Comprehensive Resource List

TABLE OF CONTENTS

If you come across an invalid link or inaccurate information, please notify us, cnelson@namimass.org. If you know of a helpful government or nonprofit website, please email the link to
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Advocacy Organizations
Identity Theft
Organizing Services
Children and Family Services
Insurance
Other Disability Services
Clinical Trials
Kids and Teens
Other Organizations
Coping Tips and Strategies
Legal Resources
Research
Credit Counseling and Consumer Complaints
Legal Services to Disadvantaged Children
Searchable Web-Based Databases
Disability and Social Security
Massachusetts Government
Special Education Resources
Education Employment and Training
Medical Services
Special Needs Trusts/3rd Party Special Needs Pooled Trusts
Elder Services
Medications
Substance Abuse Services
Federal and Massachusetts Tax Forms and Information
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Publications
Support Groups
Federal Government
Mental Health Services
Trust and Guardianship Services
Food Stamps, Food Pantries and Other Food Resources
Miscellaneous
Transportation
Health Insurance
Missing Persons Assistance
Utility Programs
Hotlines/Helplines
Multicultural
Veterans Resources
Housing Resources
Organizations led by People in Recovery
Warmlines

 

ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS :

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), is dedicated to the eradication of mental illnesses and to the improvement of the quality of life for persons of all ages who are affected by mental illnesses. The many activities include: public educations and information activities; peer education and support; raising awareness and fighting stigma; and state and federal advocacy. (Locate other state and local affiliates):

http://www.nami.org

Special Education Activism, working to secure the educational rights of all Massachusetts schoolchildren with disabilities:

http://www.spedwatch.org

Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, a Coalition of national consumer, advocacy, provider and professional organizations that advocated on behalf of people of all ages with physical and mental disabilities and their families :

http://www.c-c-d.org/

 

Technical Assistance Collaborative, TAC supports the efforts of public and non-profit agencies to successfully plan and implement the design, financing and management of public sector human services, mental health, substance abuse, and health care strategies.

http://www.tacinc.org/

 

Policy Research Associates, advancing the field of mental health services research for vulnerable populations including: children and adolescents, people who are homeless, those who are involved in the juvenile or criminal justice systems and adults and youth who have co-occurring substance use disorders. In each of these projects, PRA is responsible for providing services in three broad areas technical assistance and training, conference/meeting design and facilitation and evaluation and research:

http://www.prainc.com

 

Consumer Organization & Networking Technical Assistance Center (CONTAC), funded by the Center for Mental Health Services, is a resource center for consumers/survivors and consumer-run organizations across the U.S . :

http:// www.contac.org

 

The Arc of Massachusetts , is enhancing the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. They accomplish this through advocacy of supports and services based in the community:

http://www.arcmass.org/

 

 

CHILDREN and FAMILY SERVICES :

CTF leads efforts in Massachusetts to ensure that all parents of young children have access to community-based family support resources and the information about child development that they need,

http://www.mctf.org/sp.aspx?id=82

 

Parenting Education and Support Programs (PESP) bring together parents in structured training programs to increase their skills, offer access to information, and to create support networks in communities. Programs address the needs of diverse groups, including grandparents, fathers, single parents, and parents with disabilities

http://www.mctf.org/sp.aspx?id=449

 

Family Centers, the Centers offer more than 70 different types of family programs and services each year to parents with children 0 - 6 years of age. Activities include group-based parenting education workshops, support groups, parent and child activities, family counseling, special family events, healthcare education, home visiting, and community referral services:

http://www.mctf.org/sp.aspx?id=197

 

Helping First-Time Parents, Healthy Families Massachusetts provides a trained home visitor who offers information and support on a voluntary basis to all first-time parents age 20 and under. The statewide program is funded and administered by CTF:

http://www.mctf.org/sp.aspx?id=512

 

Nurturing Program's emphasis is on the whole family. By targeting parents with children from birth to six years old, the programs support children and their families in a crucial time of development. It brings together groups of parents with similar needs, provides them with pertinent information, and helps them develop into supportive peer groups:

http://www.mctf.org/sp.aspx?id=365

 

Parenting Journey, the Parenting Journey is geared toward parents who have not had the kind of upbringing of the own that serves as a resource and that provides emotional sustenance. The curriculum has been well received by both parents involved in the child welfare system as well as parent in voluntary enrichment programs:

http://www.mctf.org/sp.aspx?id=366

 

For Fathers, The programs listed here all offer programs for fathers and receive funding from CTF. We invite you to download or contact us for a copy of our Fatherhood Kit, which includes other programs for fathers throughout Massachusetts and nationwide, as well as a number of parenting tips, national resources and internet sites pertaining to fatherhood:

http://www.mctf.org/sp.aspx?id=198

 

MELD Programs, The groups are facilitated by a team of women who became single mothers in their teens. Young moms meet weekly to receive basic, practical information and support regarding parenting and decision making. Young moms support each other and are encouraged to pursue and achieve their educational and career goals:

http://www.mctf.org/sp.aspx?id=210

 

Mass Family Network Sites:

http://www.mctf.org/sp.aspx?id=509

 

CTF offers onetoughjob.org , an online parenting resource with tips and information available 24/7 :

http://www.onetoughjob.org

 

Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, programs and services:

http://www.mspcc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=progs_Overview

 

The Home for Little Wanderers is a private, non-profit child and family service agency, programs:

http://www.thehome.org/site/PageServer?pagename=programs_about

 

Massachusetts Dept. of Social Services, Family Support Initiatives:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2terminal&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Consumer&L2=Family+Services&L3=Violence%2c+Abuse+or+Neglect&L4=Child+Abuse+and+Neglect&sid=Eeohhs2&b=terminalcontent&f=dss_c_fsi_overview&csid=Eeohhs2

 

Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Child Care and Support, subsidized child care, child care assistance for TAFDC, Child Support Enforcement Unit:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2subtopic&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Consumer&L2=Family+Services&L3=Child+Care+and+Support&sid=Eeohhs2

 

Massachusetts Dept. of Social Services, Adolescent Services:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2subtopic&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Consumer&L2=Family+Services&L3=Services+for+Youth&L4=Adolescent+Services&sid=Eeohhs2

 

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, Services for Youth with Disabilities:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2subtopic&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Consumer&L2=Family+Services&L3=Services+for+Youth&L4=Services+for+Youth+with+Disabilities&sid=Eeohhs2

 

The Parents' How-To Guide to Children's Mental Health Services in Massachusetts, The Boston Bar Association, with support from Children's Hospital Boston, has developed the guide to Services in Massachusetts, which answers all of these questions and more. It takes you through the mental health system step by step, from deciding if your child needs care to getting specific services:

http://www.childrenshospital.org/clinicalservices/Site1936/mainpageS1936P18sublevel16.html

 

How to advocate for you child, 25 Tips for Parents:

http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/CAAC/How_To_Advocate_For_Your_Child.htm

 

Think:Kids is a non-profit organization that trains adults in a new way of helping kids with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges:

http://www.thinkkids.org/about/

 

Sociedad Latina, viene trabajando con los jóvenes latinos como una manera de contribuir al desarrollo de la nueva generación de líderes:

http://spanish.sociedadlatina.org/

 

Boys and Girls Club of Boston , Youth Service Providers Network:

http://www.bgcb.org/locations_yspn.cfm

 

Boys and Girls Club of Boston , our clubs:

http://www.bgcb.org/locations_clubs.cfm

 

