The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD)

The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) was created in 1981 to bring about full and equal participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. It works to assure the advancement of legal rights and for the promotion of maximum opportunities, supportive services, accommodations and accessibility in a manner which fosters dignity and self determination. MOD is the Commonwealth's Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinating Agency.

MOD has three main components that function to fulfill its priorities: the Government Services Program, the Client Services Program, and the Community Services Program. While each program is uniquely distinct, they intersect and interact with each other in order to effectively ensure that people with disabilities are treated fairly in the Commonwealth.

The Government Services program works to ensure that Massachusetts’ policies and practices are consistent with state and federal laws. This unit works with other facets of state government on behalf of the needs of people with disabilities to resolve problems before they turn to crises.

The Client Services Program is an extensive information and advocacy system for people with disabilities. Responding to over 10,000 requests a year, the program helps people, their families and friends, as well as professionals and government officials, learn about the government program that help citizens with disabilities live independently and about their civil rights. When consumers report that systems are not responsive to their individual or collective needs or that their civil rights have been violated, the Program investigates and advocates that legitimate problems be corrected. The Program also houses the federally mandated Client Assistance Program, which addresses similar information and advocacy concerns about the functioning of federally funded vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs.

The Community Services Program interacts with approximately 8,000 people per year through training and technical assistance to help ensure that people with disabilities learn of their rights and responsibilities and that state, local and private entities know how to comply with their non-discrimination responsibilities. This Unit developed and runs the nationally acclaimed and replicated Community Access Monitor (CAM) Program.


For more info, visit: www.mass.gov/mod