Each state sets eligibility ages for services to children and youth with disabilities. For current information concerning this state, please contact the office listed under Department of Education: Special Education.

State Department of Education: Special Education 
Marcia Mittnacht, Director 
Special Education Planning and Policy Development Office
Department of Education 
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148-5023
(781) 338-3000; (781) 338-3388
E-mail: mmmittnacht@doe.mass.edu
Web: www.doe.mass.edu/sped

State Coordinator for NCLB (No Child Left Behind)
Juliane Dow, Associate Commissioner
Accountability & Targeted Assistance
Department of Education
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148
(781) 338-3500
E-mail: nclbplan@doe.mass.edu
Web: www.doe.mass.edu

Programs for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth through 2 
Ron Benham, Director
Early Childhood Unit
Division for Special Health Needs
Department of Public Health
250 Washington Street, 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 624-5969
(800) 905-8437 (Early Intervention Programs)
E-mail: ron.benham@state.ma.us
Web: www.mass.gov/dph/

Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages 3 through 5 
Elisabeth Schaefer, Administrator 
Early Learning Services 
Department of Education 
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148-5023
(781) 338-6357 
E-mail: eschaefer@doe.mass.edu
Web: www.doe.mass.edu

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency
Elmer C. Bartels, Commissioner 
Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission 
Fort Point Place
27 Wormwood Street
Boston, MA 02210-1616 
(617) 204-3600; (800) 245-6543 (in MA only)
Web: www.mass.gov/mrc/

Coordinator for Transition Services
Madeline Levine, Assistant Director of Special Education
Special Education Planning and Policy Development Office
Massachusetts Department of Education 
350 Main Street 
Malden, MA 02148 
(781) 338-3375
Web: www.doe.mass.edu/sped/

State Department of Education:
Career and Technical Education Programs for Special Populations 
Ramona Foster, Education Specialist
Career and Technical Education
Department of Education 
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148-5023
(781) 338-3910
Web: www.doe.mass.edu

State Mental Health Agency
Elizabeth Childs, M.D., Commissioner 
Department of Mental Health 
25 Staniford Street 
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 626-8123
Web: www.mass.gov/dmh

State Mental Health Representative for Children and Youth 
Joan Mikula, Assistant Commissioner
Child and Adolescent Services 
Department of Mental Health 
25 Staniford Street
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 626-8086
E-mail: joan.mikula@dmh.state.ma.us
Web: www.mass.gov/dmh

State Mental Retardation Program
Gerald J. Morrissey Jr., Commissioner
Department of Mental Retardation 
500 Harrison Avenue
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 727-5608
Web: www.mass.gov/dmr

Councils on Developmental Disabilities
Daniel Shannon, Executive Director 
Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council 
174 Portland Street, 5th Floor 
Boston, MA 02114 
(617) 727-6374 ext. 100; (617) 727-1885 (TTY)
E-mail: Dan.Shannon@state.ma.us
Web: www.mass.gov/mddc

Protection and Advocacy Agency
Christine Griffin, Executive Director 
Disability Law Center, Inc.
11 Beacon Street, Suite 925 
Boston, MA 02108 
(617) 723-8455; (800) 872-9992 (V)
(617) 227-9464 (TTY); (800) 381-0577 (TTY) 
E-mail: mail@dlc-ma.org
Web: www.dlc-ma.org/

Client Assistance Program
Barbara Lybarger, Assistant Director 
Client Assistance Program 
Massachusetts Office on Disability
One Ashburton Place, Room 1305 
Boston, MA 02108 
(617) 727-7440; (800) 322-2020 (In MA)
E-mail barbara.lybarger@modi.state.ma.us
Web: www.mass.gov/mod

Programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs 
Division for Children with Special Health Care Needs 
Department of Public Health 
250 Washington Street, 4th Floor 
Boston, MA 02108-4619 
(617) 624-5070; (800) 882-1435
Web: www.mass.gov/dph

State CHIP Program
(health care for low-income uninsured children)
MassHealth Enrollment Center
Central Processing Unit 
P.O. Box 129124
Boston, MA 02112-9124
(888) 665-9993; (888) 665-9997 (TTY)
Web: www.mass.gov/dma

Programs for Children and Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired or Deaf-Blind 
Sandra Daly, Director
Children's Services
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind 
48 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 626-7480; (800) 392-6450
(617) 626-7650 (TTY)
Web: www.mass.gov/mcb

Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing 
Heidi Reed, Commissioner
Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
150 Mt. Vernon Street, Suite 550
Boston, MA 02125
(617) 740-1600; (617) 740-1700 (TTY)
E-mail: MCDHH.office@state.ma.us
Web: www.mass.gov/mcdhh

Telecommunications Relay Services for Individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or with Speech Impairments
(800) 439-0183 (V)
(800) 439-2370 (TTY); 711 (TTY)
(800) 439-0183 (Speech to Speech)

