Resource Links
Local Transportation
- BAT
- The Brockton Area Transit Authority provides fixed route service connecting neighboring communities and the Central Business District in Boston, as well as major industrial parks, three colleges, medical facilities, shopping centers and area commuter rails. BAT’s paratransit service known as Dial-A-Bat provides transportation to disabled and elderly persons throughout BAT’s service area as well as to medical facilities in Boston. - GATRA - The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority provides comprehensive quality public transportation services to meet the mobility needs of people throughout 26 member communities. In addition to mass transit, GATRA provides the Dial-A-Ride curb to curb services for senior and disabled residents within their 26 member communities for a nominal fee.
- MBTA - The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority offers accessible rail and bus mass transit to many of IA's towns. THE RIDE, the T's Paratransit program, provides door-to door transportation to eligible people who cannot use general public transportation because of a physical, cognitive or mental disability. The Ride is available in a couple of IA towns.
Independent Living Links
- The Massachusetts Statewide Independent Living Council
- The National CILs database contains a list of Independent Living Centers across the country.
- The National Council on Independent Living has compiled their 2010 Legislative and Advocacy Priorities.
Commonwealth of MA
- The Official Website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has grown into an huge and comprehensive source of MA government services and information.
- MetroWest Center for Independent Living has narrowed down a list of pages of interest within ma.gov on their Commonwealth of MA page.
ADRC - Aging and Disability Resource Centers
... coming soon
Advocacy Groups
- ADAPT is a national grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.
- American Association of People with Disabilities is the country's largest cross-disability membership organization, organizes the disability community to be a powerful voice for change – politically, economically, and socially.
- DRDF - Disability Research and Design Foundation believes that the society needs to be conductive in order to be inclusive and universal. It is the environment that renders people disabled and not the medical impairments. They are a leading national civil rights law and policy center directed by individuals with disabilities and parents who have children with disabilities.
- Bazelon Center for Mental Health Rights is a national nonprofit organization devoted to improving the lives of people with mental illnesses through changes in policy and law.
- Mental Health Rights M-Power - Nothing About Us Without Us - is a Massachusetts member run organization of mental health consumers and current and former psychiatric patients. They advocate for political and social change within the mental health system, the community, city, and statewide.
- Disability Law Center, Inc. is the Protection and Advocacy agency for Massachusetts. DLC is a private, non-profit organization responsible for providing protection and advocacy for the rights of Massachusetts residents with disabilities.
- Disability Policy Consortium of Massachusetts is an organization of disability rights activists who share a common goal of equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities.
Other Regional, State and National Links
MetroWest Center for Independent Living has compiled an extensive list of regional, state and national resource links. The topics include specific disabilities, age related needs, services, information, housing, sports and recreation, work, youth, and much more. Please visit their Resource Links page!