AANE

A really key resource is AANE (Association for Autism and Neurodiversity) This is a great organization with all kinds of resources and support groups and educational information. You can even sign up for a consult with a parent advocate who can inform you about other resources that might be helpful.

Autism Support Center

Sign up with your local Autism Support Center right away to learn about resources and programs in your community.

Greater Boston, Eastern Mass, Southern NH: TILL (Toward Independent Living and Learning) in Dedham.
781-302-4835 or 781-302-4600

Greater Boston Area, Vinfen Autism Support Center, in West Roxbury, 617-206-5902 or 617-562-4094

MetroWest, Middlesex West: Autism Alliance of Metrowest, in Framingham
508-652-9900

Central Mass: Autism Resource Center in West Boylston
508-835-4278

North of Boston: Autism Support Center in Danvers
978-777-9135

Newton and South Norfolk area: Family Autism Center in Westwood
Serves families in Canton, Dedham, Foxboro, Medfield, Millis, Norfolk, Norwood, Plainville, Sharon, Walpole, Westwood, Wrentham, and surrounding communities.
781-762-4001 x310

Brockton: The Arc of Greater Brockton

508-583-8030

Here is their family support center information.

Southeastern Region, Cape Cod, and the Islands: Kennedy-Donovan Center, Sandwich

508-745-3590

Southeastern Region, Cape Cod, and the Islands: Community Autism Resources in Swansea
508-379-0371

Southeastern Region: People Inc., Fall River

774-488-5325

Southeastern Region: Better Community Living, Dartmouth

508- 999-4300

Southeastern Region: Plymouth County Family Support Inc., Plymouth

508-927-4520

Southeastern Region: Advocates, Inc., Randolph

781-767-3048

Southeastern Region: The Arc of Bristol County, Attleboro

508-226-1445

Western Mass and North Quabbin areas: Autism Connections in Springfield, Northampton and Pittsfield
413-779-5087 or 413-529-2428

Social Skills and Peer Group Opportunities

Ely Center

Located in Needham, this is a great establishment run by a speech and language therapist who really gets kids with this profile. You would have to call and talk to them to see what social groups they’re offering at this time. 

Academy Metrowest

A children's group activity program designed to enhance self-image and social skills. Ages 6-16

508-655-9200

218 Speen Street Natick, MA

Social Perspectives 4 Everyone

Uxbridge, MA

Academy for Social and Physical Development

Newton, MA

South Shore Autism Center

Norwell, MA

Second Nature Social Skills

Marshfield, MA

Advances Learning Center

Watertown, MA

Learning Solutions

Norwood, MA

Dana Group

Needham, MA

MGH YouthCare

Charlestown, MA

MGH Aspire

Lexington, Newton, and Charlestown, MA

Spotlight 
ABA in a group setting to promote social skills

Social Thinking

Teaches the thinking underlying social interactions and how to socially problem solve

Services for age 4 through adult

Sudbury, MA

Peter Pan Center

Boxborough, MA

Child Therapy In Boston

Needham and Sudbury, MA

Social Compass Counseling

Wrentham, MA

Counseling and groups for children, teens, adults, and families

Insurance Issues

Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative

For children who have Mass Health insurance, this initiative helps to provide a customized program that will support their behavioral, emotional, and mental health needs with a community-based system of care. 

But even for children who do not have Mass Health insurance, there may be ways to get financial help with premiums and other types of insurance support if your child is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Autism. This can happen through MassHealth CommonHealth. (See below.) 

MassHealth CommonHealth

Please go to this fact sheet from Autism Insurance Resource Center which explains CommonHealth

MassHealth CommonHealth is a MassHealth program available to individuals with disabilities who are not eligible for MassHealth Standard. Unlike MassHealth Standard, MassHealth CommonHealth participants are not subject to income or asset limitations. MassHealth CommonHealth is an option for people with disabilities who have income that exceeds 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL). It allows individuals with disabilities to purchase health coverage through a sliding-scale monthly premium that is based on total household income.

For people who have private insurance coverage through their employer, MassHealth CommonHealth will pay for any medically necessary Medicaid-covered services that the employer health plan does not cover, including co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles, as long as the provider accepts MassHealth. The sole exception is ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis): the ABA provider does not have to be a MassHealth provider for co-pays to be covered.

In addition, people with MassHealth CommonHealth can obtain Premium Assistance, which may cover some, and sometimes all, of the cost of the premium/payroll deduction for the private insurance.

People under 21 with MassHealth CommonHealth may be eligible for additional home-based services through the Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI). For more information, visit the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership (MBHP).

The Insurance Resource Center for Autism

A great resource, miraculous really, for education and advocacy around insurance issues for families with an autism spectrum diagnosis is the Massachusetts Autism Insurance Resource Center which is based at UMass in Worcester.

The Insurance Resource Center for Autism

E. K. Shriver Center

University of Massachusetts Medical School

55 Lake Avenue North, Suite S3-301

Worcester, MA 01655

info@disabilityinfo.org

774-455-4056 (voice)

Here are examples of two helpful factsheets from The Insurance Resource Center for Autism:

Getting help covering co-pay deductibles

Mass CommonHealth fact sheet

Please note: In Massachusetts, if a child’s doctor says a service is necessary for a child with autism, the health insurance has to pay for it, even if they are an out-of-state insurance company. In order to ensure that families get what they need, The Autism Insurance Resource Center can help you advocate for yourself. 