Boys and Girls Club, find a club:

http://www.bgca.org/clubs/

 

YMCA of Greater Boston, family programs:

http://www.ymcaboston.org/main/programs/family_programs/

 

YMCA, find your YMCA:

http://www.ymca.net/maps/

 

Boy Scouts of America , local councils:

http://www.scouting.org/media/lcl.aspx

 

Girl Scouts of the USA , council finder:

http://www.girlscouts.org/councilfinder/results.asp

 

 

CLINICAL TRIALS:

Registry of federally and privately supported clinical trials conducted in the United States and around the world. Gives you information about a trial's purpose, who may participate, locations, and phone numbers for more details:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/

 

 

COPING TIPS and STRATEGIES :

Siblings and Adult Children of Persons with Mental Illness:

http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Helpline1/Coping_Tips_for_Siblings_and_Adult_Children_of_Persons_with_Mental_Illness.htm

 

Managing Traumatic Stress: Tips for Recovering From Disasters and Other Traumatic Events:

http://apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=22

 

How to Deal with Grief:

http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/KEN-01-0104/default.asp

 

 

CREDIT COUNSELING and CONSUMER COMPLAINTS :

DebtAdvice.org is designed to help consumers understand the wise use of credit and locate a trained, certified counselor if you are in need of assistance. DebtAdvice.org is a service provided by the members of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, (NFCC), most of them known as Consumer Credit Counseling Service : http://www.debtadvice.org/

Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc., help families end financial crisis and solve money management problems through education and professional counseling. By utilizing educational programs, professional counseling and money management instructions, Consolidated Credit establishes a customized program that fits your needs: http://www.consolidatedcredit.org/default.aspx?PartnerID=1098

Consumer Action serves consumers nationwide by advancing consumer rights, referring consumers to complaint-handling agencies through our free hotline, publishing educational materials in Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese and other languages, advocating for consumers in the media and before lawmakers: http://www.consumer-action.org/

National Federation of Credit Counselors, find a credit counselor for, in person, phone or internet counseling:

http://www.debtadvice.org/takethefirststep/locator.cfm

 

Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies, find a credit counseling agency :

http://www.aiccca.org/find.cfm

 

Office of the Attorney General of Massachusetts , consumer protection, workplace rights, heath care, and forms and publications:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=cagohomepage&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Cago

 

Annual Credit Report, site set up by the big three credit reporting agencies in the U.S., to furnish free annual credit reports, as required by federal law :

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

 

Equifax, one of three credit bureaus:

http://www.equifax.com

 

Experian, one of three credit bureaus:

http://www.experian.com

 

TransUnion, one of three credit bureaus:

http://www.transunion.com

 

 

DISABILITY AND SOCIAL SECURITY :

Disability and SSI, official website of Social Security Administration:

http://www.ssa.gov/d&s1.htm

Social Security Office Locator:

https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/fo001.jsp


Social Security Disability Representation, they get 25% of the retroactive SSDI award limited to $5,300:
http://www.allsup.com/Home.aspx

 

EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT and TRAINING :

Pine Street has offered job training and job readiness programs to homeless men and women. These programs provide participants with the skills neede to succeed in the journey back to employment. The Working Program provides housing for men and women who are working on a regular basis and saving their earnings to eventually move to private housing. The Employment assistance and support groups are also offered on site:

http://www.pinestreeinn.org:80/


Community Work Services of Boston makes it possible for the hardest-to-serve populations, including the homeless and severely disabled, to achieve self-sufficiency. We make a difference in their lives through an innovative approach that combines skills assessment, vocational training, placement services and post-placement coaching: http://www.cwsbos.com/


Disability Program Navigator at the One Stop Career Centers:
http://www.massworkforce.org/WorkforcePrograms/DCSPorgramService/DCS/Dpn/iIdex.htm


Pathways to Success by 21, (P21) envisions a youth system in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that is efficient and effective in insuring that all youth have the tools and supports necessary to be productive citizens by 21:
http://www.p21.us/p21glance.htm

Job Seekers Page of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, job seekers information including One-Stop Career Centers and Special Programs:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=elwdtopic&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Workers+and+Unions&L2=Job+Seekers&sid=Elwd

 

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, find an area office near you. Benefit programs, Assistive technology, Education and Training for the disabled, etc:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2agencylanding&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Departments+and+Divisions&L3=Massachusetts+Rehabilitation+Commission&sid=Eeohhs2

 

Mass. Executive office of Labor and Workforce Development, home page, Worker's Compensation and Unemployment Claims, Apprenticeship programs, etc.(Multilingual):

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=elwdhomepage&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Elwd

 

Job Corps, career technical training, education, and professional skills; to find the center closest to you and if you qualify for the program:

http://www.jobcorps.dol.gov

http://mifuturo.jobcorps.gov (spanish)

 

MSC is a network of SEE providers that operate within MA and provide motivated individuals with a range of “Career-Oriented” services that support their pursuit and realization of education or employment in the community:

http://www.seecoalition.org

 

Resource Partnership, uniting employers, rehabilitation and referral agencies, and people with disabilities:

http://www.resourcepartnership.org/

 

Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Recovery Education Program, Training for the Future and Individual Services in Recovery:

http://www.bu.edu/cpr/services/index.html

 

Jewish Vocational Services, JVS provides job search , employment assistance, education , training , career development , and support to individuals from all backgrounds:

http://www.jvs-boston.org/

 

Work, Inc., Rehabilitation services, Community Based Programs:

http://www.workinc.org/

 

Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center ministries in the United States provide an in-residence rehabilitation program with a focus on basic necessities. Each beneficiary (program participant) is provided with a clean and healthy living environment, good food, work therapy, leisure time activities, group and individual counseling, spiritual direction, and resources to assist each person to develop life skills and a personal relationship with God as provided by Jesus Christ :

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf/vw-text-dynamic-arrays/8326D9D2FE6B4C05802573250030A6E1?openDocument

 

Easter Seals, conducts an assessment of a person's interests, skills and knowledge that would be applicable to the workplace.  Secondly, the program offers skills training and the opportunity to receive assistance in career planning.  Finally, Easter Seals offers job seekers assistance to secure employment :

http://ma.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=MADR_jtehome

 

Heath Resource Center at George Washington University, national clearinghouse of information for individuals with disabilities. The center publishes an annually updated paper on financial resources:

http://www.heath.gwu.edu

 

Lilly Reintegration Scholarship, to assist persons with schizophrenia, schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and bipolar disorder acquire educational and vocational skills to reintegrate into society and secure employment:

http://www.reintegration.com

 

Mass. Association of 766 Approved Private Schools, dedicated to providing educational programs and services to students with special needs:

http://www.spedschools.com/

 

Massachusetts Association of Special Education Parent Advisory Councils, Parent's Desk Reference, professionals and services:

http://www.masspac.org/advocacy/pdr.htm

 

Mass. Special Education Parent Advisory Councils on-line:

http://www.concordspedpac.org/Pacs-in-Mass.html

 

 

ELDER SERVICES :

The Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model is centered around the belief that it is better for the well-being of seniors with chronic care needs and their families to be served in the community whenever possible. PACE serves individuals who are age 55 or older by their state to need nursing homecare, are able to live safely in the community at the time of enrollment, and live in a PACE service area:


http://www.npaonline.org/website/article.asp?id=12


Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, links to meals programs, government benefits, long term care facilities, etc. Also includes complete (PDF or Excel) list of Councils of Aging in the Commonwealth:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eldersterminal&L=2&L0=Home&L1=Service+Organizations+and+Advocates&sid=Eelders&b=terminalcontent&f=serviceorgs_coa&csid=Eelders

