PTAY Resources

  • 211 Massachusetts

    Talk to someone who can help! Call 211 Now!

    Receive support and resources on domestic violence, food, rent/utilities, clothing/household items, and other vital needs.

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  • Accommodations on College Board Exams

    The College Board is committed to making sure that students with disabilities can take the SAT, SAT Subject Tests, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and Advanced Placement® Exams with the accommodations they need. All reasonable requests are considered.

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  • Adaptive Driving Program, Inc.

    Driving training, evaluation, and advocacy for people with special needs.

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  • Adolescent Autonomy Checklist

    A checklist of essential life skills to help your youth on the path to adulthood.

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  • Bristol Community College - Disability Services

    Disability Services provides a full range of advocacy services to a diverse population of students with disabilities. Disability Services assists students, as well as other college departments, in providing access to services and programs in the most integrated setting possible.

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  • Camp Aranu'tiq (LGBTQ Friendly Summer Camp)

    Welcome to Camp Aranu'tiq of Harbor Camps: a nonprofit program serving transgender & gender-variant youth & their families.

    Aranu'tiq was founded in 2009 by Nick Teich, who dreamed of a safe & fun place for youth who felt like they might not fit in at other camps because of their gender and/or who wanted to be with others like them.

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  • Cape Cod Community College - Disability Services

    The O'Neill Center for Disability Services provides accommodations to qualified students with documented disabilities.

    The O'Neill Center works collaboratively with faculty and other campus resources to provide a wide range of support services which may include extended time for testing, academic counseling, tutoring, note taking, as well as adaptive computing.

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  • Cape Organization For Rights of the Disabled (CORD)

    The Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled (CORD) has been aggressively working since 1984 to advance the independence, productivity, and integration of people with disabilities, including deaf and hard of hearing people, into mainstream society.

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  • The Champion Plan

    THE CHAMPION PLAN: For individuals with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and their friends, families and caregivers.

    Walk into Brockton Police Department and get access to treatmetn for a Substance Use Disorder (SUD).

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  • College Resources for Students with Disabiilties

    With more adaptive technologies and progressive legislature, prospective college students with disabilities have countless resources available to make the transition to higher education less stressful. We created this guide to help these students and their families better understand the resources available to them.

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  • Communicating with Patient's Family

    The HIPAA Privacy Rule provides federal protections for individually identifiable health information held by covered entities and their business associates and gives patients an array of rights with respect to that information. At the same time, the Privacy Rule is balanced so that it permits the disclosure of health information needed for patient care and other important purposes.

    The Security Rule specifies a series of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for covered entities and their business associates to use to assure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information.

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  • Curry College - Disability Services

    Throughout the academic year, students in PAL (Program for Advancement of Learning) are fully mainstreamed in their classes and receive additional support on a proactive basis.

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  • Department of Education - Transition Planning

    Transition From School to Adult Life. Information from the Massachusetts Department of Education.

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  • Department of Mental Health - TAY Initiative

    The Department of Mental Health Transition Age Youth (TAY) Initiative helps young persons embark on a positive life path into adulthood and toward the goals of personal stability, community housing and employment and positive youth and family relationships.

    The focus is on young adults between the ages of 16 and 25 who are transitioning out of child/adolescent agency services and into adults services or into the community, including young adults entering the DMH adult service system for the first time, as well as those aging out of foster care or juvenile justice.

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  • Digital Learning on Substance Use Prevention and Intervention For Teens

    Courses are available to address the needs of teens, parents/caregivers, healthcare, school and child-serving professionals and businesses. The courses are free of charge. Schools, industry professionals, families and community/specialty groups are invited to participate in the programming.

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  • Disability Law Center

    Planning for Life After Special Education in Massachusetts: A Transition Services Online Manual

    Written for parents and students who are advocating for better transition services, including social, vocational and independent living skills. It is written in an easy-to-understand format but also contains legal information for attorneys and experienced advocates.

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  • Drive It Home

    DriveitHOME™ is an initiative of the National Safety Council, designed by and for parents of newly licensed teen drivers. DriveitHOME™ offers free resources parents can use to help their teen build experience to become safer drivers. It also is a place parents can share their ideas for keeping teens safe behind the wheel.

    Our goal is to reduce the number of driving deaths, injuries and crashes involving teen drivers to zero. Any other number isn’t good enough.