Regional ADA & IT Technical Assistance Center
Valerie Fletcher, Executive Director
Oce Harrison, Project Director
New England ADA and Accessible IT Center
Adaptive Environments Center, Inc.
374 Congress Street, Suite 301
Boston, MA 02210 
(617) 695-0085 (V/TTY); (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY)
E-mail: adainfo@newenglandada.org
Web: www.newenglandada.org

University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
William E. Kiernan, Director
Institute for Community Inclusion 
UMASS Boston
100 Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, MA 02125
(617) 287-4300; (617) 287-4350 (TTY)
E-mail: ici@umb.edu
Web: www.communityinclusion.org

William McIlvane, Director
Charles Hamad, Associate Center Director
UMASS Medical School - E.K. Shriver Center
200 Trapelo Road
Waltham, MA 02452-6319
(781) 642-0001; (800) 764-0200 (TTY)
Web: www.umassmed.edu/shriver

Technology-Related Assistance 
Marylyn Howe, Project Director
Massachusetts Assistive Technology Partnership
MATP Center; Children's Hospital
1295 Boylston Street, Suite 310
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 355-7820; (800) 848-8867 (V/TTY, in MA only)
(617) 355-7301 (TTY)
E-mail: MATP@matp.org
Web: www.matp.org

State Mediation System
Edward Hermann, Coordinator
Bureau of Special Education Appeals
Department of Education
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148
(781) 338-6443
E-mail: e.hermann@doe.mass.edu
Web: www.doe.mass.edu/bsea

Special Format Library
Kim Charlson, Director
Braille and Talking Book Library 
Perkins School for the Blind 
175 N. Beacon Street 
Watertown, MA 02472 
(617) 972-7240; (800) 852-3133 
E-mail: library@perkins.org
Web: www.perkinslibrary.org

Disability-Specific Organizations

Attention Deficit Disorder
To identify an ADD group in your state or locality, contact either:

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
8181 Professional Place, Suite 150
Landover, MD 20785
(301) 306-7070
(800) 233-4050 (Voice mail to request information packet)
Web: www.chadd.org

Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) 
P.O. Box 543
Pottstown, PA 19464
(484) 945-2101
Web: www.add.org
 

Autism
Autism Society of America - Massachusetts Chapter
789 Clapboard Tree Street
Westwood, MA 02090
(781) 329-4244
E-mail: asamass@gis.net

Blind/Visual Impairments
Regina Genwright, Director of Information Center
American Foundation for the Blind
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300
New York, NY 10001
(212) 502-7600; (212) 502-7662 (TTY)
E-mail: afbinfo@afb.net
Web: www.afb.org
 

Judy Westgate, President/Treasurer
Massachusetts Association of Parents of Visually Impaired Children (MAPVI)
22 Old Marlboro Road
Maynard, MA 01754
(978) 897-3005
E-mail: judywestgate@comcast.net
 

Brain Injury
Arlene Korab, Executive Director
Massachusetts Brain Injury Association
484 Main Street, Suite 325
Worcester, MA 01608
(508) 795-0244; (800) 242-0030 (in MA)
E-mail: mbia@mbia.net
Web: www.mbia.net

Cerebral Palsy
Todd Kates, Executive Director 
United Cerebral Palsy of MetroBoston, Inc. 
71 Arsenal Street
Watertown, MA 02472 
(617) 926-5480
E-mail: ucpboston@ucpboston.org
Web: www.ucpboston.org

Down Syndrome
Suzanne Shea, President
Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress
P.O. Box 866
Melrose, MA 02176
(508) 278-7769; (800) 664-6372
Web: www.MDSC.org

Epilepsy
Amy Cole, Information & Referral Coordinator
Epilepsy Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Programs and Services Office
540 Gallivan Boulevard, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02124
(617) 506-6041; (888) 576-9996 
E-mail: acole@efmri.org
Web: www.epilepsymassri.org

Learning Disabilities
Teresa Citro, Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Worldwide
P.O. Box 142
Weston, MA 02493
(781) 890-5399
Web: www.ldworldwide.org

Mental Health
Toby Fisher, Executive Director
NAMI Massachusetts
400 W. Cummings Park, Suite 6650
Woburn, MA 01801
(781) 938-4048; (800) 370-9085
E-mail: namimass@aol.com
Web: www.namimass.org

Donna Welles, Director
Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PAL)
59 Temple Place, Suite 664
Boston, MA 02111
(617) 542-7860; (866) 815-8122
E-mail: info@ppal.net
Web: www.ppal.net

Mental Retardation and Related Disabilities
Leo Sarkissian, Executive Director 
The Arc Massachusetts 
217 South Street 
Waltham, MA 02453 
(781) 891-6270
E-mail: arcmass@arcmass.org
Web: www.arcmass.org

Terri Angelone, Executive Director
Greater Boston Arc
221 N. Beacon Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02135
(617) 783-3900
E-mail: gbarc@gbarc.org
Web: www.gbarc.org

