Arc Email: Please be checking your ne-arc email regularly We recommend that you download the Outlook app on your smartphone
Zoom Phone: Please make sure you are utilizing your Zoom phone associated with your Northeast Arc account. If you do not have a Zoom phone, please reach out to the Staffing Coordinator
Progress Notes: All Progress Notes are due in Netsmart by Monday at 9:00 am Remember to e-sign your progress notes If you are unable to submit your progress notes on time, please notify the Staffing Coordinator immediately.
NOTE:
STAFF SHOUT OUT!
We’d like to highlight our Autism Coach, Stefanie R., for the amazing work she has done helping two of her clients learn new skills and hone them. Through her guidance, positive encouragement, and support, they have become more confident with their skills and abilities to live independently.
One of her clients has been accepted into the culinary training program at the Root North Shore Culinary School and the other is applying to NECC in pursuit of a certificate and/or associates degree in culinary arts. Awesome job to both her and her clients!
We recognize that you are all doing amazing work that is so meaningful to the clients you serve. Please share your success stories with us so we can share them with the team! Thank you, everyone, for all you do!
Staff Updates Please Read:
Quarterly Check-Ins: Thank you to all who have already met for their Quarterly Check-Ins and End of Year Evaluations. Your supervisor sent out invites with an attached form. If you have not already done so, please BOOK YOUR CHECK-IN and fill out the attached form prior to your scheduled meeting.
GPS Staff SharePoint: Please utilize the GPS SharePoint drive for program materials. We will continue to add relevant material here and updated forms. Things we are including and regularly adding are:
Activity sheets
Important Documents
Resources
Trainings
Relevant Links
Please visit the SharePoint Drive here: Share Point
First Aid/CPR Certification: If you have not already done so, please reach out to your supervisor to schedule your manditory First Aid/ CPR training. If you already have a current certification, please send a copy to your supervisor. Click Here to schedule a training.
Rhymes to mind!
As the weather cools down, hiking is a great activity. Please remember to be wary of ticks and poison ivy!
I suggest downloading this free app:
Unpaid version offers offline maps that you can follow and track your route, replays your hike when you are done, and shows miles walked and elevation.
Greenbelt trails: Gentle Trails in Essex County Massachusetts Rail-Trails: Search your area for rail-trails.
Trustees Trails: Search your area for places to explore within the trustees reservations
TIPS:
Download the free app: ALL TRAILS to keep track of where you are and how far you walk Bring Water
Remember to use bug spray, cover your legs, and use tick precautions
Enjoy fireworks over the Mystic River, shop 30+ artisan vendors, play beach volleyball or pickleball at Club Volo, and experience live performances on two different stages throughouttheday.
Cultivateing a vibrant, inclusive marketplace that connects local farmers and community members. We are committed to promoting sustainable agriculture, supporting small businesses, and providing fresh, locally sourced goods.
Event highlights include an old-fashioned fireman’s muster, car and motorcycle show, kite festival, a fair in the square, live Music and performances, artisans and local vendors, brews and food trucks, historical tours, games, reunions and more!
A family- friendly and fun-filled day of live Irish music from national, regional, and local acts, Irish-inspired culinary and beverage offerings, artisan vendors, family activities, Irish step dancing, and more!
Berklee Music Lessons Program for Adults with Autism
Good Grief: SupportingPeople After
1-3pm Ledby Rev. Melissa Tustin Director of theSoul Food Project
This on-line training event will provide caregivers with practical information about the grieving process, evidence-based guidelines for breaking bad news to people with cognitive disabilities and useful support strategies for people of any religious affiliation.
To request special accommodations, please email rick.camara@mass.gov
Participants are highly encouraged to join the training session 30 minutes (by 12:30pm) before the event begins at 1pm in case they need assistance joining the event.
Devices to use: Register with the email that you will use to participate in this event. The device you use should have audio and video (camera) capacity in order for you to participate in the event.
Illustration by Taylor Bills from Tear Soup by Pat Schweibert and Chuck DeKlyen
Disability Resource Center (DRC) is a cross-disability organization providing service to any person, regardless of age, who identifies as living with a disability.
Serving Communities Across the North Shore & Beyond Including Beverly, Danvers, Lynn, Peabody, Salem, Wakefield, and more.