 

COPE-Community Outreach Programs for Seniors in Metro North area (mental health):

http://www.challiance.org/cope/welcome.shtml

 

Resources for Massachusetts Elders, click on the county map:

http://www.800ageinfo.com/map/

 

The Family Caregiver Handbook – Finding Elder Care Resources in Massachusetts :

http://web.mit.edu/workplacecenter/hndbk/sec5_prt2.html

 

Property Tax Relief for the Elderly:

http://www.mcoaonline.com/content/consumer/index.php

 

Massachusetts Alzheimers Association:

http://www.alzmass.org

 

 

FEDERAL and MASSACHUSETTS TAX FORMS and INFORMATION :

IRS forms and publications:

http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html

 

IRS taxpayer assistance centers in Massachusetts :

http://www.irs.gov/localcontacts/article/0,,id=98286,00.html

 

Massachusetts forms and publications:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=dorsubtopic&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Individuals+and+Families&L2=Personal+Income+Tax&L3=Forms+%26+Publications&sid=Ador

 

Massachusetts guides, general information about Massachusetts tax laws and Department of Revenue policies and procedures:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=dorsubtopic&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Individuals+and+Families&L2=Help+%26+Resources&L3=Tax+Guides&sid=Ador

 

 

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT :

United States House of Representatives, official website:

http://www.house.gov/

 

United States Senate, official website:

http://www.senate.gov/

 

The Whitehouse, official website:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/

 

Official gateway to all government information:

http://www.usa.gov/

 

 

FOOD STAMPS, FOOD PANTRIES and OTHER FOOD RESOURCES :

Project Bread's Food Source Hotline refers callers to food resources in their communities as well as information about food stamps and other nutrition programs. (Multilingual)

http://www.projectbread.org/site/PageServer?pagename=end_foodsourcehotline

 

Comprehensive lists of local resources including: DTA and WIC offices; food pantries, soup kitchens, and low-cost food sources; and information about school meals and summer meals available in several non-English versions. 

http://www.projectbread.org/site/PageServer?pagename=end_foodresourceguides

 

 

HEALTH INSURANCE :

Health Care For All, healthcare resources, public and private programs (Multilingual):

http://www.hcfama.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=770&grandparentID=496&parentID=767

 

Massachusetts Commonwealth Connector, it's mission it to help you find the right health plan and avoid tax penalties:

http://www.mahealthconnector.org/portal/site/connector/

 

Mass Health, official government site to apply for Medicaid, prescription drugs list and other information:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2agencylanding&L=4&sid=Eeohhs2&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Departments+and+Divisions&L3=MassHealth

 

Medicare, Medicare and you booklet (current year), eligibility, Prescription Drug Plans (current year), and other information:

http://www.medicare.gov/

 

Extra help for Medicare (Part D) beneficiaries: help with lowered premiums and co-pays if you have limited income and resources, find out if you are eligible and apply online, in English and Spanish:

http://www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp/

 

Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders (SHINE) provides health insurance counseling services to the elderly and disabled adults. SHINE counselors are trained to handle complex questions:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eldersterminal&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Health+Care&L2=Serving+the+Health+Information+Needs+of+Elders+(SHINE)&sid=Eelders&b=terminalcontent&f=shine_overview&csid=Eelders

 

Health Law Advocates, for assistance to appeal denials of coverage by private health insurance plans and government programs, actions to reduce large medical bills.

http://www.hla-inc.org

 

Mass. Dept. of Public Health, Office of Patient Protection, Managed Care Protections and Grievances (Consumer Guide, Frequently Asked Questions also in many languages, Internal and External Review Process, etc.):

http://www.state.ma.us/dph/opp :

 

 

HOTLINES/HELPLINES :

Center for Violence Prevention and Recovery, Services and Resources:

http://www.bidmc.harvard.edu/display.asp?node_id=9808

 

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, Local Crisis Centers in Mass:

http://centers.rainn.org/

 

Jane Doe Inc., Mass Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, Massachusetts Rape Crisis Center :

http://www.janedoe.org/safety.htm

 

National Domestic Violence Hotline:

http://www.ndvh.org/help/index.html

 

Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, confidential 24 hour hotline is available for women who have questions, are confused, or are in emergency situations looking for a safe place to stay:

http://www.atask.org./

 

The Child-Help USA 1-800-422-4453 crisis line assists both child and adult survivors of abuse, including sexual abuse. The hotline, staffed by mental health professionals, also provides treatment referrals .

http://www.childhelp.org/

 

Gay, Lesbian, BiSexual & Transgender National Help Center :

http://www.glnh.org/hotline/index.html

 

Parents Stress Line: 800-632-8188

 

Disabled Person's Protection Hotline, Adults (Ages 18-59) can report physical abuse or neglect by their caretakers: 617-727-6469 or 800-426-9009

 

Baby Safe Haven:

http://www.babysafehaven.com/

 

Child-At-Risk Hotline, report child abuse: 1-800-792-5200

 

Su Familia" National Hispanic Family Health Helpline: 866-783-2645

 

 

HOUSING RESOURCES :

Household Goods Recycling Ministry, provides recycled household goods to the needy individuals and families of our surrounding communities at no charge, through the use of volunteers, and in cooperation with religious organizations of all faiths and denominations, human service agencies, service organizations, and commercial businesses:

http://www.hgrm.org/


Cascap is dedicated to providing individuals with differing needs the opportunity to live, learn, and grow with dignity in the communities of Somerville and Cambridge:

http://www.cascap.org/REO/management/housing/opportunities.htm



Mass Access, the accessible housing registry is a free program that helps people with disabilities find rental housing in Massachusetts, primarily accessible and barrier-free housing :

http://www.mnip-net.org/registry/registrymax.nsf/webpages/home?open

 

MassHousing finances the construction and preservation of affordable rental housing throughout Massachusetts . Use this link for housing lists which you can view or print out and then contact the site office or management company to inquire about unit availability and the application process: https://www.masshousing.com/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=422&parentname=CommunityPage&parentid=3&mode=2&in_hi_userid=2&cached=true

Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, tenant programs:

http://www.mbhp.org/pages.asp?p=79&c=22

 

Massachusetts Sober Housing Corp., provides sober housing for individuals in recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction :

http://www.soberhousing.com/

 

Rental Assistance Programs administrative plans, applications and documentation:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=ehedsubtopic&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Housing+Development&L2=Rental+Assistance+Management&sid=Ehed

 

Section 8 Made Simple , publication written in clear language about Section 8:

http://www.tacinc.org/Pubs/housingpubs.htm

 

Massachusetts Dept. of Housing and Community Development: how to obtain housing assistance, foreclosure assistance listing by town and other resources:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=ehedagencylanding&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Economic+Analysis&L2=Executive+Office+of+Housing+and+Economic+Development&L3=Department+of+Housing+and+Community+Development&sid=Ehed

 

Berkshire Housing Development Corp. and Housing Services Inc., rental assistance programs:

http://www.berkshirehousing.com/bh/leasing_sales.html

 

Community Teamwork, Inc. Division of Housing and Homeless Services ( Merrimack Valley ):

http://www.comteam.org/div_housing_homeless.htm

 

Franklin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, rental assistance programs:

http://www.fchra.org/

 

HAP, Inc., rental assistance programs for Hampshire and Hampden counties:

http://www.hhhp.org/programs

 