Michael Andrade, Executive Director
The Arc of Northern Bristol County
5 Bank Street 
Attleboro, MA 02703
(508) 226-1445; (888) 343-3301
E-mail: mandrade@arcnbc.org
Web: www.arcnbc.org

Speech and Hearing
Mary Ellen Curran, Director
Massachusetts Speech-Language-Hearing Association
77 Rumford Avenue, Suite 3B
Waltham, MA 02453
(781) 647-7031; (800) 898-8177
E-mail: msha@camihq.com
Web: www.msha-lic.org

Spina Bifida
Paul Constantino, President
Massachusetts Spina Bifida Association
456 Lowell Street
Peabody, MA 01960-2741
(978) 531-6789
E-mail: apbcon@mindspring.com

Organizations Especially for Parents and Caregivers
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) 
Richard Robison, Executive Director 
Federation for Children with Special Needs 
1135 Tremont Street, Suite 420
Boston, MA 02120-2140
(617) 236-7210 (V/TTY); (800) 331-0688 (in MA only)
E-mail: fcsninfo@fcsn.org
Web: www.fcsn.org/

Parent-To-Parent 
Mary Castro Aten, Director
Family TIES of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Donovan Health Building, 3rd Floor
5 Randolph Street
Canton, MA 02021
(781) 774-6736; (800) 905-TIES
E-mail: mcaten@fcsn.org
Web: www.massfamilyties.org

Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change
P.O. Box 61
Raynham, MA 02768
(800) 406-3632
E-mail: mfofc@tmlp.com
Web: www.mfofc.org

Community Parent Resource Center 
(Serving the city of Boston)
Charlotte R. Spinkston, Project Director
Urban PRIDE
c/o The Boston Foundation
75 Arlington Street, 10th Floor
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 338-4508
E-mail: c.spinkston.urbanpride@att.net

(Serving Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket)
Carol Kennedy, Executive Director
Island Parents Educational Support & Training Center (IPEST)
P.O. Box 4081
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
(508) 693-8612
E-mail: carolkennedy@ipest.org
E-mail: ipest@hotmail.com
Web: www.ipest.org

Parent Teacher Association (PTA) 
Carol Woodbury, President
Massachusetts PTA
P.O. Box 710
Fiskdale, MA 01518-0710
(508) 347-7055; (888) 404-4782
E-mail: masspta@aol.com
Web: www.masspta.org

Parent Advisory Council
Suzanne Peyton, Executive Director
Massachusetts Association of Special Education Parent Advisory Councils (MASSPAC)
P.O. Box 167
Sharon, MA 02067
(671) 962-4558
E-mail: info@masspac.org
Web: www.masspac.org

Other Disability Organizations
Toni Saunders, President
Associated Advocacy Center-Visions for the Future, Inc.
24 Widow Coombs Walk
Sandwich, MA 02563
(508) 420-4356
E-mail: Tonisvision@aol.com
Web: www.aacvisions.org

Kirk Joslin, President
Easter Seals Massachusetts 
(call for info about assistive technology, recreation, and therapy)
484 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01608
(508) 757-2756; (800) 244-2756
E-mail: kirkj@eastersealsma.org
Web: www.eastersealsma.org

Robert Bass, Director
New England INDEX
(Information & Referral for people with Disabilities)
200 Trapelo Road
Waltham, MA 02452-6319
(781) 642-0248; (800) 642-0249
(800) 764-0200 TTY (in MA)
E-mail: info@disabilityinfo.org
Web: www.disabilityinfo.org

Debra S. Kamen, Director
Statewide Head Injury Program
Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
27 Wormwood Street, Fort Point Place, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 204-3852 (V); (617) 204-3817 (TTY)
(800) 223-2559 (MA only) 
E-mail: shipu@state.ma.us
Web: www.mass.gov/mrc/ship/ship.htm

Home Modifications Loan Program for People with Disabilities
Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
27 Wormwood Street
Boston, MA 02210-1616
(617) 204-3600; (800) 245-6543
Web: www.mass.gov/mrc/agency/homemods.htm

Charles J. Washburn, Executive Director
VSA arts of Massachusetts
China Trade Center
2 Boylston Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02116-9856
(617) 350-7713 (V); (617) 350-6836 (TTY)
E-mail: cjwashburn@vsamass.org
Web: www.vsamass.org

Independent Living 

To find out the contact information for the Statewide 
Independent Living Council (SILC) in your state, contact:
Independent Living Research Utilization Project
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research
2323 South Sheppard, Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 520-0232 (V); (713) 520-5136 (TTY)
E-mail: ilru@ilru.org
Web: www.ilru.org

To find out the contact information for centers for 
independent living (CILs) in your state, contact:
National Council on Independent Living
1916 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 209
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 525-3406; (703) 525-4153 (TTY)
E-mail: ncil@ncil.org
Web: www.ncil.org