1. Department of Developmental Services Adult Services for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum January 24, 2011

2. Mission Statement  DDS is dedicated to creating in partnership with others, innovative and genuine opportunities for individuals with intellectual disability to participate fully and meaningfully in, and contribute to, their communities as valued members

3. DDS ASD Services  Adult Services run gamet for individuals who reside in family home to those who reside outside of family home  For families with a family member at home: 33 Family Support Centers-statewide 10 Culturally Diverse Family Support Centers- statewide 7 Autism Support Centers- statewide DESE-DDS program Broad array of day and employment support options, transportation and support services  For individuals living outside of family home: Broad array of residential options, including specialty services using variety of approaches, ABA, PBS, Higashi etc. Broad array of day and employment options, including specialty services Broad array of support services and transportation services  For all adults who are MassHealth eligible access to State Plan services such as Day Habilitation, Adult Foster Care, and Adult Day Health in addition to health services

4. Services for individuals on the Autism Spectrum  DDS adult eligibility differs from eligibility for children  DDS adults are individuals 18 years and older  DDS eligibility is: a sub-average IQ70 or below, with significant functional limitations, manifested before age 18  DDS does not track the presence of autism in adults  DDS currently has @ 23,000 adults with Intellectual Disability in the system

5. DDS Supports for Families  7 Regional Autism Support Centers  Social Skills and Sensory Based Programs, Vacation Programs, Family Training, Sibling Support Groups  New Service addition: Small group family clinics  New availability for individual and families through age 25  Thousands of families annually make use of centers

6. DESE/DDS Program  Interagency agreement between the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Developmental Services  Major source of support to families through wrap-around services  123 of 319 current participants, between ages 18-22, 2/3rds of all participants have autism spectrum disorder  Program makes transition into adult system seamless for families

7. FUNDING  DDS does not impose fees on individuals or families;  DDS does have a “charges for care” process regarding SSI income for individuals in residential settings.  All funding is through state appropriation  DDS through its 3 Home and Community Based Waivers and through the ICFS generates a sizeable amount of Federal Financial Participation which is returned to the General Fund.

8. Quality Management DDS has a robust quality assurance system which includes the following elements: Licensing or certification of providers Performance Based Objectives Provider Satisfaction Surveys National Core Indicator Survey Instruments and Participation Participation in major national research endeavors

9. Service Gaps  Individuals with Higher Functioning Autism are rarely eligible for DDS services, although functionally they maybe as impaired as the ID individuals  Aspergers individuals are never eligible for services  Development of services for individuals with Higher Functioning Autism whose level of need and intensity is similar to ID population and development of lesser intensity services for others on the spectrum  On-going efforts by DDS to develop programs for eligible individuals on the spectrum whose needs differ from general ID population  Autism specific training