Dorchester 

  • Mondays 9 a.m. – 12 noon
  • Wednesdays 12 noon – 5 p.m.
  • Fridays 9 a.m. – 12 noon

Boston

  • Mondays 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Mission: 

The Family Resource Centers (FRCs) of Massachusetts are a statewide network that provides services to strengthen families and keep them connected to resources within their own community. There are FRCs in every county in the Commonwealth. In addition to assisting families, the FRCs support the children of those families that may have behavioral issues and need additional supports.

Locations

Up Academy Dorchester
35 Westville Street
Dorchester, MA 02122
United States
Roslindale (Main site)
780 American Legion Highway
Roslindale, MA 02131
United States
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

For services or to make a referral, please contact:

Amy McCarthy, Program Director
amccarthy@thehome.org 
FRC@thehome.org
(617) 469-8501

Key Programs Offered: 

How They Can Help
Families come to the FRC for many reasons. The goal of the FRC is to connect those looking for help to the appropriate services, whether they are within the FRC or in the community. Some of the resources the staff at the FRC help families find include:
• Housing support
• Utility assistance
• Legal aid
• Summer camps and sport leagues
• Other family needs

Children who need assistance or are at risk of needing court involvement (Child Requiring Assistance-CRA) can be assessed by an FRC clinician to develop a Family Support Plan to address the child’s and the family’s needs.

Services Offered
The FRC offers an array of services through its experienced staff.
School Liaisons help families with truancy, absenteeism, special education and behavioral issues.

Family Support Workers connect families with resources in the community.
Family Partners help families navigate the child-serving system and use their lived experience as caregivers to partner with other caregivers to help achieve their goals.

Peer Support Workers work with youth to engage them in a process of change by sharing their experiences and struggles
as young adults.

The FRC also facilitates groups and classes for families such as evidence-based parent groups and family enrichment activities.

Dare Family Services

Phone: 

617-427-6500 (Boston/Roxbury); 617-628-3696 (Main Office)

Fax: 

617-427-6004 (Boston/Roxbury); 617-628-3778 (Main Office)

Website: 
Mission: 

Dare Family Services is a private, nonprofit social services agency. The primary service we provide is a highly intensive type of foster care. Dare provides foster homes for children who have been removed from their biological families due to abuse or neglect. We operate through six regional offices across Massachusetts and one in Connecticut.

Intensive foster care serves a wide range of children with distinct needs. The state entrusts us with the care of these vulnerable young lives. We work very hard to help youth heal and move forward toward a fulfilling life.

Locations

Boston Region Office
504 Dudley Street 2nd Floor
Roxbury, MA 02119
United States
Central Office
265 Medford Street, Suite 500
Somerville, MA 02143
United States
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

For more information on becoming a foster parent or about Dare's programs, please contact the office nearest you.

Key Programs Offered: 

Become a Foster Parent

You can make an extraordinary difference in a child's life by becoming a foster parent.

Dare Mentors, or foster parents, are at the heart of our agency's work. When children are removed from their own biological families due to abuse and neglect, they need to spend time in a nurturing, supportive home so they can begin to heal, trust adults and form healthy relationships.

Family Support and Stabilization

Dare Family Services provides family support and stabilization services to families involved with the Department of Children and Families. The services aim to prevent an initial or subsequent removal of a child from the home and to promote permanency. We provide these services out of our Somerville, MA office.

Intellectual Disabilities Programs

Dare Family Services offers programs to enable people with intellectual disabilities to maximize their independence and to provide for themselves. Every client in our care has an Individual Service Plan (ISP) that is overseen by a Department of Developmental Services (DDS) coordinator. The ISP objectives for each person are unique, focusing on specific areas of skill instruction and support that he or she needs to maximize independence.

> Residential Care

Dare Family Services has been providing staffed apartments for individuals with intellectual disabilities since 1977. Dare was one of the first human service agencies to pioneer these services.

We provide staffed apartments to individuals in Boston, Brookline, Dorchester and West Newton. The intensity of support ranges from 24-hour, 7-day-per-week services for some people to more limited care for others. Our staff works to determine the unique potential of each adult in our care. The goal of these programs is to teach the life skills that each person needs to live in his or her own home in the community.

