Local and National Disability Access Resources

There are many useful resources in the Wellesley area and nationally. Massachusetts, in general, is recognized as being very progressive and a national leader in disability related programs and resources. Most recently, the State’s CommonHealth program was used as a national model and is now replicated in many other States allowing people with disabilities to work and maintain health benefits. The tables that follow identify some of the many local and national disability access resources.

Local and National Disability Access Resources
Resource	Organization/Contact Info	Details[1]
Accessible Parking	Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles http://www.mass.gov/rmv/medical/index.htm within (617) area code at (617) 351-4500 & outside the (617) area 1-800-858-3926	Each State has a Registry of Motor Vehicles that determines the eligibility criteria for granting accessible parking access. Generally, the criteria are based on an inability to walk 200 feet without resting. In Massachusetts residents with temporary or permanent disabilities can apply for either a plate or a placard.
Architectural Access	Massachusetts Architectural Access Board One Ashburton Place, Rm. 1310 Boston, MA 02108 (617) 727-0660 Http://www.state.ma.us/aab/aab_regs.htm	The Access Board’s website contains architectural access codes. Their staff is available to provide technical assistance. Both State and federal code must be reviewed when considering access.
	ADA Technical Center (800) 949-4232 voice/tty	The ADA Technical Center provides assistance regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act that contains federal architectural access codes.
Assistance—Client Assistance Program	Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) One Ashburton Place, #1305 Boston, MA 02108 (800) 322-2020 voice/tty http://www.state.ma.us/mod/	Information, Referral and Advocacy are available in areas such as: Vocational Rehabilitation, Independent Living, Accessible Housing, Transportation, Architectural and Communications Access, Education, Employment ADA and Civil Rights.
Assistive Technology	Massachusetts Assistive Technology Partnership 1295 Boylston Street, Suite 310, Boston, MA, 02215 (617) 355-7820 voice; (617) 355-7301 tty http://www.matp.org/	The MATP Center conducts statewide project activities, including needs assessment, public awareness, information and referral, training and technical assistance, funding and policy development, individual and systems advocacy, and project coordination.
	Abledata.com http://www.Abledata.com/	Clearinghouse website for assistive technology products and vendor information.
Communications with Individuals who are Deaf	MassRelay (800) 439-0183 voice (800) 439-2370 tty http://www.massrelay.org/	MassRelay is a 24/7 service enabling hearing people or people who do not use a text telephone (tty) to communicate over regular telephone lines with people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, late deafened, or speech disabled. A Relay Operator will complete your call, dialing the party you wish to contact and then stay on the line to relay messages electronically via a tty or verbally to people who can hear.
	Massachusetts Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH) 150 Mount Vernon St., Suite 550 Boston, MA 02125 (800) 882 – 1155 voice (800) 530 – 7570 tty http://www.state.ma.us/mcdhh/	The Department of Interpreter Services maintains and coordinates a statewide interpreter referral service for deaf, late deafened and hard of hearing persons, and also referrals for Computer Aided Real-time Translation (CART) Services. The Commission was established to advocate for, provide and coordinate public policies, regulations and programs to provide full and equal opportunity for deaf, late deafened and hard of hearing people in Massachusetts.
Employment/ Accommodations Advice	Job Accommodation Network (JAN) (800) 526-7234 voice/tty http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/	JAN is an international, toll-free, consulting service that provides information about job accommodations and the employability of people with disabilities. JAN also provides information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
	The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, Natick Area Office 251 West Central St., Suite 25 Natick, MA 01760 (508) 651-7531, (617) 727-6208 http://www.state.ma.us/mrc/	The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission specializes in disability and employment issues. (See the section on Vocational Rehabilitation for more details).
Health Resources	MassHealth 1-888-665-9993 voice 1-888-665-9997 tty http://www.state.ma.us/dma/	MassHealth pays for health care for certain low- and medium-income people living in Massachusetts who are under age 65 and who are not living in nursing homes or other long-term-care facilities.