Department of Disability Services (DDS)

mass.gov/lists/dds-eligibility-forms

See also: autismalliance.org/sites/default/files/docs/dds_eligibility_2_in_1_application_5-22_and_over_22.docx

You may want to consider filling out an application for the Department of Disability Services (DDS). The Autism Support Centers listed above may be able to help you with this.

Autism Waiver Program 

The Children’s Autism Waiver Program (AWP) at the Autism Division of the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) serves children, from birth through age 9, who have an autism spectrum disorder and who meet the eligibility criteria.

The Children’s Autism Waiver Program allows children to receive Expanded Habilitation, Education which are in-home services and supports such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), Floor Time, and Relationship Development Intervention (RDI), for a total of up to 3 years. At the conclusion of the 3 years of the intensive in-home services, a child may access ongoing Supplemental Services (for example: respite and goods and services, etc.) that meet the child’s needs and help with the transition out of the intensive portion of the Autism Waiver Program—until the child’s 10th birthday.

An Open Interest Application period is held annually. Information about this Application period will be available in September.

If you would like to read more about what the Autism Waiver program is, click here.

For additional information about the Autism Waiver Program, contact your local Autism Support Center below, email AutismDivision@mass.gov, or call the Autism Division at DDS at 617-624-7778. 

Western Massachusetts 

Pathlight: Autism Connections 

220 Brookdale Drive 

Springfield MA 01104 | 413-732-0531 

Central Massachusetts 

HMEA: Autism Resource Central
712 Plantation Street 

Worcester, MA 01605 | 508-835-4278 

Metro West of Boston 

Autism Alliance of MetroWest (AAMW)
1881 Worcester Rd, # 100A 

Framingham, MA 01701 | 508-652-9900 

Greater Boston 

Vinfen 

1208A VFW Parkway 

West Roxbury, MA 02132 | 617-206-5038 

Norfolk County 

Lifeworks: The Family Autism Center 

789 Clapboardtree Street 

Westwood, MA 02090 | 781-762-4001  

Southeastern Massachusetts 

Community Autism Resources (CAR) 

40-A Dean St,  

Taunton, MA 02780 | 508-379-0371 

Northeastern Massachusetts 

Northeast ARC (NEARC) The Autism Support Center
100 Independence Way-Suite D3 

Danvers, MA 01923 | 978-777-9135 

mass.gov/DDS-autism-waiver-services

Information is also available in: Arabic, Burmese, Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese), Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole,  Portuguese (European), Spanish, Khmer, Vietnamese, Nepali and Somali

Aspire

Aspire is a program out of Mass General for children, teens, and young adults on the autism spectrum. 

From their website: “Aspire offers year-round programming for individuals aged 5 to adult, including social groups, summer camp, camps during school vacation, and special events.” Importantly, Aspire has a summer program for teens and also helps young adults navigate the work environment, gain marketable skills, and move toward a profession. 

Explorations, an Aspire program, is a six-week weekday summer program where teens, aged 14-19, participate in recreational and social activities while learning a variety of practical life skills out in the community. Topics include money management, trip planning, using public transportation, peer negotiation and time management. Teens are placed into small cohorts of 5-6 participants. Throughout the summer, participants will have opportunities to engage with other cohorts and participants within the program. Participants are encouraged to balance their needs with those of the group. Community trips take place throughout the metro Boston area (Faneuil Hall, Prudential Center, movie theater, bowling, museums, and restaurants) and typically utilize public transportation. 

Transitions, another Aspire program, is a six-week weekday summer program where young adults, aged 16-22 years old, participate in group activities and practice skills that support the transition to work and college environments. Participants are placed at a volunteer work site two days per week where they receive job coaching and career skill training. Participants are placed at the volunteer work sites in groups of three participants with one Aspire Transition Specialist on-site. When not at their work site, participants engage in college exploration, recreational activities, and team-building activities within a larger group of their peers.

massgeneral.org/assets/mgh/pdf/children/aspire/aspire-teen-summer-faqs.pdf

College coaching is available through Aspire. 

AspireWorks Internship Program

The Aspire Works Internship Program provides a strengths and skills-based internship opportunity for neurodiverse adults seeking short-term experience and exposure to the workforce. Internship participants are carefully matched with Aspire’s employer partners. Career Coaches provide on-going training and consultation, creating positive and fulfilling work experiences for all. 

massgeneral.org/children/aspire/aspire-works

There are also social groups for adults through Aspire.

For clinicians caring for patients with autism

A great resource for clinicians is the AAP book Caring for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Practice Resource Toolkit, published October 2019

A Parent’s Guide to Special Education

A Parent's Guide to Special Education - in English

A Parent's Guide to Special Education - in Spanish

A Parent's Guide to Special Education - in Portuguese

Written by the Federation for Children with Special Needs in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Education, this Guide is meant to serve as a resource for parents, and the organizations that serve them. The Guide contains the most current and accurate information available regarding the special education system in Massachusetts.  It will help you understand the special education evaluation process, the expected timeline and your rights throughout the process. It will also help you understand about the various ways in which the school can support your child (IEP, 504 Plan) and what to do if disagreements arise.