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STATE & NATIONAL AGENCIES
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Department of Education (DOE)
350
Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
Tel: (781) 388-3300
Website:
www.doe.mass.edu/
U.S. Dept. of Ed Website:
http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml
The DOE
administrates the public education of state residents including those with
special needs.
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Department of
Environmental Protection
One Winter Street, Boston, MA 01208
Tel: (617) 292-5500 Fax: 617-556-1049
Website:
www.mass.gov/dep/
The Dept. of Environmental Protection is the state
agency responsible for ensuring clean air and water, the safe management of
toxics and hazards, the recycling of solid and hazardous wastes, the timely
cleanup of hazardous waste sites and spills, and the preservation of
wetlands and coastal resources. |
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Department of Mental Retardation (DMR)
Franklin/Hampshire Area Office
One Roundhouse Plaza, Northampton, MA 01060
Tel: (413) 586-4948 Fax: (413) 584-0611
Website:
www.mass.gov/dmr
DMR provides
services and supports to adults with mental retardation and children with
developmental disabilities. Assistance is available in the areas of
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Family
support
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Employment
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Transportation
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Residential services or intense levels
of treatment
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Monitoring and care.
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(Mass.)
Department of Public Health (DPH)
Western Regional Office
23 Service Center, Northampton, MA 01060
Tel: (413) 586-7525 Fax: (413) 784-1037
DPH promotes and
insures conditions that improve and protect the health of all Massachusetts
residents and communities. Programs address:
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Families
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Minorities
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Community
health
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Environmental health
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Health quality management
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Research
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Hospital
services
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Substance
abuse services (see next item down for details about these particular
services)
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List of towns in Western Mass region: |
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Adams
Agawam
Alford
Amherst
Ashfield
Athol
Becket
Belchertown
Bernardston
Blandford
Buckland
Charlemont
Cheshire
Chester
Chesterfield
Chicopee
Clarksburg
Colrain
Conway
Cummington
Dalton
Deerfield
Easthampton
East Longmeadow
Egremont
Erving |
Florida
Gill
Goshen
Granby
Granville
Great Barrington
Greenfield
Hadley
Hampden
Hancock
Hatfield
Hawley
Heath
Hinsdale
Holyoke
Huntington
Lanesborough
Lee
Lenox
Leverett
Leyden
Longmeadow
Ludlow
Middlefield
Monroe
Monson |
Montague
Monterey
Montgomery
Mount Washington
New Ashford
New Marlborough
New Salem
North Adams
Northfield
Northampton
Orange
Otis
Palmer
Pelham
Peru
Petersham
Phillipston
Pittsfield
Plainfield
Richmond
Rowe
Royalston
Russell
Sandisfield
Savoy
Sheffield |
Shelburne
Shutesbury
South Hadley
Southampton
Southwick
Springfield
Stockbridge
Sunderland
Tolland
Tyringham
Ware
Warwick
Washington
Wendell
Westfield
Westhampton
West Springfield
West Stockbridge
Whately
Wilbraham
Williamsburg
Williamstown
Windsor
Worthington
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Department of Public Health
Bureau of Substance Abuse Services
23 Service Center, Northampton, MA 01060
Tel: (413) 586-7525 Fax: (413) 784-1037
Contact: Ruth Jacobson-Hardy, Regional
Manager
Email:
Ruth.Jacobson-Hardy@state.ma.us
Website:
http://www.mass.gov/dph/bsas/bsas.htm
The Bureau of Substance Abuse
Services oversees the substance abuse prevention and treatment services in
Western Mass and helps to provide access to treatment services for indigent
and uninsured people.
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Department of Transitional Assistance
P.O. Box 717,
Greenfield, MA 01302
Tel: (800) 470-5877 or (413) 772-3400
The Department of
Transitional Assistance is the Massachusetts State Division of Welfare. They
distribute food stamps, TAFDC, EAEDC, emergency assistance and referrals.
The DTA office has a satellite in Athol at First Call For Help, 423 Main Street.
The satellite is staffed Wednesday's from
9:00-5:00 pm with a clerk who is able to answer questions, hand out
paperwork/applications & schedule appointments. |
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Department of Social Services (DSS)
PATCH Office, 423 Main Street, Athol, MA 01331
Tel: (978) 249-5070 Fax: (978) 249-5080
Contact: Jacque Carl
The Department of Social Services is the
Massachusetts State Child Protective services. DSS provides:
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Adoption services
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Oversees
foster care placements
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Preventative family support programs
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Department of Veterans Services
600 Washington Street, Suite 1100,
Boston, MA 02111
Tel: (617) 210-5480 Fax: (617) 210-5755
Website:
http://www.mass.gov/veterans
The mission of the Department of Veterans' Services is
to be the leading advocate for the more than half-million veterans of the
Commonwealth and their families and survivors. DVS establishes policy,
proposes legislation, ensures adequate funding for veterans programs is
included in the Governor's budget, and represents the interests of veterans
in matters coming before the General Court.