	CommonHealth (800) 841-2900 voice (800) 497-4648 tty http://www.state.ma.us/dma/ And search commonhealth	CommonHealth is a health plan for Massachusetts’ residents with disabilities and is part of MassHealth. You or your child may be eligible if you are: living in Massachusetts, less than 65 years old, and disabled.
Higher Education and Disability	Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) (617) 287-3880 voice/tty http://www.ahead.org/	AHEAD is an international, multicultural organization of professionals committed to full participation in higher education for persons with disabilities. The Association offers numerous training programs, workshops, publications, and conferences.
	HEATH Resource Center One Dupont Circle NW, Washington, DC 20036 (800) 544-3284 voice/tty http://www.heath.gwu.edu/	The HEATH Resource Center is the national clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities. HEATH serves as an information exchange about educational support services, policies, procedures, adaptations, and opportunities at American campuses, vocational-technical schools, and other postsecondary training entities.
Independent Living Services	Metro West Independent Living Center 63 Fountain Street, #401 Framingham, MA 01702 (508) 875-7853 www.mwcil.org	Metro West provides advocacy, information and referral, peer support, and independent living skills training
	Boston Center for Independent Living 95 Berkeley Street, Suite 206 Boston, MA 02116 http://www.bostoncil.org/ (617) 338-6665 voice (617) 338-6662 tty	Beyond standard independent living services such as advocacy, peer support and training, BCIL assesses individuals for personal care attendant services.
Legal Advice	ADA Technical Center (800) 949-4232 voice/tty	The ADA Technical Center provides assistance regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act
	Disability Law Center (DLC) 11 Beacon Street, Suite 925 Boston, Massachusetts, 02108 (800) 872-9992 voice (800) 381-0577 tty http://www.dlc-ma.org/	DLC represents clients with disabilities that have been discriminated against because of their disability. Priority issues include discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodation, childcare facilities, and transportation.
Transportation	MBTA--The Ride 10 Park Plaza Boston, MA 02116 (617) 222-5123 voice (617) 222-5415 tty http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/disability_theride.asp	The Ride is the MBTA's paratransit program that provides transportation to people who cannot use general public transportation because of a physical or mental disability. Lift equipped vans are used to serve persons with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs. The Ride now operates in 62 cities and towns. In order to use The Ride you must complete an application and become eligible.
	MBTA Lift Bus Program Call-A-Lift Service 1-800 LIFT BUS ((800) 543-8287)	Wheelchair lift-equipped buses may be requested on any MBTA bus route. Call 1-800 LIFT BUS ((800) 543-8287) by 1:00 PM the day before you want to travel to schedule a bus. Many routes have 100% or partial lift-equipped bus service during all hours of operation.
	Tommy's Taxi Inc (508) 872-3500 Veterans Taxi (781) 235-8294 Airport Direct (781) 431-1000	Tommy’s Taxi has one wheelchair accessible vehicle.
Vocational Rehabilitation	The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, Natick Area Office 251 West Central St., Suite 25 Natick, MA 01760 (508) 651-7531, (617) 727-6208 http://www.state.ma.us/mrc/	Following are many (but not all) of the VR services MRC provides: College or Vocational Training, Job Placement, Counseling and Guidance, Supported Work, Interest and Aptitude Testing, Skill Training, Job Coaches and Tutors, Diagnostic Evaluations, Vehicle Modifications, Housing Modifications, Injured Worker's Program, Assistive and Rehabilitation Technology, Programs for Individuals Turning 22 (Ch. 688), Consultation to Employers
	Massachusetts Commission for the Blind 88 Kingston Street Boston, MA 02111 (800) 392-6556 voice (800) 392-6450 tty Http://www.state.ma.us/mcb/	Programs serve individual needs and range from vocational and employment services, independent travel techniques, instruction in the home and community, medical and financial assistance, tax deductions, advocacy, information and referral services and much more.
Wheelchair Rental	Andrews' Pharmacy Inc. 324 Weston Rd., Wellesley, MA (781) 235-1001 Byrne Home Health Center 16 Main Street, Natick, MA (508) 655-3656 Medi-Rents 132 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA (617) 247-1000	Each of these retailers rent wheelchairs.

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[1] Whenever possible, program information was quoted directly from the service literature. Information provided is likely only a portion of the services provided.