Massachusetts Closes Sheltered Workshops For Individuals With Developmental Disabilities

The Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) closed all sheltered workshops on June 30, 2016. The state is now working to transform to transform day and employment services in a way that better addresses the state’s 2010 Employment First Policy. Going forward, DDS will focus on ensuring that group employment sites are truly integrated in typical settings, and that as many people as possible in those settings, or in individual integrated jobs earning minimum wage or better by the end of fiscal year 2018.

The goal of closing the sheltered workshops was proposed in the DDS Employment Blueprint, which . . .