Housing Assistance Corp,, rental assistance and shelters for all of Cape Cod :

http://www.haconcapecod.org/ViewPage.asp?PageID=2

 

Resources for Communities and People (RCAP), housing assistance and client resources (Worcester and Gardner offices):

http://www.rcapsolutions.org/supportive_services.htm

 

South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC), rental assistance programs:

http://www.smoc.org/index.asp?pgid=26

 

South Shore Housing,

http://www.southshorehousing.org/tenants.html

 

Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, shelter lists:

http://www.mahomeless.org/Resources/shelter/Individualshelters/expindshelter.html

 

Shelter Resource Listing :

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=ehedterminal&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Economic+Analysis&L2=Executive+Office+of+Housing+and+Economic+Development&L3=Department+of+Housing+and+Community+Development&L4=Contact+Listings&sid=Ehed&b=terminalcontent&f=dhcd_contacts_shelterlist&csid=Ehed

 

Tenancy Against Homelessness: 617-854-1089

 

Housing Works is committed to ending the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness, Housing Works operates 143 units of supportive housing, and take special pride in the appearance and quality of each. They are the homes that serve as the foundation for empowering our clients .

http://www.housingworks.org/new/housing.html

 

 

IDENTITY THEFT :

Federal Trade Commission, on this site consumer can learn how to avoid identity theft – and learn what to do if their identity is stolen:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/

 

Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, this is similar to the FTC's website and the AG offers a Guide to ID Theft for Victims and Consumers:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=cagosubtopic&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Consumer+Protection&L2=Scams+and+Identity+Theft&L3=Identity+Theft&sid=Cago

 

Equifax, one of three credit bureaus:

http://www.equifax.com

 

Experian, one of three credit bureaus:

http://www.experian.com

 

TransUnion, one of three credit bureaus:

http://www.transunion.com

 

Annual Credit Report, site set up by the big three credit reporting agencies in the United States, to furnish free annual credit reports, as required by federal law:

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

 

 

INSURANCE:

The Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE), is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers make smart insurance decisions to safeguard their families' financial futures. The main topics addressed in their educational efforts are life, disability, long-term care and health insurance. LIFE does not endorse any product, company or insurance advisor.

http://www.lifehappens.org/

 

Mass. Division of Insurance, Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, Information for Consumers – consumer guides about various types of insurance policies:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=ocatopic&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Consumer&L2=Insurance&sid=Eoca

InsureMASS Insurance Premium Comparison Website, Auto Insurance Rate Comparison Tool. This site produces sample insurance premiums for typical drivers with various backgrounds and levels of experience. Your actual premium may differ significantly from the sample based on specific information that you will provide to a company when you apply for insurance.

http://www.autoratecompare.doi.state.ma.us/ircsearch1.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

 

KIDS AND TEENS :

NAMI Child & Adolescent Center :

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Child_and_Teen_Support&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=72&ContentID=54313

 

Copecaredeal.org, a mental health site for teens, focuses on coping skills and healthy living:

http://www.copecaredeal.org/

 

KidsHealth has separate areas for kids , teens , and parents — each with its own design, age-appropriate content, and tone. There are literally thousands of in-depth features, articles, animations, games, and resources — all original and all developed by experts in the health of children and teens:

http://www.kidshealth.org/

 

Girlshealth.gov, this website focuses on health topics that girls are concerned about and helps motivate them to choose healthy behaviors by using positive, supportive, and non-threatening messages:

http://www.girlshealth.gov/

 

MedlinePlus:Teen Mental Health:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/teenmentalhealth.html

 

Itsallright is an Australian website where you can read the diaries of four fictional teenagers touched by mental illness. It also has useful factsheets on mental illness including schizophrenia, depression and anxiety disorders;

http://www.itsallright.org/

 

Depressed Teens: an educational site dedicated to helping teenagers and their parents and educators understand the signs and symptoms of teenage depression and provide resources for those ready to reach out and get the help they need :

http://www.bpkids.org/site/PageServer?pagename=index

 

 

LEGAL RESOURCES :

 

Mass. Housing Courts by County: http://www.mass.gov/courts/courtsandjudges/courts/housingcourt/index.html#county Frequently Asked Questions prepared by the Mass. Housing Court for Tenant/Landlord Disputes including Mediation as an option:

http://www.mass.gov/courts/courtsandjudges/courts/housingcourt/housingquestions.html#19


Mass. Trial Court Law Libraries, Forms etc. for granparent visitation, healthcare proxy, etc.

http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/formsf-l.html


Dial-A-Lawyer, free legal advice is available on the first Wednesday of each month. Attorneys volunteer at the MBA's Boston headquarters by providing free, basic legal information by phone to callers from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. , to assist anyone and everyone, but particularly those who are not eligible for free legal services or cannot afford to hire a lawyer.


To use Dial-A-Lawyer, call (617) 338-0610:


Legal aid services throughout the state.

http://www.masslegalservices.org/perl/services.cgi

 

Know your rights, various brochures from the Mental Health Legal Advisory Committee (tenant rights, patient rights, DMH complaint process, etc.):

http://www.mass.gov/mhlac/guide.htm

 

Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination:

http://www.mass.gov/mcad/

 

Disability Law Center of Massachusetts . DLC is a private, non-profit organization responsible for providing protection and advocacy for the rights of Massachusetts residents with disabilities:

http://www.dlc-ma.org/

 

Center for Public Representation, dedicated to serving individuals with disabilities

http://www.centerforpublicrep.org/

 

Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service: 

http://www.massbar.org/public-and-community-services/need-a-lawyer

 

Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services, t he office focuses on four issues: health and mental health care, guard-on-prisoner violence, physical conditions of confinement, and segregation and isolation, (they do not provide criminal defense services):

http://www.mcls.net/

 

Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), Hotline in English and Spanish M-F 1:30-4:30pm , HIV related protections, Gay/Straight Alliances, transgender issues and helps with harassment:

http://glad.org

 

Volunteer Lawyers Project, handles cases in the Metro Boston area, mainly housing (including foreclosure or bankruptcy), family (divorce), consumer related, public benefits (primarily SSI), and wills and probate for the elderly:

http://www.vlpnet.org

 

Law library online, reference library which provides some resources for legal help with mental health issues:

http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/mentalhealth.html

 

American Bar Association, Lawyer Referral & Information Service, Massachusetts :

http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/lris/directory/main.cfm?id=MA

 

Parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities:

http://www.wrightslaw.com/

 

Committee for Public Counsel (CPC), Mental Health Litigation Unit, provide trial and appellate representation to indigent persons against whom are filed petitions seeking commitment to public or private psychiatric facilities or judicial authorization to administer or terminate certain types of treatment (e.g., antipsychotic medication, aversive behavior modification, life-support mechanisms). The CPC also trains, and is available to assist, criminal defense attorneys in respect to mental health issues that arise in the criminal justice context (e.g., competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility).

http://www.publiccounsel.net/Practice_Areas/Mental_Health/civil_mental_health_index.html

 

Committee for Public Counsel (CPC), Children and Family Law (CAFL) Program provides legal representation to children and indigent parents in child welfare matters, including care and protection proceedings, children in need of services cases (CHINS), actions to terminate parental rights, state agency-sponsored guardianships, and any other child custody proceeding where the Department of Social Services (DSS) is a party or where the court is considering granting custody to DSS.  In Massachusetts , both children and indigent parents have a right to representation by counsel in child welfare cases:

http://www.publiccounsel.net/Practice_Areas/cafl_pages/civil_cafl_index.html

 

Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston , non-profit organization soley focused on ending illegal housing discrimination in the greater Boston area, serving the communities in Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk , Plymouth , and Suffolk counties :

http://www.bostonfairhousing.org/


Find a lawyer in your area


http://lawyers.findlaw.com/?DCMP=KWC-GOOGLAWYER0804;KWC-GOOGLAWYER0804&DNAid=19827,8,84207,28315503,243009809,1213310535,,0,0


FindLaw for the Public, thousands of articles and resources in scores of categories to help the public with a wide range of legal issues, from bankruptcy to landlord/tenant law to selecting a lawyer:

http://public.findlaw.com/

 

The Youth Advocacy Project offers legal representation and advocacy to children under 17 years old who are charged as delinquents or youthful offenders. The Youth Advocacy Project provides these services at a number of stages. The Youth Advocacy Project can offer advice and consultation on general delinquency issues.

http://www.youthadvocacyproject.org/about/model.htm

 

Minority Law Resources:

http://www.aalam.org/resources.shtml

 

The CORI Reader, (38 page PDF prepared by Mass. Law Reform Institute):

http://www.masslegalservices.org/docs/3d_Ed-2d_Rev.pdf

 

Mass. Executive Office of Public Safety & Security, Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI):

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopssubtopic&L=4&sid=Eeops&L0=Home&L1=Crime+Prevention+%26+Personal+Safety&L2=Background+Check&L3=Criminal+Offender+Record+Information+(CORI)

 

Mass. Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Find a Lawyer:

http://www.macdl.com/findLawyer.php

 

 

LEGAL SERVICES to DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN :

 

Children's Law Center of Massachusetts, providing direct representation to low income children in Eastern Massachusetts, and technical assistance and training to lay and professional communities throughout New England on issues affecting children's education, civil rights, custody, health and welfare.:

http://www.clcm.org/

 

 

Massachusetts Advocates for Children, non-profit organization dedicated to being an independent and effective voice for children who face significant barriers to equal educational and life opportunities

http://www.massadvocates.org/home

 

 

MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNMENT :

Commonwealth of Massachusetts – legislators, legislation, laws, committees, etc.:

http://www.mass.gov/legis/

 

To find your election information, who are your state and federal legislators, how to register to vote, etc.:

http://wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php

 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts , the official website:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=mg2homepage&L=1&L0=Home&sid=massgov2

 

 

MEDICAL SERVICES :

Massachusetts Community Health Centers (by town):

http://www.massleague.org/HealthCenters-ByCityTown.htm

 

Massachusetts Hospitals:

http://www.mhalink.org/public/mahospitals/

 

Directory of Massachusetts Hospitals and Medical Centers :

http://www.masshome.com/med.html

 

Massachusetts Board of Registration; Physicians Profiles, Complaint Process, Tips for choosing a doctor, How to Obtain Vital Records, etc:

http://www.massmedboard.org/consumer/

 

Find a Doctor, American Medical Association:

http://webapps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/home.html

 

Find a Doctor, Dentist, or Hospital in Massachusetts :

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/care-providers/

 

 

MEDICATIONS :

MedlinePlus will direct you to information to help answer health questions. MedlinePlus brings together authoritative information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

 

General information about medications, at the NAMI website:

http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=About_Medications

 

Ask the Pharmacist, questions pharmacists are often asked and answered are periodically placed at the NAMI website:

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Ask_the_Pharmacist&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=61&ContentID=28925

 

Prescription Drug Patient Assistance Programs, http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Helpline1/Prescription_Drug_Patient_Assistance_Programs.htm

 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Index to Drug-Specific Information:

http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/DrugSafety/DrugIndex.htm

 

 

MENTAL HEALTH and SUBSTANCE ABUSE PUBLICATIONS:

FEDERAL GUIDE TO HELP PARENTS MAKE SAFE CHOICES WHEN CHOOSING A RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR THEIR CHILDREN
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released the first-ever federal consumer guide to assist parents in choosing a safe residential treatment program for their children. The guide was issued as part of FTC's investigation into the deceptive marketing practices of some residential treatment programs, which was requested by
Rep. George Miller (D-CA):

http://www.ftc. gov/bcp/edu/ pubs/consumer/ products/ pro27.pdf
.

National Institute of Mental Health, Publications:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/index.shtml

Federal Citizen Information Center, free government health publications, most available in Spanish:


http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/results.tpl?id=16&startat=1&--woSECTIONdatarq=16--SECTIONSword=ww
 

Selection of books, brochures, posters and other items at the NAMI store:

http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=Nami_Store

 

Two guides designed to help patients, families, and physicians make informed decisions about obtaining and administering the most appropriate care for a child with ADHD or depression:

http://www.parentsmedguide.org/

 

SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) is the Nation's one-stop resource for information about substance abuse prevention and addiction treatment :

http://csat.samhsa.gov/publications.aspx

 

SAMHSA's fact sheets and other materials for Children and Families about Children's and Adolescent Mental Health (most available in Spanish):

http://nmhicstore.samhsa.gov/cmhs/ChildrensCampaign/pubs.aspx

 

The Parents' How-To Guide to Children's Mental Health Services in Massachusetts, The Boston Bar Association, with support from Children's Hospital Boston, has developed the guide to Services in Massachusetts, which answers all of these questions and more. It takes you through the mental health system step by step, from deciding if your child needs care to getting specific services:

http://www.childrenshospital.org/clinicalservices/Site1936/mainpageS1936P18sublevel16.html

 

NAMI NH Guidebook for Caregivers of Children and Adolescents with Severe Emotional Disorders (downloadable for free or purchase a hardcopy):

http://naminh.org/support-child-caregiver-guidebook.php

 

National Association of School Psychologists, information for families (many in multiple languages:

http://www.nasponline.org/families/index.aspx

 

Health brochures and booklets sent directly to you, (most available in Spanish):

http://www.healthpublications.com/

 

Patient-Family Guides that can be downloaded (PDF files):

http://www.psychguides.com/pfg

 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Consumer Print Publications:

http://www.fda.gov/opacom/catalog/alpha.html

 

FEMA for Kids: After the Disaster: A Children's Mental Health Checklist: http://www.fema.gov/kids/tch_mntl.htm

 

 

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES :

FEDERAL GUIDE TO HELP PARENTS MAKE SAFE CHOICES WHEN CHOOSING A RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR THEIR CHILDREN
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released the first-ever federal consumer guide to assist parents in choosing a safe residential treatment program for their children. The guide was issued as part of FTC's investigation into the deceptive marketing practices of some residential treatment programs, which was requested by
Rep. George Miller (D-CA):

http://www.ftc. gov/bcp/edu/ pubs/consumer/ products/ pro27.pdf .

