As an affiliate of Incompass, the agencies will work together to advocate for the needs of the people they serve and expand their reach across Greater Lowell, Greater Lawrence, and Fitchburg & Northern Worcester County.
CHELMSFORD, MA – Incompass Human Services, a human services agency serving nearly 500 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries throughout Greater Lowell and Greater Lawrence, is pleased to announce that they have entered into an affiliation agreement with The Arc of Opportunity. The agreement enables these two award-winning agencies that empower people with disabilities to reach their fullest potential to collaborate and expand access to their services and reach more people in need throughout Northern Worcester County, Greater Lowell, and Greater Lawrence.
As chapters within The Arc of Massachusetts, both agencies offer similar programs and have a history of working together to advocate for the workforce and the people and families they serve. The Arc of Opportunity has been providing day, home, family, and employment supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in north central Massachusetts for more than 70 years out of their headquarters in Fitchburg, MA.
Incompass Human Services is one of the founding affiliates of the New England Human Services Collaborative (NEHSCO), along with Peabody, MA-based Bridgewell, Inc. NEHSCO is a consortium of human services providers with a shared vision rooted in access and innovation. The Collaborative was created to address the growing need for collaboration and shared resources among human services agencies in the region, as demand for services in the network increases.
“We are excited to become an affiliate of Incompass Human Services and be a part of the NEHSCO umbrella of providers,” said Mary Heafy, President, and CEO of The Arc of Opportunity. “This agreement offers us access to share in a wider range of resources and expertise, which will help us to offer more comprehensive services to the individuals and families we serve.”
Consistent with the NEHSCO affiliation model, both agencies will continue to operate under their current name and leadership structure and will maintain their current programs and services.
“I’m pleased to see another agency embracing the power of collaboration,” shared NEHSCO CEO, Bridgewell President & CEO Chris Tuttle. “One in 10 people in Massachusetts are served by the human services system, and it’s a number that is growing. As an affiliate to Incompass Human Services, The Arc of Opportunity will immediately have access to the burgeoning knowledge library and training programs we are creating at NEHSCO as we aim to meet that demand and spur innovation across the sector.”