Free Services Offered
Information & Referral: Housing, transportation, benefits, legal rights, veterans services, and more.
Independent Living Support: Peer mentoring, assistive technology, selfadvocacy, financial management.
Transition Services: Options Counseling: Support for staying or returning to community living
Transition to Adulthood Program (TAP): For youth (14?21) with IEP/504 plans.
Affordable Housing Workshops
Accessible Business Surveys
Peer Support Groups
Community Access Advocacy Team
Check out these recipes by clicking the images below.
MORE RECIPES RECIPE CREATOR RESOURCES
Strawberry Shortcake
Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli
Egg Salad Sandwich
Pizza Toast
Accessible Chef is a collection of free visual recipes and other resources to help teach cooking skills to individuals with disabilities at home or in a special education.
Check out our website for visual recipes, resources, and our recipe creator!
What kind of resources are available to teach cooking skills?
Visual Recipes
Visual recipes make use of task analysis, which is an evidence-based approach for breaking down a complex task into manageable steps. Each task is separated into discrete skills, and individuals can learn to complete skills in a specific order to learn new tasks. Students may require visual, physical, or verbal prompts to complete each skill, and prompts may be gradually removed as the individual becomes more independent. Visual recipes share similarities with PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) and curricula created with Boardmaker.
Assistive Technologies
Assistive technologies are available in a variety of low and high tech options. Cooking apps can be found in the Apple app store, and include images of cooking supplies, actions, and appliances that can be combined into recipes and viewed on a phone or tablet. Parents and teachers can also produce video or audio-based prompts, which can be played on phones, tablets, computers, or portable DVD players.
Kitchen Equipment
Kitchen equipment can be adapted to make cooking easier and safer for individuals with physical disabilities. Ideas for adapting kitchen equipment can be found in the resources section. Many challenges in the kitchen can be solved with a combination of creativity, adaptation, and practice.
Webinars & Events
Understanding Stress Responses: Effects on Your Body and Behavior
Date & Time
Description
Sep 10, 2025 11:00 AM
The term ‘stress’ is used loosely in our culture. What does it really mean and how vulnerable are you? Understand the biology of stress and explore realistic and practical ways to manage distress in this one-hour seminar with a licensed therapist
Creating a Low-Stress Environment and Minimizing Crises
Date & Time
Description
Sep 16, 2025 01:00 PM
People are susceptible to strain from a number of sources including work and school obligations, illness, finances, interpersonal conflict, and more. Learn strategies to create and maintain a low-stress environment, identify & respond to ‘red flags’, and communicate in times of crisis with a licensed therapist.
Understanding Suicide
Date & Time
Description
Sep 17, 2025 01:00 PM
There is a common myth that discussing suicide or asking about suicidal thoughts could potentially encourage suicide attempts. The truth is that open and honest conversations about suicide plays a crucial role in prevention Explore the causes of suicide, the warning signs, and how to cope in this one-hour seminar sponsored by Polk County, Iowa.
Webinars & Events
Understanding Grief
Date & Time
Description
Sep 17, 2025 11:00 AM
Grief is a natural reaction to the loss of a loved one, and in most cases grief symptoms decrease over time. But for some people, intense grief persists and is severe enough to cause problems in everyday life. Explore the symptoms, risk factors, diagnostic criteria, and treatment of prolonged grief disorder with a licensed therapist and learn practical tips for managing symptoms and supporting loved ones in this one-hour seminar sponsored by Polk County, Iowa.
Understanding Adjustment Disorders
Date & Time
Description
Sep 18, 2025 11:00 AM
Adjustment disorders are common psychological conditions triggered by major life changes or stressful events Symptoms can include anxiety, depressed mood, changes in a person’s behavior and emotions, or a combination of these. Explore the risk factors, causation, and treatment of adjustment disorders with a licensed therapist and learn practical tips to manage symptoms in this one-hour seminar.
Understanding Seasonal Depression
Date & Time
Description
Sep 30, 2025 01:00 PM
Do the winter months get you down more than you think they should?
Discuss the signs and symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, when it’s time to see a doctor, and what treatment options are available. Learn practical ways to manage symptoms & support others in this one-hour seminar with a licensed therapist.