> Program for Pregnant/Parenting Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

Our transitional program in Dorchester provides housing and services to mothers with intellectual disabilities and their young children. The program teachers mothers life skills such as cooking, cleaning and budgeting. We provide instruction on parenting skills to enable mothers to care for themselves and for their children. The ultimate goal of the program is to guide these women toward independent living settings where they can parent and provide for their children and themselves within their communities.

If you have a family member or loved one with intellectual disabilities and would like more information on placing him or her in our care, please contact Jan Edeman at 617-629-2710 or at jedeman@darefamily.org

Pregnant & Parenting Teens Program

Our residential program in Newburyport, MA serves teenage mothers and their children. All of these young mothers are in the custody of the Department of Children and Families (DCF), and they come to us pregnant or with babies.

These teenagers have a strong desire to raise their children themselves and to live independently. However, their young age and family history would place their children at risk unless the mothers learn skills to effectively parent. Since many of these young mothers have been victims of abuse and neglect, they are at risk of continuing the cycle of abuse if they do not receive appropriate care.

Pathways to Independence

Young people who grow up in foster care live a fractured childhood, separated from their families after having endured the horrors of abuse and neglect. When they are forced out of state care based solely on their age, they face a grueling reality. While their peers continue to rely on their families for housing, money and guidance after they turn eighteen, former foster children often have no stable figures to help them transition to independence.

As reported by a Massachusetts task force in 2008, over one-third of the young people who leave foster care become homeless; one half become pregnant or impregnate someone; and well over half suffer from mental illness.

Camp Shriver at UMass Boston

Mailing Address (if different than physical location): 

Center for Social Development and Education | 10th Floor, Healey Library | University of Massachusetts Boston | 100 Morrissey Blvd | Boston MA 02125 | 617-287-5000 617-287-7250 | csde@umb.edu

Phone: 

617-287-7247

Email: 

barbara.gildea@umb.edu

Website: 

http://www.csde.umb.edu/shriver.html

Mission: 

Camp Shriver is an inclusive summer program for children with and without intellectual disabilities. The goals of the camp are: To provide sports; and other recreational and enrichment activities for all participants. To use sports as a vehicle for improving not only campers’ sports skills and overall motor development, but also their self-esteem, social skills, and confidence in building relationships with peers. To create an atmosphere of understanding, learning, and sharing so that campers from diverse backgrounds with and without disabilities can engage in positive peer relationships and develop new friendships.

Location

United States
Key Partners: 

UMass Boston,

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

The Camp Shriver Learning Lab enables UMass Boston students to participate in this unique summer program. About 12 undergraduate interns will be selected to participate in the summer learning lab, through the Center for Social Development and Education and the Psychology Department. This internship program is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with children with and without disabilities and to learn more about child development and developmental disabilities from psychological, sociological, educational, and recreational perspectives. The internship program includes (1) hands-on fieldwork with campers as Assistant Counselors and Assistant Coaches and (2) an advanced psychology seminar on child development and disabilities.

The Boston Home

Phone: 

617.825.3905

Mission: 

Founded in 1881, The Boston Home serves adults with advanced Multiple Sclerosis and other progressive neurological diseases. Exceptional clinical care, compassion, and innovative programs have earned us the designation “Center for Excellence in Long-term Care” from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The only facility of its kind in New England and only one of a handful nationwide, The Boston Home touches the lives of thousands of people as we serve our residents, outpatients, and their families, and share our knowledge with healthcare professionals nationwide. Our residents and outpatients are typically: • 54 years old on average • Significantly physically disabled • Intellectually curious • Seeking to live full lives not defined by their disabilities Our families play an integral role in our community, involved in care plans, activities, and support groups. A staff of 200 delivers highly skilled care with warmth and creativity. Volunteers, vendors, interns, and partner organizations — representing education, arts, and technology — help us extend our services.

