ATHOL – The United Arc’s goal for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities is to “let them experience the full spectrum of life,” says Community Outreach and Family Support Manager Darlene Reilly.
The United Arc/Greater Athol Area Advocates for Families with Special Needs, located at 361 Main St., is a branch of The United Arc of Massachusetts.
Greater Athol Area Advocates for Families with Special Needs ( GAAAFSN) started as a grassroots organization which grew and became an affiliation of The United Arc, which “is a nationwide umbrella, the main host agency with subgroup GAAAFSN accommodating the needs of 100 to 110 families in the nine-town North Quabbin region,” Reilly said.
The same services are provided in both the Athol and Turners Falls United Arc offices. Greater Athol Area Advocates for Families with Special Needs focuses on family support and the United Arc provides additional services to both towns. “We’re a little bit of our own entity,” said Chair Kathy Coles.
Greater Athol Area Advocates for Families with Special Needs holds annual and monthly board meetings and each year provides the Virginia Hinchey Scholarship and the Mary Lunny Scholarship to high school students going into the human services, social services or special needs fields.
The group also gives out two community partnership awards annual — the Community Service Award and the Innovation Award for Creativity. Past recipients are Crimson Acres of Orange, which teaches horseback riding to individuals with special needs, the Quabbin Retreat, and the Athol Lodge of Masons, which has been “instrumental” in supporting them, Coles said.
The major focus of The United Arc for many years has been to provide referrals, help with paperwork (service navigation) and help with application process for the Department of Developmental Services for families and children with specific needs.
They also work with families to develop a program to help their child once they’ve aged out of school and will not be going into a residential home.
“We have families with many different types of needs,” Reilly said. “Sometimes it’s just to have a friend go out with them into the community, going for a walk or hike. It’s person-centered and person-focused. We have direct support professionals to help them with their life goals, pursue hobbies, adult companionship and more.”
The Adult Services Program helps with family transitions and independent living.
Staff members work with children with challenging behaviors and are trained in make IEP (individual education plans) for students while they’re in school to make sure all their eduational needs are being met.
People in the programs also become involved with events like Family Fun Night and “lots of dances,” working towards community inclusion and self-advocacy, Reilly said. Members from the community service organization Americorps have often pitched for support.
Reilly said some people have come to The Arc in Athol by way of the Department of Developmental Services, by word of mouth, and through local agencies Valuing Our Children and the North Quabbin Community Coalition. She said she would like to get community members to stop in at one of their community interest meetings, and that anybody can walk in for the workshops and presentations.
Reilly said The United Arc/Greater Athol Area Advocates for Families with Special Needs strives towards helping those with disabilities become active community members, focusing on family support services that “run right across the life span. We’ve had people providing services to some in their 70s.” Community projects have included collecting returnable bottles for an after-prom party.
“It’s a life vision and long-range plan putting those pieces in place,” Reilly said. “It’s always focused on vision and an immediate needs plan for moving forward.”
Greater Athol Area Advocates for Families with Special Needs is looking for a community or business person to fill an opening for its Family Advisory Board.
For more information, call 978-249-4052.
Kathy Chaisson can be reached at 978-249-3535, ext. 656 or kchaisson@atholdailynews.com.