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  • Easter Seals Youth Transition Services

    Easter Seals Transition services focus on assisting youth with disabilities achieve personal growth and develop skills that will help them navigate educational, community and career settings. Transition planning is a process that brings together a student and those individuals directly involved in helping the student prepare to enter a post-school environment. It is designed to ensure that the student will be provided the necessary skills and services to make a smooth transition from school to adult life with as little interruption as possible. Easter Seals offers assistance every step of the way.

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  • Exceptional Lives

    Personalized How-to Guides to help exceptional family members thrive.

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  • Financial Aid and Scholarships

    The Best Colleges website offers a list of scholarships and other financial aid resources for college students with a range of disabilities.

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  • Got Transition

    Got Transition/Center for Health Care Transition Improvement is a cooperative agreement between the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health. Our aim is to improve transition from pediatric to adult health care through the use of new and innovative strategies for health professionals and youth and families.

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  • A Guide to Chapter 688

    A guide to Chapter 688 developed by Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

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  • Handhold

    Handhold was created by a team of mental health and child development experts in partnership with parents who have gone through what you are going through. Our goal? To guide you in caring for your child’s mental health and emotional well-being.

    Family partners and parents of kids with similar experiences to yours told us what they wished they had known earlier in their journey. Mental health experts, including child psychiatrists, social workers, and psychologists, selected the most relevant and useful resources.

    We encourage you to start by answering the four questions under “Should I Worry?” to explore your concerns. Whatever steps you decide to take, we offer a variety of tips, tools, and resources to help you take them with confidence.

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  • Health Imperatives Violence Intervention & Prevention

    For nearly four decades Health Imperatives has been at the forefront of responding to the health and safety needs of local families and individuals, and today our programs and services are structured around our two main areas of focus and expertise: health care and violence intervention and prevention services.

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  • Helping Teens Develop Self-Determination

    In an excerpt from Guiding Teens with LD, author Arlyn Roffman, Ph.D. explains how to help your teen develop self-determination.

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  • High School Equivalency Testing

    Now you have an alternative in high school equivalency testing. Start on your path to a new career or college success.

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  • High School Equivalency (HSE) Testing Program - Mass.Gov Website

    The High School Equivalency Testing Program (formerly the GED) in Massachusetts is overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's High School Equivalency (HSE) Office.

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  • Human Service Transportation Office - Mass.Gov Website

    In Massachusetts, the Human Service Transportation (HST) Office works to support and increase transportation options for consumers to access healthcare, jobs, social services, and a full range of opportunities within the community.

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  • Independence Associates

    Independence Associates promotes the right of people with disabilities to live independently in the community.

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  • Inside the Teenage Brain

    What's going on in there? How science may help to explain the mysteries of the teen years.

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  • The Institute for Health and Recovery

    The Institute for Health and Recovery (IHR) is a statewide service, research, policy and program development agency. IHR designs its services based on an understanding of the impact of trauma. IHR’s mission is to develop a comprehensive continuum of care for individuals, youth, and families affected by alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, mental health problems, violence/trauma and HIV/AIDS.

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  • Landmark College

    The college of choice for students who learn differently. Integrated approaches for learning disabilities, including Dyslexia, ADHD, and ASD.

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  • Learn To Cope

    Learn to Cope is a support organization that offers education, resources, peer support and hope for parents and family members coping with a loved one addicted to opioids or other drugs.

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  • The LINK Center

    The LINK Center: Connecting to Your Future assists families, professionals and individuals with disabilities who are transition age (14-26) to access information, supports and services to achieve their future vision.

    This center is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the Rehabilitative Services Administration (RSA) to coordinate and provide support and information with the Massachusetts Parent Training Information Center (PTIC) at the Federation for Children with Special Needs. The LINK Center can help you navigate the transition planning process and connect to information and resources.

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  • Making Sense: A Parent's Guide to a Child's Psychiatric Hospitalization

    This Guide was written with the help of parents and professionals who understand that having a child hospitalized psychiatrically can be stressful, confusing, and frustrating. The advice and guidance in these pages can help clear up confusion and reduce frustration.

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  • Map Academy

    Introducing Map Academy, a new public charter school located in Plymouth, designed to provide a free option to students that want or need something different than the traditional high school.

    We put students at the center and designed a school to meet their individual needs. Flexible scheduling and support, personalized academics, career development opportunities, and more.

    Opening in Fall 2018. Welcoming students from anywhere in Massachusetts.