Location

2049 Dorchester Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02124
United States
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Admissions: 617.326.4346 The Boston Home Admissions offers informational sessions by appointment only. The Boston Home, a long-term care facility, is an important resource for adults with advanced multiple sclerosis and other progressive neurological diseases. It serves long-term residents, outpatients and their families. B.Fit! Outpatient Program: The day program is offered at The Boston Home three days a week, Monday & Wednesday from 9:30 – 3:30, and Friday from 9:30 – 1:30. Schedule is subject to change. For more information contact B.Fit! program director, Glory Wideman-Hughes at 617.326.4300. How do you get started with B.FIT!? Eligibility: Any adult with a progressive, neurological disorder can apply. Application: To schedule an in-person interview and get an application please call Glory Wideman-Hughes at 617.326-4300 or email gwideman@thebostonhome.org. Transportation: Available through the MBTA RIDE. Call for more information: 617.326.4300 --- The average age of The Boston Home resident is 56 years old. The Boston Home specifically addresses the needs of a younger population with disabilities through programs and services that range from complex nursing care to use of power wheelchairs to a focus on psycho-social needs.

Key Programs Offered: 

Residents receive: * Comprehensive clinical services. A pro-active plan of care to improve function when possible and to support the best quality of life. * Access to wellness activities and spirituality programs and discussions that address deeper needs. * Advanced adaptive technology that supports independence and creativity. An on-site Adaptive Technology Specialist is available for customized solutions for each resident. * A menu of stimulating and engaging activities and events 365 days a year, including outings to theater, museums, civic events, local shops and restaurants. Resident Life Programs Vital programs help to support our residents become more independent and live with dignity in a wheelchair-friendly facility: Technology • Wireless sensors on wheelchairs for access to elevators and exterior spaces • Computers with voice recognition software • Environmental Control Systems in resident rooms Activities • Applied art, museum field trips, lectures, and performances • Games and activities for fun, challenge, and memory support • Trips to sports, theater, and civic events Wellness & Spirituality • Relaxation & meditation • Creative exercises & comforting rituals • Discussions about deeper needs Socialization, Exercise, Information, and Referred Therapy B.Fit! is an innovative outpatient day program at The Boston Home for adults with advanced Multiple Sclerosis and other progressive neurological diseases co-sponsored by The Boston Home (TBH) and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Central New England. About B.Fit! Individuals with MS, currently living at home or in nursing homes come to B.Fit! to socialize with peers and benefit from a variety of activities and informational discussions. The programs of B.Fit! are customized to meet participants individual needs through socially, physically and intellectually stimulating activities. Participants receive guidance in navigating health and human services for their care management. A hot lunch is provided to all participants and their attending caregivers. The Goals of B.Fit! are: To provide participants with a safe, and socially enriching environment, where they help shape a schedule of activities. To help participants achieve and maintain maximum levels of personal independence through active exercise programs, strategies for maintaining memory and cognitive abilities. To promote participants’ wellness through peer support, socialization, and education. To offer participants information about health management. To offer participants referred access to TBH services. Programs Include: Structured daily exercise, support, and informational discussions. Referrals to community resources to maintain independence in the home. Social activities including current events, creative writing, cultural outings, and cyber café access. Specialty Services Available Physical, occupational, and speech therapy services, through physician referrals. Assistive technology services. Wheelchair seating and power mobility assessment and referral services. Access to tone management clinics. Fee: A sliding fee scale, based on financial need, is used to determine the daily rate. The Boston Home Institute: Tapping our body of knowledge amassed over decades, TBH staff and experts in the field define best practices; train healthcare professionals; and advocate for public policy reform.

Created: 
04/23/2010

Located in Dorchester, MA, the only facility of its kind in New England and one of the few in the United State, The Boston Home has earned the designation of “Center for Excellence in Long-Term Care” from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Boston Home has cared for residents with a range of disabling conditions since 1881, providing not only excellent nursing care, but also a sustaining community. Today, the staff, including physicians with extensive experience serving this population, is committed to preserving each resident’s independence, personal dignity and self-determination in a warm, community-oriented environment.

Centro del Cardenal (Cardinal Cushing Center)

Mailing Address (if different than physical location): 

Phone: 

(617) 506-6600

Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates): 

Mission: 

Centro del Cardenal is committed to providing young men and women, ages 14-20, with the opportunity to earn either a high school diploma or a GED in a nurturing environment that values and supports them.

