Organization History, Mission, and Services
Waystone Health & Human Services (WHHS) is a northeastern Massachusetts’s provider of services for youth and adults with disabilities and their families. It was created in 2019 through the strategic merger of two gateway city nonprofits: Career Resources Corporation (CRC) of Haverhill and Fidelity House, Inc. of Lawrence. Assembling a cumulative experience of more than 100 years, the merger was designed to enhance services in Northeast ... Czytaj dalej
Organization History, Mission, and Services
Waystone Health & Human Services (WHHS) is a northeastern Massachusetts’s provider of services for youth and adults with disabilities and their families. It was created in 2019 through the strategic merger of two gateway city nonprofits: Career Resources Corporation (CRC) of Haverhill and Fidelity House, Inc. of Lawrence. Assembling a cumulative experience of more than 100 years, the merger was designed to enhance services in Northeast Massachusetts, respond to current and emerging community needs, optimize efficiencies across the area’s social services sector, and expand capacity for future innovations.
At the outset of the merger, both organizations were well established, each with a record of providing quality services for decades. CRC which was founded in 1968 by a cohort of parents of children with disabilities, initially offered sheltered employment opportunities. It expanded to offer residential and supported employment services in the community, as well as rehabilitation focused day programming. Likewise, Fidelity House, Inc. was established in 1971, focusing on the needs of youth with disabilities, and residential support for adults. As the needs of the community shifted, both organizations expanded their service offerings to include supports for adults with brain injuries, in-school and transition age youth, veterans with service-related disabilities, aging adults with memory care needs and other age-related conditions, and people with mental illness and behavioral health needs.
Today, WHHS provides support to more than 1,700 individuals annually. Waystone HHS serves people with disabilities and their families across northeast Massachusetts through the following core programs:
• Congregate Care: Waystone operates 30 Residential group homes that provide 24x7 direct support for adults with disabilities, complex medical needs, behavioral health issues, and brain injuries.
• Community Living: Waystone places a high priority on supporting youth and adults to remain at home, either by living independently in their own homes or with caregivers/family members in community settings.
• Employment and Day Services: Waystone Employment and Day Services focus on assisting youth and adults ages 18 through retirement age to develop social, sensorimotor, self-help, or vocational skills that increase their level of independence. For those able and interested in working, Waystone assists them to obtain and maintain employment, with a range of training, coaching, and on-the-job supports.
• Children and Family Services: As the Department of Development Services (DDS) Family Support Center designee for our region, Waystone offers programming to assist children, transition-age youth (aged 14-26), and their families. This includes intensive in-home behavioral supports, limited community resource navigation support for families, training, networking, recreation, and supports for caregivers, including respite, translation, and medical liaison assistance.
• Nursing and Behavioral Health: Infused throughout all our programming, these services focus on preventative, ongoing, and medical and behavioral health treatment, and interventions.
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