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  • Massachusetts Al-Anon and Alateen

    If you are bothered by someone's drinking, Al-Anon and Alateen may be able to help. We are a fellowship of men, women, and children who share our experience, strength and hope in order to solve our common problems.

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  • Massachusetts Career Information System

    Welcome! The Massachusetts Department of Career Services (DCS) is pleased to offer the Massachusetts Career Information System (MassCIS) free on-line to all Massachusetts residents. MassCIS is designed to provide occupational and educational information to help people make better-informed career and school choices.

    username: massyouth
    password: massyouth

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  • The Massachusetts Guardianship Association

    The Massachusetts Guardianship Association (MGA) is a non-profit organization that offers information and resources to individuals, families, and professionals on guardianship and conservatorship. Our mission is to promote a standard of excellence in guardianship and conservatorship practice and to advocate for the rights of adults with decisional or physical impairment and minors in need of a guardian or conservator.

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  • Massachusetts Housing Consumer Education Centers

    Housing Consumer Education Centers offer answers to a wide range of questions about all types of housing problems. Tenants, landlords, prospective buyers, and homeowners can access information designed to maximize housing stability, strengthen investments, and minimize disputes.

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  • Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (Mass Rehab / MRC)

    MRC is responsible for Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Community Living Services, and eligibility determination for the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal benefits programs.

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  • Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery

    The MOAR Mission: to organize recovering individuals, family and friends into a collective voice to educate the public about the value of recovery from alcohol and other addictions.

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  • Massachusetts Sibling Support Network

    Growing up with a brother or sister with a disability, whether the disability is mental or physical, seen or unseen, is a unique, challenging, and potentially rewarding experience.

    The MSSN supports siblings of people with disabilities in the following ways: creating welcoming communities for siblings across the lifespan; improving the range and availability of sibling support services; and providing education about sibling-related issues.

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  • Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education Helpline

    The Helpline is a Massachusetts resource providing free and anonymous information and referral for alcohol and other drug abuse problems and related concerns. The Helpline is committed to linking consumers with comprehensive, accurate, and current information about treatment and prevention services throughout Massachusetts.

    Contact the Helpline at : 800-327-5050

    Mass Relay: 711

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  • Massasoit Community College - Disability Services

    The goal of the disability service providers at Massasoit Community College is to facilitate equal access to Postsecondary education for students with disabilities and promote the standards set forth by the Association on Higher Education and Disabilities

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  • Massasoit Community College - Latch Academic Support Program

    Latch is a one- to two-semester support and learning community that serves a diverse population of about 150 students per semester who are looking for support as they transition into college and develop their reading, writing, mathematics, and study skills. For 40 years, Latch’s community approach to education has helped students establish successful independent learning strategies and set realistic academic and career goals.

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  • Mobility Management - Mass.Gov Website

    Mobility management is a customer-focused approach to connecting riders with transportation services so that seniors, people with disabilities, low-income workers, and youth can access the trips they need to get to jobs, services, and community life.

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  • NAMI Mass Compass

    Navigating the mental healthcare system can be complicated—we help individuals and families affected by mental health issues find their way.

    The NAMI Mass Compass is operated by peers and family members who have dealt with these issues first hand. Navigators are available to answer a wide range of questions and refer to NAMI support & education programs and other community resources.

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  • My Brother's Keeper

    My Brother’s Keeper is a vibrant, welcoming Christian ministry with locations in Easton and Dartmouth, MA which delivers furniture and food to families in need.

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  • NAMI Massachusetts Legal Resources

    The NAMI Legal Center provides lawyer referrals as a service to our members and the general public. We require attorneys on our Lawyer Referral Panel to complete questionnaires regarding their specialties, fees, education and liability insurance. Communications to the Center remains confidential, as does our attorney information.

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  • National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET)

    The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) coordinates national resources, offers technical assistance, and disseminates information related to secondary education and transition for youth with disabilities in order to create opportunities for youth to achieve successful futures.

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  • National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability (NCWD)

    Navigating the Road to Work, Making the Connection between Youth with Disabilities and Employment

    NCWD/Youth is your source for information about employment and youth with disabilities. Our partners - experts in disability, education, employment, and workforce development - strive to ensure you will be provided with the highest quality, most relevant information available.

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  • National Family Support Technical Assistance Center

    The National Family Support Technical Assistance Center (NFSTAC) is the nation’s first Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funded Center of Excellence focused on supporting families and caregivers of children, regardless of their age, who experience serious mental illness and/or substance use disorders.

