The Guild for Human Services
The Guild for Human Services is a Massachusetts human-services agency for children, adolescents and adults with mild to severe intellectual disabilities (ID), Autism Spectrum Disorders and those with dual ID/mental health diagnoses and/or behavioral challenges. The Guild features a special-education school in Concord, Massachusetts, that offers a day-school-only option or day school with residential programming. The Guild School is open 234 days a year and the residential homes are open every day of the year. The Guild School serves individuals starting at age 6 to their 22nd birthday. The Guild maintains eight homes for residential students in Waltham, Watertown and Billerica. The Guild also offers adult residential services for people who have reached their 22nd birthday at 11 homes across Eastern Massachusetts. For individuals up to their 22nd birthday, referrals are made by school districts, the state Department of Children and Families (DCF), the state Department of Developmental Services (DDS), and the state Department of Mental Health (DMH). Private pay is also an option for families. For adults, referrals are made by DDS. The Guild employs approximately 425 people and has an annual operating budget of $28 million.
History[edit]
Founded in 1945 as the Protestant Guild for the Blind to provide religious instruction and reading services to sight-impaired youth in the Boston area, The Guild has evolved through the years to reflect its changing mission. Formally incorporated in 1953, The Guild responded to a growing population of students requiring special education services in the 1970s by opening the Learning Center on Belmont Street in Watertown, which grew into The Guild School. The Guild headed to a larger facility in Waltham in 1988 and moved to its current home in Concord in 2016[1] with the assistance of a . The values that informed The Guild at its founding nearly 75 years ago – integrity, respect, diversity, collaboration and excellence[2] – continue to be reflected in the commitment of Guild staff today.
Special-Education School and Residences[edit]
The Guild School, a special-education school[3] in Concord, Massachusetts, provides year-round services for approximately 85 children, adolescents and young adults up to age 22. Educational services include a day school and residential programming. All services are based on positive behavior support principles. Each student has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and a Behavior Plan. Special education teachers lead each classroom with the support of teaching assistants. Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) provide training and ongoing guidance on Applied Behavior Analysis strategies. The Guild also offers on-staff adapted physical education teachers, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, counselors, student service coordinators, employment specialists, nursing/health services, and psychiatric supports for students. On-staff, certified trainers provide instruction and support in implementing Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, a Crisis Prevention Institute program for avoiding, de-escalating and managing of disruptive and aggressive behaviors. The Guild’s residential program provides around-the-clock staffing to ensure students receive the required support for learning enjoyment and safety. The Guild’s residential students participate in daily community experiences; focus on daily living skills, leisure and recreational skills; and take part in household routines.
School Services Offered[edit]
The Guild School offers the following services: special education, applied behavior analysis, art therapy, music therapy, library, computer lab, general medicine, nursing, psychiatry, psychology, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nutrition/dietary planning, pre-vocational and vocational training, assistive technology, residential care, and adaptive physical education.
Adult Residences[edit]
The Guild operates a youth residential program[4]. The family-style homes accommodate up to five housemates, each in single bedrooms. There are frequent trips to shop, eat out and participate in social events. All residents have an Individualized Support Plan (ISP), as required by state Department of Developmental Services’ regulations. Key areas of support for adult residents include skill development in personal hygiene and health awareness; cooking and laundry; recreation; and social skills.
Affiliations[edit]
- Bay Path University[5]
- William James College
- Lesley University
- Northeastern University
- Simmons College
References[edit]
- ↑ "Nonprofit buys Concord headquarters with $14-million bond".
- ↑ "THE GUILD FOR HUMAN SERVICES INC - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org.
- ↑ "National Center for Education Statistics". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
- ↑ . Boston Globe https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/05/04/xxconnorrevised/0CX7jHhLwVIzHgQoGfHUfO/story.html. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ Collings, Jesse. "Bay Path University opens Concord campus". The Concord Journal. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
External links[edit]
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