Massachusetts Dept. of Mental Health:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2agencylanding&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Departments+and+Divisions&L3=Department+of+Mental+Health&sid=Eeohhs2

 

The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership (MBHP) has a wide range of mental health and substance abuse services (includes find a provider, list of emergency service providers):

http://www.masspartnership.com/index.aspx

 

Independent Living Centers of Massachusetts, Information and Referral, Skills Training and Peer Mentoring are the backbone of Direct Services:

http://www.masilc.org/docs/addresses.html

 

State Mental Health Resources for Massachusetts , Searchable Databases at the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration of the U. S. (SAMHSA):

http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/databases/kdata.aspx?state=MA

 

Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition, a “clubhouse” is a place where people who have mental illness come to rebuild and/or regain control of their social and economic lives:

http://www.maclub.org/sub/clubhouses/clubhouses.htm

 

Social Worker Therapy Referral Service (a service of the Massachusetts Association of Social Workers), one-on-one and group therapy:

http://www.therapymatcher.org/index.html

 

Mass. Division of Professional Licensure, Search for a Licensed Professional, Social Worker:

http://license.reg.state.ma.us/loca/locaCity.asp?profession=Social_Worker

 

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry:

http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/child_and_adolescent_psychiatrist_finder/child_and_adolescent_psychiatrist_finder

 

Find a Psychologist, American Psychologist Association:

http://locator.apa.org/

 

Mass. Division of Professional Licensure, Search for a Licensed Professional, Psychologist:

http://license.reg.state.ma.us/loca/locaCity.asp?profession=Psychologist

 

Find a Psychiatrist and other resources, American Psychiatric Association:

http://www.healthyminds.org/locateapsychiatrist.cfm

 

Find a Doctor, American Medical Association:

http://webapps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/home.html

 

Mass. Division of Professional Licensure, Search for a Licensed Professional, Mental Health Counselor:

http://license.reg.state.ma.us/loca/locaCity.asp?profession=Mental_Health_Counselor

 

Find a counselor, American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC):

http://www.aapc.org/directory.cfm

 

Find a Therapist, on-line and phone counseling for anyone (individual, child, etc):

http://www.find-a-therapist.com/

 

Find a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, use drop down menus to narrow search:

http://www.nacbt.org/searchfortherapists.asp

 

Find a Dialectic Behavioral Therapist, click on the state:

http://www.bpdcentral.com/resources/therapist/main.php

 

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Directory for Spanish-speaking and Culturally-informed Private Practice Referrals for Mental Health:

http://www.bidmc.harvard.edu/display.asp?node_id=2177

 

Association of Black Psychologists, Psychologists listing for Massachusetts :

http://www.abpsi.org/listing.htm#Anchor-MASSACUHUSETT-56416

 

U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, the Office of Minority Health, Information and referral offers customized responses to telephone, e-mail and mail inquiries:

http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=61

 

Muslim Mental Health Professionals in the US & Canada, page down for the state:

http://www.crescentlife.com/psychexperts/directory_of_muslim_mental_health_professionals.htm

 

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), people with mental health issues have can have hope, control over their lives, develop self-directed wellness plans, and recover, working toward meeting their own life dreams and goals:

http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS :


UMASS Pension Action Center, providing assistance to individuals having trouble understanding or obtaining their pension benefits:
http://www.pensionaction.org

Massachusetts Do Not Call Registry:

https://www.madonotcall.govconnect.com/Welcome.asp

 

Federal Do Not Call Registry:

https://www.donotcall.gov/

 

Catalog Choice, eliminate unwanted catalogs you receive in the mail:

http://www.catalogchoice.org/

 

Federal Trade Commission, Unsolicited Mail, Telemarketing and Email: Where to Go to “Just Say No”:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt063.shtm

 

 

MISSING PERSONS ASSISTANCE :

Missing Persons Support; resources for people searching for loved ones with mental illness who are missing persons:

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Missing_Persons&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=47397&lstid=839

 

National Center for Missing Adults:

http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/index.php

 

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children:

http://www.missingkids.com/

 

Salvation Army USA, Missing Persons – guidelines and procedures, etc.:

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf/vw-text-dynamic-arrays/5D969AF479D05F78852574410045EEB5?openDocument

 

 

MULTICULTURAL :

NAMI Multicultural Action Center ,

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Multicultural_Support&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=56&ContentID=42137

 

U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, The Office of Minority Health Resource Center (OMHRC) is the nation's largest repository of information on health issues specific to African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Hispanics, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.

http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=61

 

Healthfinder.gov, Encuentre aquí en el healthfinder.gov español las últimas informaciones y respuestas a las preguntas hechas con más frecuencia. Selecione una letra de la lista alfabética inferior para empezar a hojear los temas de salud:

http://www.healthfinder.gov/espanol/

 

Regional Office for Minority Health:

http://www.omhrc.gov/images/mappings2.cfm?region=1

 

Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research, their mission is to generate innovative mental health services research that helps shape policy, practice and service delivery to reduce disparities and improve the well-being of multicultural populations:

http://www.multiculturalmentalhealth.org/

 

Center for Multicultural Mental Health, Behavioral Health Disaster Response Training Program:

http://www.cmmh-cmtp.com/services-bhdrtp.php

 

SAMHSA's Culturally Specific Mental Health Resources:

http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cre/resource5.asp

 

National Alliance for Hispanic Health, their goal is to improve health for all by using the Hispanic experience as a way to design a better system for health prevention and care. Activities: consumer and provider education, community programs, technology resources, help lines, teen theatre, policy development, advocacy, and research.

http://www.hispanichealth.org/

 

La Alianza Hispana, Inc., a hub of social service delivery, advocacy, and education in the Dudley Square area:

http://www.laalianza.org/docs/Alianza%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

 

Sociedad Latina, viene trabajando con los jóvenes latinos como una manera de contribuir al desarrollo de la nueva generación de líderes:

http://spanish.sociedadlatina.org/

 

Su Familia" National Hispanic Family Health Helpline: 866-783-2645

 

Health brochures and booklets sent directly to you, (most available in Spanish):

http://www.healthpublications.com/

 

Association canadienne pour la santé mentale, Le contenu de ce site est basé sur les commentaires de parents qui ont vécu cette situation et sur l'expertise de professionnels de la santé mentale et du domaine de l'éducation :

http://www.acsm.ca/ecolesecondaire/

 

Los grupos enumerados en el directorio de las organizaciones de las inhabilidades y de los grupos de la información son una fuente de información inestimable:

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yellowpagesforkids.com&lp=en_es&fr=avbbf-us

 

  ORGANIZATIONS LED by PEOPLE IN RECOVERY :

NAMI Greater Boston Consumer Advocacy/Affiliate Network, is a grassroots organization primarily consisting of mental health consumers:

http://ngbcan.googlepages.com/

 

M-Power, an organization of mental health consumers and current and former psychiatric patients. They advocate for political and social change within the mental health system:

http://www.m-power.org/resources

 

Independent Living Centers of Massachusetts, Information and Referral, Skills Training and Peer Mentoring are the backbone of Direct Services:

http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/massachusetts.html

 

Mental Health America , (formerly known as the National Mental Health Association) is a nonprofit dedicated to helping ALL people live mentally healthier lives:

http://www.nmha.org/

 

National Empowerment Center , Recovery is real and this website is filled with practical information that will help you recover if you have been labeled with a mental illness:

http://www.power2u.org/

 

Consumer Quality Initiatives (CQI) is a mental health consumer operated research, evaluation and quality improvement organization based in Massachusetts . A primary activity of CQI is to conduct personal interviews and focus groups with people with disabilities and/or their family members using semi-structured surveys and interview guides, leading to in-depth data-driven reports :

http://www.cqi-mass.org/

 

Active Minds, is a peer-to-peer organization dedicated to raising awareness about mental health among college students. The organization serves as the young adult voice in mental health advocacy on over one hundred college campuses nationwide:

http://www.activemindsoncampus.org/

 

 

ORGANIZING SERVICES :

Professional Organizers Web Ring, group of several organizers in Massachusetts :
http://www.organizerswebring.com/members/UnitedStates/Massachusetts_Organizers.asp

