Department List

  • Client Services
    Information and help with individual problems.
  • Community Services

    Information and technical assistance on community based concerns.

  • Government Services
    Strides are constantly being made to improve government adherence to state and federal laws.

Related Links

Publications

Mission and History

The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) was created in 1981, by MGL Chapter 6, Section 185, as the state advocacy agency that serves people with disabilities of all ages. MOD's primary mission is to ensure access.

Key Initiatives

  • Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance
    The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that "entities" of state and local government designate ADA Coordinators to oversee efforts to comply with the law and to handle disability based discrimination complaints. The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) is the ADA Coordinating Agency for the Executive Branch of State Government.
  • Emergency Preparedness
    The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD), in partnership with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, hosted meetings to bring together people with disabilities and local emergency preparedness professionals. The results of the meetings, which explore how to ensure that people with disabilities have the assistance they need in times of emergency are available to read.  
  • Information and Help with Individual Problems
    Learn about the government programs that help citizens with disabilities live independently and about their civil rights.When consumers report systems are not responsive to their individual or collective needs, or that their civil rights have been violated, this program investigates and advocates that legitimate problems be corrected. 
  • Making Communities Accessible
    Information and technical assistance on community based concerns. 
  • Community Access Monitor Trainings
    Initially, the Community Access Monitor Project emphasized the enforcement of the Architectural Access Board's Rules and Regulations.  Now, with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act in effect, requirements for access have broadened to include communication and programmatic as well as architectural accessibility.  As the scope of accessibility legislation has broadened, so has the role of the Community Access Monitor. 
  • Model Employer Initiative
    MOD is part of a larger initiative working to make the Commonwealth a Model Employer. As part of that effort, MOD administers the application process for a capital fund to supplement agency efforts to pay for the accommodation needs of the Executive Branch's employees. Called the Reasonable Accommodation Capital Reserve Account (RACRA), it makes funds available to agencies faced with single requests of over $2,500 for a single individual or cumulative expenses totaling more the 0.5% of the agency's annual budget.
  • Improving Government
    Strides are constantly being made to improve government adherence to state and federal laws.