In addition, DVS represents all state agencies and individual veterans
before the federal Department of Veterans Affairs in securing federal
compensation and other benefits that might be available. It administers the
needs-based benefits program (m.G.L. C. 115) through Veterans' Agents in
each municipality of the Commonwealth, and also provides state funding to
organizations offering homeless shelter, transitional housing, and outreach
services to veterans. |
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Department of Youth Services (DYS)
PATCH Office, 423 Main Street, Athol, MA 01331
Tel: (978) 249-5070 Fax: (978) 249-5080
Contact:
Andrew Calvanese
The Department of Youth Services is the Massachusetts State
Juvenile Delinquency prevention program and provides oversight of court
involved youth. |
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Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC)
50 Ross way, Quincy, MA 02169
Tel: (617) 727-6465 or HOTLINE (800) 426-9009 (7 days a week
DPPC is committed
to protecting adults with disabilities from abusive acts and omissions of
their caregivers through investigation, oversight, public awareness, and
prevention.
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Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
48 Boylston Street,
Boston, MA 02116-4718
Toll Free: (800)
392-6450
Tel: (617) 727-5550
Fax: (617) 626-7685
TTY (800) 392-6556
Website:
http://www.mass.gov/mcb/
The Mission of the Massachusetts Commission
for the Blind is to work in partnership with legally blind individuals to
reach their goals of independence and participation in their communities.
SERVICES AND
PROGRAMS Vocational Rehabilitation
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Information on employment related
services |
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Job searches |
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Resume & cover letter writing |
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Information for potential employers |
Independent Living Social Services
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Services designed to maximize
independence |
Specialized Services to Children
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Services for children from birth to
age 14 |
Specialized Services
to Elders
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Services for adults 55 and over |
Rehabilitation Teaching
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Skills development in the home,
other living situation and workplace |
Orientation and Mobility
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Getting around with limited vision
or no sight |
Medical Assistance
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Help with health costs -
financial criteria apply |
Deaf/Blind,
Multi-Handicapped Services
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Community and residential
services for the deaf-blind and multiply impaired |
Vending Facilities
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A business opportunity for
persons who are blind |
Consumer Assistance
Program and Support (CAPS)
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Advocacy for blind persons |
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MassHealth
600
Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111
Tel: (617) 210-5000 or (800) 841-2900
Web information:
MassHealth
MassHealth is
insurance coverage that pays for healthcare for income eligible residents of
Massachusetts. MassHealth covers a broad range of health-care services by
paying for part or all of a member's health insurance, or paying MassHealth
providers for medical services. |
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Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC)
174 Portland Street 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02114
Tel: (617) 357-5772
Information and
referral on questions regarding developmental disabilities. |
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Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD)
One Ashburton Place #1305, Boston, MA 02108
Tel: (617) 727-7440 Fax: (617) 727-0965
The purpose of
MOD is to bring about full and equal participation of people with
disabilities in all aspects of life in a manner which fosters dignity and
self determination. MOD works to:
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Advance legal rights
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Promote maximum opportunities
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Provide supportive services
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Provide accommodations
and accessibility |
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Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
238 Main Street 3rd Floor, Greenfield, MA 01301
Tel: (413) 774-2326 Fax: (413) 774-4654
Contact: William Rice
Website:
www.state.ma.us/mrc
The MRC is the
agency of the Commonwealth responsible for vocational rehabilitation
services, independent living services (except for persons who are blind) and
for eligibility determination for SSI/SSDI (federal) benefits programs for
citizens with disabilities. There is an outreach worker who comes to Orange
and Athol twice a week to meet with clients. Call for an appointment in the
North Quabbin area. |
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Social Security Administration
55 Lake Street, Gardner, MA 01440
Tel: (978) 632-1004 or (800) 772-1213
One Arch Place, Greenfield, MA 01301
Tel: (413) 774-6031 or (800) 772-1213
Website:
www.ssa.gov
SSA administers:
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Retirement
benefits
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Disability benefits to covered workers and their families
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Survivors benefits to families of deceased workers
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Medicare insurance for
those 65 and over and the disabled
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Supplemental security income benefits
based on need for the aged, blind and disabled.
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