What is a Chapter 688 Referral? A Chapter 688 referral is a way to help adult agencies, schools, and families to identify and plan ahead for needed adult services for students with severe disabilities. Schools send a Chapter 688 referral electronically to the adult agency that the IEP Team thinks might be able to meet a student’s needs when the student graduates from high school or turns 22. There is a list and brief description of the adult agencies under Tip #2 inside this brochure. For a guide to which adult agency might be the right one for your child, based on individual needs, see “Guidelines for Referral” on this website: www.doe.mass.edu/sped/iep/688Please note: A 688 referral is not an application for agency eligibility. Schools submit the 688 referral, but families are responsible for submitting an application to the agency. Agencies must receive a complete application so they can decide whether the student will be eligible to receive adult services. 

Taken from the DESE website