Disability Law •  ADA Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment This guide, jointly produced by the Social Security Administration, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, offers non-technical guidance on employment rights and employer responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. •  Alzheimers Association, Massachusetts Chapter The Association is an alliance of family members, individuals with dementia and professionals dedicated to helping people with chronic dementing illnesses and their families through education, advocacy, and support. Its website has caregiver tips, public policy updates, a list of support groups and information on events, educational programs and research. The Association's 24-hour helpline is 800-548-2111. •  Asperger's Association of New England The Asberger's Association of New England (AANE) is one of the most important advocacy organizations in the field, and is based right here in Watertown. The AANE mission is to foster awareness, respect, acceptance, and support for individuals with AS and related conditions and their families. AANE offers a full array of educational events (conferences, seminars, & courses) for people with an interest in Asperger's Syndrome. Details are on the site, together with MUCH hard-to-obtain information on this widely misunderstood form of autism. •  Center for Public Representation The Center for Public Representation is a nonprofit public interest law firm providing mental health law and disability law services. The Center seeks to improve the quality of lives of people with mental illness and other disabilities through the systemic enforcement of their legal rights while promoting improvements in services for citizens with disabilities. Based in Massachusetts, with offices in Northampton and Newton, the Center is engaged in activities both in the state and throughout the nation. •  Disability Law Center of Massachusetts The Disability Law Center (DLC) 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. DLC receives federal, state and private funding but is not part of the state or federal government. Its mission provide legal advocacy on disability issues that promote the fundamental rights of all people with disabilities to participate fully and equally in the social and economic life of Massachusetts. DLC provides information, referral, technical assistance and representation regarding legal rights and services for people with disabilities. •  MassHealth Regulations The Office of Medicaid (formerly called the Division of Medical Assistance) maintains on-line access to its regulations on MassHealth (Medicaid) eligibility. The on-line regulations are unofficial, and may not be current. However, they are written in reasonably plain language and may be helpful as a starting point in gaining a better understanding of the rights and responsibilities of applicants and members. •  MassHealth Regulations •  Medicare Advocacy Project This non-profit agency provides information and free legal representation for Medicare recipients, when disagree with the amount Medicare will pay on a claim; are told to leave a hospital prematurely or that Medicare will no longer pay for your hospital stay; are told Medicare will not pay for home health or skilled nursing facility services;or are denied Medicare coverage for physicians' services, durable medical equipment, or any other Medicare claim. •  National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. is a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations and others who work with older clients and their families. Established in 1987, the Academy provides a resource of information, education, networking and assistance to those who must deal with the many specialized issues involved with legal services to the elderly and disabled. •  National Alliance of the Mentally Ill of Massachusetts NAMI is a grassroots organization of individuals with brain disorders and their family members whose mission is to eradicate brain disorders or "severe mental illnesses" and improve the quality of life of persons of all ages who are affected by them. The primary functions of NAMI are support, education, and advocacy for consumers and their families; for research and services; and for the education of all professionals, providers, and the general public. The NAMI website provides an excellent portal to other sites with information on research, treatment and advocacy. •  Nursing Home Consumer Guide This Guide and checklist, prepared by the Alzheimers Association, Massachusetts Chapter, is especially useful in helping you determine whether a nursing home is actually providing special Alzheimer care. Take this checklist with you as you visit potential homes and openly ask questions and rate each facility on important features. •  Nursing Home Scorecard This is a useful site for objective information on adequacy of staffing, quality of care and cleanliness of facilities. The Department of Public Health, through its Division of Health Care Quality, inspects the state's Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes at least every 9-15 months to assess compliance with federal standards of care. In addition, as necessary, the Division investigates complaints and serious incidents occurring within a nursing home. On this site, the Division publishes a summary of its findings on every surveyed facility. •  Questions and Answers in Finding an Elder Law Attorney Even people who recognize their need for elder law or disabiility law expertise may find it hard to find the most appropriate attorney for their needs. Many specific areas of legal practice come within the elder and disability law fields, and certainly not all attorneys practicing within these fields have training and experience in all possible areas. This site (established by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys) offers helpful advice on identifying, interviewing and selecting an elder or disability law attorney appropriate to your needs. •  Rewarding Work Resources, Inc. People with disabilities and elders may be eligible for the services of personal assistants (formerly called "personal care attendants") and other caregivers from MassHealth (Medicaid), the Department of Mental Retardation, and other agencies, to help them lead as independent lives as possible. Often, the individual is given the power to choose and hire staff for such services. FINDING staff with appropriate training and experience has been a major problem for many, however. This website, maintained by Rewarding Work Resources, Inc., a non-profit agency, is intended to help people with disabilities, and members of their family on their behalf, find available personal assistants in their area. •  Social Security Administration The website of the Social Security Administration is filled with useful information on Old Age, Disability and Survivor's benefits, Supplemental Security Income and Medicare. Many publications and forms are available on-line. You can even apply for benefits on-line. •  Social Security Handbook The Handbook is a detailed but plain-language guide to eligibility and services under Social Security Old Age, Disability and Survivors benefits, and Medicare. While the Handbook has general information on Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid, these programs vary greatly from state to state. •  U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs The latest information on health benefits and services, compensation, vocational rehabilitation services, employment services, education and more.