 

New England Association of Professional Organizers :
http://www.napo-newengland.com/mass.htm


Christian Professional Organizers in Massachusetts :
http://www.faithfulorganizers.com/Professional_Organizers_Massachusetts.htm

 

 

OTHER DISABILITIES SERVICES :

Deaf, Late-Deafened, and Hard of Hearing services:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2subtopic&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Consumer&L2=Disability+Services&L3=Services+by+Type+of+Disability&L4=Deaf%2c+Late-Deafened%2c+and+Hard+of+Hearing&sid=Eeohhs2

 

Massachusetts Commission for the Blind:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2agencylanding&L=4&sid=Eeohhs2&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Departments+and+Divisions&L3=Massachusetts+Commission+for+the+Blind

 

Massachusetts Dept. of Mental Retardation, DMR offices, housing, etc:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2agencylanding&L=4&sid=Eeohhs2&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Departments+and+Divisions&L3=Department+of+Mental+Retardation

 

 

>OTHER ORGANIZATIONS:

Parent/Professional Advocacy League, (PAL) advocates for supports, treatments and policies that enable families to live in their communities in an environment of stability and respect:

http://ppal.net/default/Home/tabid/68/Default.aspx

 

National Federation for Families for Children's Mental Health (FFCMH), a national family-run organization dedicated exclusively to helping children with mental health needs and their families achieve a better quality of life:

http://www.ffcmh.org/

 

Families for Depression Awareness, helps families recognize and cope with depressive disorders to get people well and prevent suicides:

http://familyaware.org/index.php

 

The Council for Exceptional Children, the voice and vision of special education:

http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home

 

National Organizations and Information Groups are an invaluable source of information:

http://www.yellowpagesforkids.com/help/dis.orgs.htm:Directory:Disabilities

Los grupos enumerados en el directorio de las organizaciones de las inhabilidades y de los grupos de la información son una fuente de información inestimable:

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yellowpagesforkids.com&lp=en_es&fr=avbbf-us

 

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities :

http://www.nichcy.org/index.html

 

National Organization on Disability, it's ability not disability that counts:

http://www.nod.org/

 

SAMHSA's Guide to Evidenced-Based Practices (EPB) on the Web:

http://www.samhsa.gov/ebpwebguide/index.asp

 

SAMHSA's Resource Center to Promote A cceptance, D ignity and S ocial Inclusion Associated with Mental Health (ADS Center):

http://www.stopstigma.samhsa.gov

 

Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Mental Health Work Group:

http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/

 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration:

http://www.fda.gov/

 

Homelessness Resource Center (SAMHSA), sharing knowledge to prevent and end homelessness:

http://homeless.samhsa.gov/Default.aspx

 

National Alliance to End Homelessness, they work collaboratively with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build state and local capacity, leading to stronger programs and policies that help homeless individuals and families make positive changes in their lives. They provide data and research to policymakers and elected officials in order to inform policy debates and educate the public and opinion leaders nationwide:

http://www.endhomelessness.org/

 

United Jewish Communties (UJC), u nifying North American Jewry UJC represents and serves 155 Jewish federations and 400 independent Jewish communities across North America :

http://www.ujc.org/

 

National Council of Churches USA, The NCC's member faith groups — from a wide spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African American and Living Peace churches :

http://ncccusa.org/

 

Catholic Directory and Resources:

http://www.catholicweb.com/welcome_page.cfm

 

 

RESEARCH :

NARSAD, supports scientific research to find better treatments and ultimately prevent severe mental illnesses:

http://www.narsad.org/

 

National Institute of Mental Health , reducing the burden of mental illness and behavioral disorders through research on mind, brain and behavior:

http://nimh.nih.gov/research-funding/index.shtml

 

Institute for Mental Health Research, offering Help and Hope to individuals and families living with mental health disorders:

http://www.imhr.org/

 

 

SEARCHABLE WEB-BASED DATABASES :

DisabilityInfo.org is maintained by New England INDEX. Contained within this site is a wealth of information for people with disabilities, their friends, families and the people who serve them. Information within this site focuses on Massachusetts:
http://www.disabilityinfo.org/

 

The Mental Health Information Network (MHIN) is provided as an educational service. Links to external websites are provided for educational purposes:

http://mhin.bu.edu/index.cfm

 

Healthfinder.gov has carefully selected information and Web sites from over 1,500 health-related organizations:

http://www.healthfinder.gov/

 

Disability and other resources in Massachusetts :

http://www.masslegalhelp.org/disability/

 

Mass Resources, a free online resource for Massachusetts residents in need of housing, food, health care, and other basic services:

http://www.massresources.org/

 

SPECIAL EDUCATION RESOURCES
Massachusetts Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities,

Find educational consultants, psychologists, educational diagnosticians, health care providers, academic therapists, tutors, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, coaches, advocates, and attorneys for children with disabilities on the Yellow Pages for Kids for your state. You will also find special education schools, learning centers, treatment programs, parent groups, respite care, community centers, grassroots organizations, and government programs for children with disabilities :

http://www.yellowpagesforkids.com/help/ma.htm

 

Parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities:

http://www.wrightslaw.com/

 

10 Tips to End the School Year, other tips and parent resources:

http://www.wrightslaw.com/howey/10tips.end.sch.yr.htm

SPECIAL NEEDS TRUSTS and

THIRD PARTY SPECIAL NEEDS POOLED TRUSTS :

NAMI's Special Needs Estate Planning Guidance System:

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Special_Needs_Estate_Planning&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8837

 

PLAN (Planned Lifetime Assistance Network):

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Legal_Support&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=25569

 

PLAN of Massachusetts :

http://planofma.org/

 

Combined Jewish Philanthropies Disabilities Trust:

http://www.jfcsboston.org/disability/special_needs_trusts.cfm

 

Massachusetts Pooled Trust:

http://www.sntcenter.org/Download_Page_Massachusetts.htm

 

Berkshire County ARC Master Special Needs Pooled Trust:

http://www.bcarc.org/programs.asp

 

 

SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES :

Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education:

http://www.helpline-online.com/HelplineSearch.aspx?pl=helpline

 

SAMHSA Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator:

http://dasis3.samhsa.gov/PrxInput.aspx?STATE=Massachusetts

 

Massachusetts Substance Abuse Treatment Centers:

http://nationalsubstanceabuseindex.org/massachusetts/facilities.php

 

Recovery Community Organizations in Massachusetts :

http://www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/regions/result.php?state=MA

 

 

SUPPORT GROUPS :

 

The Children's Room helps grieving children, teens and families in our community to go on living fully. We serve families from over 75 cities and towns in Massachusetts. We are also part of a Massachusetts-wide network of programs helping grieving children, teens and families. Contact us to learn about programs serving your area or how you can help grieving children, teens and families:

http://childrensroom.org/

NAMI's online communities for all family members:

http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=communities

 

My Invisible Disabilities Community, t his network is for people living with chronic illness, pain, injuries and/or disabilities, as well as their friends and family:

http://www.myida.org/myinvisibledisabilitiescommunity.htm

 

Before attending a support group it's advisable to call/email and confirm the meeting location, date and time since meeting information may not be up-to-date. It's also advisable to attend more than one group so you can find one where you feel comfortable sharing. A support group is a safe, confidential place to share amongst peers.