If you are having a mental health crisis or need emergency assistance, dial 911 or contact local emergency services
7 Cups https://www7cupscom/ This free online text counseling service connects customers to volunteer listeners who offer non-therapeutic advice Anyone can sign up, including teenagers who are looking for other (trained) teenagers Access to licensed therapists is available for $150 per month. 7 Cups does not accept insurance.
Blah Therapy https://blahtherapy.com/ Free 24/7 anonymous peer chat. Subscriptions for unlimited professional therapy cost $60-$90/week. Blah Therapy does not accept insurance.
Bliss by the Centre of Interactive Mental Health Solutions https://cimhs.com/ Free selfguided online cognitive behavior therapy program for depression Bliss does not offer therapy appointments
Doctor on Demand https://doctorondemandcom/ 24/7 access to doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and other medical experts anytime, including weekends, holidays, and late at night. You can also talk to professionals not related to mental health, including urgent care doctors. Doctors on Demand accepts insurance. If you don’t have insurance, a 25-minute session is $129 and a 50-minute session is $179. Initial psychiatrist appointments cost $299, and 15-minute follow-up appointments are $129.
eTherapyPro https://etherapyprocom/ Access therapy services via video call, phone call, or text chat Free 3-day trial session, though a credit card is required After the trial period, the cost is $40/week ($16000/month) eTherapyPro does not accept insurance
Important Considerations for Online Therapy
Confidentiality, Privacy, and Unreliable Technology Confidentiality is just as important for online therapy as it is for in-person therapy Because information is relayed online, privacy leaks & hacking are a concern Technology problems can also make it difficult to access treatment when you need it
Not Appropriate for Severe & Persistent Mental Illness The scope of online therapy can be limited and may not be effective for more complex situations. For people with an addiction or complex symptoms of a mental health condition, online therapy is not to be recommended unless other in-person therapy is also involved in the treatment plan.
Lack of Response to Crisis Situations If a person is experiencing suicidal thoughts it can be difficult or impossible for the therapist to provide direct assistance. If you are having suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8 (US & Canada) or 1-800-273- 8255 for support and help from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
Ethical and Legal Concerns Online therapy eliminates geographic restraints, making the enforcement of legal and ethical codes difficult. Therapists can treat clients from anywhere in the world, and many states have different licensing requirements and treatment guidelines It is important to confirm your therapist's qualifications and experience before starting the treatment process
Fall Session Sept 1-Oct 25 Registration closed but contact them for future sessions
NortheastArc’sRecreationprogramgivesourclientstheopportunitytoengagewith peers and find events they will enjoy. Although you cannot attend recreation with your clients, this is a great resource to show them and to work on signing up for eventsduringyoursessions.
For more info and registration, visit https://tinyurl.com/nearc-rec
Our Vision
To provide a barrier free pathway for individuals of all abilities to discover and achieve their most meaningful purpose in life.
Our Mission
To blend cutting-edge technology with personalized mentorship to empower people of all abilities to discover and achieve their most fulfilling path in life.
A space to build a support system, and a sense of chosen family, with your community.
Our community gatherings are peer-led support groups that are non-clinical and led by a collective of individuals with lived experience in the group's topic or community. Each community gathering is unique to the population it serves and is created in a peer-led collaborative group process There is no pressure to share to attend We welcome anyone, anywhere that is 18+.
10,000 annual Letter to an Elder Day (Feb 26) participants 27 countries we’ve sent letters
Our Story
We started because of a loving grandpa
“After my grandpa died, I started volunteering with older adults to find a special connection like the one we shared, but I was upset by the chronic loneliness I saw. Some residents would tell me they hadn’t heard from family or friends in months. They didn’t even get something as simple as a letter in the mail. So, in 2013, I wrote a letter. Then another. Since then, I’ve been on a mission to fight a growing loneliness epidemic.”
- JACOB CRAMER
Connect with Jacob →
Would you like to send a letter?
Read this month’s bios and choose which of our elder(s) you’d like to write. New elders are shared on the 1st of every month!
OurCoreBelief: All people
About having different conversations
A different way of thinking
Encouraging high expectations
Having life experiences to move the trajectory in the desired direction
Integrating multiple types of support
Only for professionals to use
Just about the “tools”
A “program”
Designed for just one specific age group
Solely for people with disabilities and their families
Watch Dr Sheli Reynolds share how her experience growing up with a brother with a disability impacted and informed the development of the LifeCourse framework and tools In this 18-minute video you will also learn about each of the principles and why they are important to supporting your “good life ”
ASD Adaptive Training Program
Our fitness professionals follow a comprehensive gym program designed to create a safe and beneficial training environment for individuals with ASD.
Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Gym Setting
Understanding the challenges ad considerations specific to individuals with ASD in a gym environment
Adaptive Exercise Techniques
Learning how to modify exercises and workouts to accommodate the sensory and motor needs of individuals with ASD
Visual Supports and Communication Strategies
Implementing visual schedules, social stories, and other communication tools to enhance understanding and participation
Sensory-Friendly Environment
Creating a sensory-friendly gym space by managing noise levels, lighting, and providing sensory tools
Behavior Management in the Gym
Utilizing positive reinforcement strategies and behavior management techniques to promote positive behaviors
Individualized Fitness Plans
Developing personalized fitness plans based on the individual’s strengths, interests, and goals.
Supportive Coaching and Inclusive Practices
Training coaches and staff on inclusive practices and effective communication to provide a supportive and welcoming environment
Collaboration with Families and Caregivers
Engaging families and caregivers in the gym program to ensure continuity of support and progress monitoring.
BLUE ENVELOPE PROGRAM
THE BLUE ENVELOPE PROGRAM IS AN EFFORT TO EASE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AND LAW ENFORCEMENT DURING MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATOR INTERACTIONS.
The Blue Envelope is more than just an envelope; it's a symbol of our commitment to inclusivity and understanding. It represents a step forward in ensuring that every driver, regardless of their neurological differences, can experience a sense of safety and respect on the road.
Through this program, we aim to build bridges between law enforcement and the autism community, fostering a culture of awareness and compassion that benefits everyone involved.
For more information, visit: www.mass.gov/info-details/blue-envelope-program
Kristy Aparo is the Director of GPS & CRC. She oversees the general operations of the GPS program and the Community Resource Center (CRC). You can reach out to Kristy if you have any questions about filing a DPPC or Mandated Reporting.
Matthew Ataya is the Program Director for the GPS program. He manages day to day operations of all GPS programs and is the supervisor for our Autism Coaches and College Navigators.
Vikki Kusumoto is the Staffing Coordinator for the GPS program. She assists with staffing our programs, onboarding new staff, and is the supervisor for our Community Support Coaches under In-home Supports, Agency with Choice, and MCB.
Andrew Hartigan is the Program Coordinator for the GPS program. He communicates with the clients and families that we support. If you are unable to reach Vikki or Matthew, Andrew will be your next point of contact.
Kailey Taggart is the Family Services Project Coordinator for the GPS program. She oversees our Social Group and A Weekend to Remember Respite program. If you work in either of these programs, Kailey will be your supervisor.
Northeast Arc’s Community Resource Center connects individuals and families with valuable resources and events in their local communities. By providing access to these resources, the Community Resource Center empowers families and individuals to actively participate in community life, creating a sense of belonging and inclusion.
The Importance of Knowing
Human Rights
Understanding your human rights is important. They ensure dignity, respect, and equal opportunities for all. By being aware of your rights can create an environment that encourages independence, personal growth, and full participation in community life. If you would like to learn more about your human rights, reach out to our Human Rights Officer, Andrew Hartigan.
Your Human Rights include:
Dignity: To be treated with respect, including respect for ethnic and cultural diversity.
Have Questions or Concerns?
Please contact our Human Rights Officer: Andrew Hartigan Program Coordinator
Guided Personal Supports (GPS) (978) 924 - 5872
ahartigan@ne-arc.org
Self-determination: To make meaningful choices and informed decisions about your life, including taking reasonable risks.
Communication: To communicate with others and fully express yourself, with access to necessary assistance and devices.
Relationships: To visit others, receive visitors, and have friendships and intimate relationships.
Privacy: In personal care, communication, visits, your home, and personal information.
Personal Safety: To feel safe and be free from harm or abuse.
Personal Property: To obtain, keep, use, and dispose of personal possessions.
Education, Employment, and Compensation: To have equal access to education and employment opportunities, and fair compensation for work.
Community Membership: To receive services that promote living in the least restrictive and most typical settings, encouraging meaningful community membership.
