Clinical Services/Resource Team
Habilitation Assistance Corporation is actively committed to providing quality professional services as demonstrated by the incorporation of a full-time Resource Team of in-house licensed allied health professionals. This interdisciplinary team representing occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech/language therapy, health care/nursing supervision, behavior management, counseling, and expressive therapy is available as needed for assessment, evaluations, support plan development, direct clinical treatment and consultation with members, families, and other health professionals. Our foundation for success comes from our professional resource team listening and acting creatively upon input from the individuals served and their families. Listening carefully to members and their families enables us to provide a truly individualized support plan, a plan built around our members and their visions, not a plan they must fit into.
Day
Habilitation Services
Our Access Centers act as a base to provide a menu of supports reflecting the wants, needs and requests of each member and his/her family. Three of these services are Day Habilitation, Alternative Day Services and Transportation.
The day habilitation program consists of planned, coordinated, goal-oriented supports that are designed to improve functional ability. It is available for individuals at least 22 years old, who can gain from active treatment designed to improve levels of independence. The provision of clinical services, an established therapeutic environment, and supportive atmosphere encourages taking risks and meeting challenges, thus providing our members optimal social functioning, skill development and personal growth.
Within the day habilitation program individuals may access our Resource Team for assessment, evaluations, referrals, support plan development, direct clinical treatment and consultation. Communication, Health and Lifestyles, Sports and Fitness, Lifeskills, Community Supports, Expressive Therapy, and Clinical Services are among service components available.
Communication, overseen by our Speech/Language Therapy department, includes supports that develop speech and language skills, as well as the use of assistive and talking communication devices, signing, and computers.
Health and Lifestyles, overseen by our Nursing/Health Care Department, encompasses health care supervision, safety skills, sex education, hygiene, nutrition, and social interpersonal skills.
Sports and Fitness, overseen by our Physical Therapy Department, promotes personal well being through exercise, swimming/aquatics, sports, games, aerobics, walking and mobility.
Lifeskills, overseen by our Occupational Therapy Department, focuses on self-care, cooking, household skills, creative arts, horticulture, and sensory integration.
Community Supports, overseen by our Community Liaisons, emphasize the importance of participating in and experiencing one's community through social/recreational activities, work situations, and volunteer opportunities.
Expressive Therapy incorporates music, dance and movement, art, creative writing, and counseling.
Alternative Day Services
In striving to meet individuals' requests, an alternative service model was developed. All of the supports provided by day habilitation services are made available on an outreach basis. This service was designed to provide a comprehensive support system for individuals who are unable or choose not to participate in traditional day programs on a consistent basis.Day Habilitation and Alternative Day Services are available to support individuals in their pursuit of personal achievements. Each service encourages individuals to achieve greater independence and explore new interests and opportunities.
These two programs strongly advocate the use of the community and its resources. Whenever possible, individuals are encouraged to access community activities, events and settings to further develop skills and to achieve personal goals and objectives. Community involvement in conjunction with the supports and resources of the access centers serves to promote confidence and inclusion.
Habilitation Assistance employs specially trained individuals prepared to support our members in their own decisions. Our philosophy of independent living dictates that the consumer has the right to make his or her own decisions and choices, even if they may not be in agreement with staff's opinion. The staff does not make decisions or force involvement against the consumer's wishes. Rather, the consumer decides what he or she wants help with and the staff support the consumer to carry out those decisions.
Home Care Assistance Services
Home Care Assistance serves people between the age of 18-59, who have a physical or mental disability which prevents them from providing their own homemaking needs.
Evaluation Services
In-home consumer evaluations are conducted by qualified RN's, OT's or PT's. Through evaluation, eligibility for homemaker services or review of eligibility and areas of specific service needs are determined.
Homemaker Services
Homemaker Services are provided to eligible adults who are functionally limited in meeting their own nutritional and environmental needs. The homemaker assists the individual consumer to maintain his/her independence in the community. Homemaker services include meal preparation, grocery shopping, medication pickup, laundry and light housekeeping.