 

NAMI Massachusetts, supports groups for people in recovery and support groups for family members and caregivers:

http://www.namimass.org/newaffiliates.htm

 

Vet-to-Vet (Women's Veteran's self-help support group), meets Thursdays from 1-2pm at the Jamaica Plain Veterans Hospital , Fourth Flr Rm C-12, Contact Darlene Saunders 857-364-6396

 

Samaritans, Grief Support Services and Helplines (Greater Boston & MetroWest areas):

http://www.samaritansofboston.org/survivor.html

 

Samaritans of Fall River & New Bedford Areas, Services and Helplines:

http://www.samaritans-fallriver.org/

 

American Association of Suicidology, support groups for those who have lost a loved one:

http://www.suicidology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=79

 

Massachusetts Suicide Support Groups:

http://www.suicide.org/support-groups/massachusetts-suicide-support-groups.html

 

Parent/Professional Advocacy League, Parent Support Group listing for viewing or printing out:

http://ppal.net/default/Resources/ParentSupportGroupNetwork/tabid/74/Default.aspx

 

Asperger's Association of New England, various support groups:

http://www.aane.org/aane_services/support_social_groups_adults.html

 

Autism Society of America , Massachusetts Chapter:

http://209.200.89.252/search_site/chapter_detail.cfm?program_id=834

 

Attention Deficit Disorder Association, support groups in Mass:

http://www.add.org/help/ma.html

 

Children and Adults with AD/HD, Mass chapter:

http://www.chadd.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Chapter_Search_Display1&state=ma

 

Tourettes Syndrome Association, Inc., Massachusetts Chapter:

http://www.tsa-usa.org/TSANatlLocal/Chapters/usachapters.html#massachusetts

 

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Eating Disorders Support Groups:

http://www.anad.org/5106/22322.html

 

Multiservice Eating Disorders Association, supports groups in Mass:

http://www.medainc.org/help/support_groups.asp

 

Anxiety Support groups in Massachusetts :

http://www.adaa.org/GettingHelp/SupportGroupsResult.asp?state=MA

 

Massachusetts Anxiety Support Groups:

http://www.anxietypanic.com/massachusetts.htm

 

Emotions Anonymous, meetings in Mass:

http://allone.com/12/ea/

 

Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, support groups in Mass:

http://www.ocfoundation.org/quick_list_groups.html?select_city=0&select_state=MA&and_or_State=2&select_country=0&and_or_Country=2&Submit=Submit

 

Recovery Inc., mental health self-help support groups in Mass:

http://www.recovery-inc.com/meetings/northeast.html#massachusetts

 

Depression Bipolar Support Alliance , support groups in Mass:

http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=support_findsupport

 

Manic-Depressive Depressive Association of Boston , supports groups in New England :

http://www.mddaboston.org/HTML/regional.html

 

Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, parent support groups in Mass:

http://www.bpkids.org/site/Dir/100333857?pg=rslts

 

Foundation for Children with Behavioral Challenges, parent support groups:

http://www.explosivekids.org/resources/support_groups.html

 

Co-Dependents Anonymous, locate a meeting :

http://www.coda.org/ajax_control.php?action=load_translation&language=1

 

Postpartum Support International, support groups and other resources in Mass:

http://www.postpartum.net/massachusetts.html

 

Dual Recovery Anonymous, meetings in Mass:

http://www.draonline.org/meetings_dra/usa/massachusetts.html

 

Dual Recovery meetings at Mass. Clubhouses:

http://www.maclub.org/sub/dualrecovery/drameetings.htm

 

Narcotics Anonymous, meeting locator:

http://portaltools.na.org/portaltools/MeetingLoc/

 

Alcoholics Anonymous, meeting locator:

http://www.aa.org/US_CtrOffice/ma.html

 

Massachusetts Al-Anon/Alateen meetings:

http://www.ma-al-anon-alateen.org/new.html

 

Debtors Anonymous, meeting locator:

http://www.danewengland.org/

 

Gamblers Anonymous, meeting listing in Mass:

http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/mtgdirMA.html

 

Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts , Survivor and Family Support:

http://www.biama.org/whatdoes/survivor.html

 

PTSD Support group in Mass:

http://www.giftfromwithin.org/html/groups.html#ma

 

Sidran Institute, (Traumatic Stress Education & Advocacy). Extensive information and resources on PTSD, dissociative disorder, trauma, and self injury; Help desk:

http://www.sidran.org/sub.cfm?sectionID=5

 

Trichotillomania Learning Center , support groups in Mass:

http://www.trich.org/reaching_out/support_groups.asp#ma

 

Parents helping parents support groups, confidential and anonymous Parents Support Group s meet weekly at many locations in Massachusetts .  At these group meetings, parents can talk to other parents about how to improve their relationships with their children:

http://parentshelpingparents.org/group.html

 

Epilspsy Foundation of Mass. & Rhode Island, adults, ages 18 and over, living with epilepsy an opportunity to share common experiences through a supportive group, also provide families the opportunity to share common experiences, network and support one another through Parent and Family Support Network (PFSN) Group gatherings:

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/local/massri/groups.cfm

 

Christian Support Groups in Mass:

http://www.nacronline.com/dox/gethelp/christia.shtml#DENOM

Caregiver Alliance of Suffolk County , support groups:

http://www.caregiveralliance.org/supportgroups/groups.htm

 

Alzheimers Association, Massachusetts Chapter, support groups for caregivers:

http://www.alz.org/ma/in_my_community_support.asp

 

The Sibling Support Project is a national effort dedicated to the life-long concerns of brothers and sisters of people who have special health, developmental, or mental health concerns. Find a Sibhop near you:

http://www.siblingsupport.org/

 

American Tinnitus Association, ATA support network:

http://www.ata.org/resources/pdf/self_help_groups/ct_ma_me_nh_ri_vt_shg.pdf

 

Mentalhelp.net website, American self-help support groups, you may be able to find other support groups using this site:

http://www.mentalhelp.net/common/tools/externalpage/extpage.php?url=/selfhelp

 

McLean Hospital , Child and Adolescent Program, Current Outpatient Support Group Offerings:

http://www.mclean.harvard.edu/patient/child/cag.php

 

Mass. General Hospital, Support Group Offerings :

http://www.massgeneral.org/madiresourcecenter/pdfs/supportgroupmatrix.pdf

 

Faulkner Hospital , Addiction Recovery Groups and Self-Help Groups:

http://www.faulknerhospital.org/community_selfhelp.html

 

Cambridge Health Alliance , Outpatient Groups:

http://www.challiance.org/psychiatry/addictions_out_pt.shtml

 

AdCare Hospital, Outpatient Groups, click on location for details:

http://www.adcare.com/outpatient/services.php

 

Jordan Hospital , Depression after Delivery support group:

http://www.jordanhospital.org/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=14&action=detail&ref=563

 

Newton-Wellesley Hospital , Adult outpatient support groups:

http://www.nwh.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=24&itemID=17364

 

North Shore Medical Center, outpatient support groups:

http://nsmc.partners.org/web/about_us/hospital_directory

 

Wing Memorial Hospital & Medical Center , outpatient support groups:

http://www.umassmemorial.org/WingIP.cfm?id=2021

 

 

TRANSPORTATION :

MBTA Reduced Fare Program, Application for MBTA Transportation Access Pass :

http://www.mbta.com/uploadedFiles/documents/ACCESS_PASS.pdf


Charity Cars, Inc., national charity that provides donated vehicles free of charge to struggling families willing to work and become self-sufficient, tax-paying members of the community, how to apply for a vehicle:

http://www.800charitycars.org