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  • National Health Care Transition Center

    Got Transition/Center for Health Care Transition is a cooperative agreement between the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health. Our aim is to improve transition from pediatric to adult health care through the use of new and innovative strategies for health professionals and youth and families.

    Learn More »
  • NeighborWorks Housing Solutions

    NeighborWorks® Housing Solutions (NHS) is a one-stop shop for finding and maintaining safe, affordable, high quality housing and growing financial skills and resources. We provide the answers and support individuals and families need.

    Our services include rental assistance; emergency financial help; shelter and homelessness prevention; first-time homebuyer education and counseling; financial coaching; foreclosure prevention; affordable residential and small business loans; and construction and management of high-quality rental housing across Southern Massachusetts.

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  • The RAFT Program

    The RAFT Program is a homelessness prevention program funded by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). RAFT provides short-term financial assistance to low-income families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

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  • Transition Services at NESCA

    Transition is the complex process by which an adolescent or young adult masters the skills necessary to function independently in postsecondary life.. NESCA offers vision-driven and person-centered transition services that redefine transition as a process that both anticipates high school completion and extends beyond it. NESCA offers a wide variety of services designed to support the needs of students, families, schools, and professionals.

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  • Odonota Psychotherapy and Retreat Center

    Odonata Psychotherapy provides both individual and group therapy for a variety of concerns depending on the needs of each client.

    Odonata Addiction Recovery Services (OARS) provides Substance Use psychotherapy, Intensive Outpatient (IOP), First Offender (DAE) and Second Offender Alcohol (SOA) Education classes.

    Odonata Retreat Center provides workshops and trainings for our clients and community members.

    We offer free Yoga to our clients on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

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  • Online Support For Youth - Strength of Us

    StrengthofUs is an online community developed by NAMI and young adults. It's designed to inspire young adults impacted by mental health issues to think positive, stay strong and achieve their goals through peer support and resource sharing.

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  • PACER Center (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights)

    The mission of PACER Center (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights) is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents.

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  • Pathways RTC

    The RTC for Pathways to Positive Futures aims to improve the lives of youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions through rigorous research and effective training and dissemination. Our work is guided by the perspectives of young people and their families, and based in a positive development framework.

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  • Preparing for Disaster For People with Special Needs and Disabilities

    A comprehensive guide from the American Red Cross to aid you in preparing for disaster for people with special needs and disabilities.

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  • Project Outreach

    What is Project Outreach?

    Project Outreach is a collaboration of Public Safety Agencies and Healthcare Providers created to respond to the ever growing number of opiate overdoses by conducting follow-up visits within 12-24 hours after an overdose. The program is not limited to those addicted to opiates, it is for everyone impacted by addiction.

    The two main aspects of the program are overdose follow-up and community outreach.

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  • Reach Hire

    ReachHire offers you a wealth of tools, advice, and resources designed to help you reach your dreams – for building a career, getting an education, and supporting yourself financially. With a positive attitude and the right support, you can make it a fun and fulfilling experience.

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  • Ready, Set, Fly! A Parent's Guide to Teaching Life Skills

    A guide created through a series of discussion groups with foster and adoptive parents, teens, and young adults. This guide was developed as a practical resource to help caregivers teach youth some of the skills that are needed to enable youth to live successfully on their own.

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  • Retail Savings Guide For People With Disabilties

    We've provided our research on special offers and discounts available to senior citizens, women, and veterans, in our series of guides to help you find ways to save money.

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  • A Roadmap For Transition - Youth Move

    This website is designed to provide information, strategies, and resources to transition navigators—teachers, counselors, family members, and community providers—to guide youth on the move.

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  • Secondary Transition

    For Massachusetts students receiving special education services, Secondary Transition is a time that begins when they turn 14 (or earlier, if the IEP team agrees). From age 14 until they graduate or turn 22, students on IEPs receive transition services from their public school districts. Transition services are defined by federal law (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA) as a "coordinated set of activities…designed to be within a results oriented process,…to facilitate the student's movement from school to post-school activities." Transition services are based on the individual student's needs, taking into account his/her strengths, preferences, and interests. These services help young adults to live, work, participate in the community, and go on to further education or training as independently as possible when they leave high school.