Supported Living Services
Supported Living Services enable consumers to live independently in the community. These consumers have physical disabilities in combination with other sensory, emotional or cognitive limitations. They may include youth who are transitioning from special education services into the community as well as adults over the age of 18 who need supports in order to leave institutional settings or continue to live in their own homes.
An assessment to determine supported living needs is conducted by qualified professional staff. Through the assessment, the consumer's specific needs are highlighted and the services and resources desired for independent living are identified.
Supported Living Service Plans
Working with the consumer and the supported living staff, goals are developed based upon the consumer's assessed needs. A plan to achieve these goals is developed by the consumer with the assistance of the supported living staff.
Supported Living Case Coordination
The case coordinator assists in coordinating services and resources that the consumer is unable to manage independently. These services include such areas as PCA management, money management, obtaining accessible housing, exploring recreational opportunities, arranging transportation and coordinating health care services. The consumers make their own decision and choices; the case coordinator assists them to carry out their choices.
Ancillary Services are arranged through the consumer, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and Supported Living Staff for additional supports such as home modifications or the purchase of adaptive equipment.
Transportation
Services
Access Express
Transportation is often an integral part of one's life, determining how involved they can be in community activities, as well as their accessibility to health care providers, particularly essential in times of illness or after medical procedures. To meet the need of quality transportation for both our customers and our community, Habilitation Assistance developed Access Express, a safe, reliable transportation service.
Access Express understands the serious responsibility of providing professional services in a helpful and respectful manner. In addition to hiring only highly skilled vehicle operators, each driver must also be extraordinarily sensitive to human relations and adept in care giving. All drivers are evaluated for their professional driving ability, screened for past driving history, checked for any criminal record, and evaluated in terms of their ability to relate positively to others. Drivers are enrolled in Habilitation Assistance's intense orientation which includes such topics as driver training, sensitivity and diversity training, stress management, courtesy training, first aid, CPR, and must meet all pertinent qualifications to become a driver for Access Express.
Access Express services include fixed-route van service, paratransit services for people with disabilities and senior citizens, Medicaid and Human Service transportation and other commuter solutions.
People ride Access Express to work, shopping, medical appointments, day habilitation centers, and many other desired destinations. Our focus is on total quality service. All customers receive the highest level of care, compassion and respect.
Access Express has licensed taxi services and licensed charter services. It has contracts with GATRA (Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Authority) and with CCRTA (Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority). Our transportation licenses and contracts require numerous and regularly scheduled inspections by outside authorities. This additional level of compliance helps to ensure that the strictest levels of safety and service are provided.
Our services have steadily grown since its inception in 1984 which testifies to our ability to satisfy both direct customers as well as specialized transit program sponsors and managers. Habilitation Assistance Corporation is proud that Access Express maintains all of its relationships and contracts in good standing.
If you are looking for a transportation provider with the goal of making available to you a safe, comfortable, courteous, time saving alternative to your travel needs, please call us, Access Express.
Locations and Telephone Numbers
For further information, referrals or to arrange a facility tour, please call the Administrative Office directly or contact us by email.
Administrative Office
434 Court Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
Tel 508.746.7433
Fax 508.746.7544
Transportation Services - Access Express
434 Court Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
Tel 508.746.7433
Fax 508.746.7544
Home Care Office
Jane Sottak, RN, Director, Supported Living Services
Gilbert King, RN, Director, Homemaker Services
5 Town Square
POB 3388
Plymouth, MA 02361
Tel 508.746.7436
Toll Free 866.422.4277
Fax 508.747.1605
Access Centers
Braintree Access Center
Ellen Burgio, Program Director
30 Foster Road
Braintree, MA 02184
Tel 781.848.6466
Fax 781.848.7345
Mid-Cape& Islands Access Center
Cynthia DiMestico, Program Director
209 Main Street
Hyannis, MA 02601
Tel 508.775.6699
Fax 508.775.1315
Plymouth Access Center
Robert Cleary, Program Director
436 Court Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
Tel 508.747.2176
Fax 508.746.7544
Upper Cape Access Center
Cynthia DiMestico, Program Director
25 Barlow's Landing Road
Pocasset, MA 02559
Tel 508.564.5101
Fax 508.564.6541