Location

185 Columbia Road
Dorchester, MA 02121
United States
Key Partners: 

How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures: 

Key Programs Offered: 

Created: 
11/10/2010

This GED program helps out-of-school and high-risk youth—who did not thrive in the public school system—earn earn their GED

Caribbean Foundation of Boston, Inc

Phone: 

(617) 445-1228

Mission: 

The Caribbean Foundation of Boston is a nonprofit agency that was established in 1973. The organization was founded by a group of Caribbean women who wanted to expand home care for their culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged community.

Location

Caribbean Foundation of Boston, Inc
317 Blue Hill Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02121
United States
Key Programs Offered: 

Homemaking & Home Health Aides, Friendly Visitors Progam, Training Apartment Program

Urban Community Homemaking

Urban Community Homemaking was founded in 1973 by a group of women united in their desires to offer improved and expanded home services to members of their community. The program provides homemaking, home health aide, chore, and friendly visitor services to people who are disabled, frail or elderly in Boston's urban neighborhoods.

Our goal is to prevent unnecessary institutionalization and assist and support families with care giving. In addition, our staff who are local residents, receive training and stable employment which contributes to the economic health of our community. Over 250 people receive services monthly. Nearly all are low-income clients who require ongoing home care support to remain safely in their homes.

Homemaking & Home Health Aides

In its training and employment practices, the agency has developed and uses a unique concept, "Peer Homemakers and Home Health Aides." These are trained employees attuned to the language and culture of the people with whom they work. Familiar and reliable assistance is particularly important in serving a frail population that is constantly dealing with the multiple losses of functional ability, independence, and friends.

Our employees receive ESL training so that they are fully equipped to meet the needs of the people we serve. They are trained to teach efficient household management techniques and encourage family members to assume responsibility for the client whenever possible. Our staff are also encouraged to help ease the loneliness and isolation many of our clients experience by being empathetic.

Friendly Visitors Program

While many public and private agencies have formed over the last two decades to provide home care services to the elderly, state cutbacks have significantly decreased both the number of people served and the hours of services offered. To solve the problem, Urban Community collaborated with Senior Companions of Boston and the Massachusetts Association for the Blind to create the Friendly Visitors Program.

The program is designed to address the support and social needs of vulnerable, low-income elders and disabled citizens who are not eligible for adequate home care, particularly on weekends and holidays when isolated people feel most alone. We assist disabled and elderly people with shopping and errands, accompanying them outside for visits and light exercise, provide light homemaking, help to organize activities of daily living, and encourage hobbies, interests, and outside contacts.

Center for Community Health, Education & Research (CCHER)

Phone: 

(617) 265-0628

Mission: 

The mission of the Center for Community Health, Education & Research Inc (CCHER) is to advocate on behalf of families and their children for public health policies and services that will, over time, have long term benefits for them and the larger community. Our focus is to serve linguistically, culturally and socially challenged new immigrant, underprivileged and underserved residents in the greater Boston and the surrounding communities. We at CCHER believe that residents of a community can play an important role in organizing and advocating for efficient and affordable health care and health related services for their community.

Location

Center for Community Health, Education & Research
420 Washington Street
Dorchester, MA 02124
United States

Cushing Manor Rest Home

Phone: 

(617) 288-0400

Mission: 

Cushing Manor is a private-owned rest home providing elder care.

Location

Cushing Manor Rest Home
20 Cushing Ave
Dorchester, MA 02121
United States

WORK Inc.

Phone: 

617-691-1500

Email: 
Mission: 

All individuals have the ability to grow, the right to make choices and to participate in community life. It is the mission of WORK Inc. to join with others in creating the conditions under which all persons with disabilties will experience:

Presence and participation in community life
Opportunities to develop and exercise competence
Encouragement to make choices in the pursuit of personal growth
Opportunities to develop good relationships with family, friends, neighbors and peers
Respect and dignity through the promotion of human and civil rights
Protection from abuse and neglect
Assurances that services are flexible and person-centered and delivered by trained personnel
Respect for their unique ethnic and cultural backgrounds
The chance to take risks and have experiences that promote growth and development
Opportunities for self-advocacy that empower individuals and their families to articulate their needs and desires.

Location

Work Inc
25 Beach St
Dorchester, MA
United States
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