Northeast Arc

Northeast Arc delivers comprehensive, lifelong support services for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, and physical challenges across 190 communities throughout Massachusetts. Founded in 1954 by visionary parents who refused to accept institutional models and courageously fought for their children's right to grow up within their home communities, the agency has expanded into one of the largest, most innovative disability service organizations in New England, supporting nearly 15,000 individuals and families each year.

The agency provides a full continuum of early childhood services designed to support early developmental milestones and empower families. Its state-certified Early Intervention program delivers comprehensive pediatric speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and developmental coaching for infants and toddlers in both home and community settings. In addition, the specialized Building Blocks program and Applied Behavior Analysis clinic offer intensive behavioral therapies for children diagnosed with autism, building foundational communication, social, and adaptive skills that prepare young children for lifelong success in inclusive educational and community environments.

For transition-age youth and adults, Northeast Arc provides diverse vocational programs and community integration supports centered entirely on personal choice and dignity. Supported employment services match motivated job seekers with regional business partners, delivering individualized vocational evaluations, interview coaching, on-site job training, and long-term career advancement assistance. The agency also operates innovative social enterprises, including parcel6 packaging services, commercial document shredding partnerships, and the ArcWorks Community Art Center, where individuals earn competitive wages, develop transferable workplace skills, and showcase creative talents in professional public gallery settings.

The Center for Linking Lives, located directly inside the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, represents a nationally celebrated model for inclusive community programming. This modern 26,000-square-foot multi-service hub brings together day habilitation, physical wellness, assistive technology laboratories, and interactive social spaces directly into the heart of a vibrant commercial center, enabling participants to engage naturally with local businesses, dining venues, and civic activities throughout their daily routines.

Residential programs at Northeast Arc provide person-centered living choices across more than 40 group residences, supported apartments, and shared living host family arrangements throughout the North Shore and Greater Boston. Dedicated staff provide compassionate 24-hour healthcare oversight, personal care assistance, nutrition management, and independent living skills coaching, ensuring residents enjoy safe, secure, and socially rich home environments where personal preferences, self-advocacy, and individualized goals guide daily life.

Family support centers, specialized programs for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, transition planning services, assistive technology clinics, and diverse recreation clubs complete the agency's holistic community framework. Caregivers receive vital respite planning, transition navigation, educational advocacy, and assistive technology lending libraries that enhance daily communication and independent living. Through pioneering community integration, clinical excellence, and tireless advocacy, Northeast Arc redefines possibilities for people with disabilities across the Commonwealth.