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  • Selective Service

    * All Young Men Age 18 Must Register, Regardless of Disability

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  • Self-Determination for Postsecondary Students

    This Web topic explores how self-determination—the combined skills of self-awareness, self-advocacy, self-efficacy, decision-making, independent performance, self-evaluation, and adjustment—can contribute to an individual’s ability to establish and achieve his or her goals during and after higher education experiences.

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  • Self-Determination: Supporting Successful Transition

    Self-determination helps youth with disabilities achieve positive adult outcomes. Several curricula are available to help students learn self-determination skills, and to help families support youth.

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  • Sibling Support Group with UMass Medical

    The Shriver Center works with hospitals and other agencies to address the needs of siblings and parents of children with mental health issues. The goals of the program are to build sibling resiliency and decrease trauma, teach parenting strategies that support siblings as well as increase parental confidence, and build capacity among providers. For more information, contact Emily Rubin, Director of Sibling Support, at [email protected].

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  • Social Security Administration

    Social Security delivers a broad range of services online.

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  • Social Security Benefits and Other Information

    Health care and financial benefits can make a big difference in a person's quality of life. However, requirements-- and perceptions-- can also stand in the way of a person's career goals.

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  • Southeast Center for Independent Living, Inc.

    The Philosophy of Independent Living maintains that individuals with disabilities have the right to choose services and make decisions for themselves. Ultimately individuals with disabilities have the right to live the life they choose.

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  • Southeast Recovery Learning Community

    We are an entirely peer-run organization dedicated to providing support, education and advocacy by providing opportunities and resources to assist individuals in finding their own path to mental health recovery.

    Every Recovery Center has no barrier of access for people who self-identify as having a mental health issue in the past or present and/or having substance abuse issues. All the services of the Recovery Centers are free of charge.

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  • Speaking of Hope

    Speaking of Hope is more than a web site, but a canvas for expression and a toolbox of valuable resources. It was created by young adults with lived mental health experience for young adults. It is a place to share helpful tools, inspire confidence, and connect with others in a safe, anonymous way.

    Recovery is real. And it is even easier when you have others to share hope with.

    This is web site is yours. Anonymously contribute your advice, stories, inspirational quotes, and images that have helped your recovery.

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  • Special Needs Financial Planning on Guardianship and Alternatives

    Guardianship considerations for individuals with disabilities.

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  • The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction

    One of the ways that scientists have searched for the causes of mental illness is by studying the development of the brain from birth to adulthood. Powerful new technologies have enabled them to track the growth of the brain and to investigate the connections between brain function, development, and behavior.

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  • The Transformation Center

    A statewide training, peer support, policy and best practice center operated by and for people with lived experience of mental health, substance use and trauma recovery.

    The Transformation Center’s role is to “water the roots” of the peer support and mental health recovery movement. Our source of expertise is innovation driven by those who have lived experience of recovery and resilience.

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  • Transitions Research and Training Centers (Transitions RTC)

    The Transitions RTC is a national effort that aims to improve the supports for youth and young adults, ages 14-30, with serious mental health conditions who are trying to successfully complete their schooling and training and move into rewarding work lives.

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  • The Trevor Project

    The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning youth.

    Need help? We are here for you 24/7: 1-866-488-7386

    TrevorText: Text START to 678678

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  • Vaping and Teens - Resources For Parents

    Concerned about youth vaping? Massachusetts Department of Public Health has information and resources for parents and for you on how to combat this addiction.

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  • Vaping and Teens - Resources For Youth

    Youth coach specialists trained to help young people by phone or text. Young people can call or text "Start My Quit" to 855-891-9989 for free and confidential help or sign up online.

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  • Vocational Rehabilitation Services - Mass.Gov Website

    Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) Vocational Rehabilitation Program assists individuals with disabilities to obtain and maintain employment.

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  • Volunteer Driver Programs - Mass.Gov Website

    Many agencies in Massachusetts and nationwide have created volunteer driver programs as one way to bridge gaps in transportation.

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  • Why Do Teens Act This Way?

    Have ever looked at your teenager and wondered: “Why does my teen do that?”

    From mood swings to risk taking, “normal teenage behavior” can appear to be anything-but-normal to parents and other bystanders. However, new research reveals that patterns of brain development during these formative years play a significant role in shaping your teen’s personality and actions.

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  • Youth on the Move

    Navigating the postschool transition.

    This website is designed to provide information, strategies, and resources to transition navigators—teachers, counselors, family members, and community providers—to guide youth on the move.

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