Saving Wrentham and Hogan Alliance

08/28/2026

Under both: 1915(c) waiver requirements, and Massachusetts’ own regulations,

DDS is responsible for determining what supports an individual needs to remain safely and successfully in the community.
That includes: communication supports, behavioral supports, OT/PT, sensory supports, assistive technology, caregiver training, environmental modifications

These are core Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) domains.

08/27/2026

Massachusetts made assurances to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in their July 1, 2023 request for renewal of their intensive supports waiver. The waiver application says level of care (LOC) is reevaluated annually — and whenever a participant’s needs change. But families rarely receive written LOC determinations or the shortened MASSCAPs that were promised yearly. Without data, there is no accountability. Massachusetts promised transparency. It delivered opacity.

08/27/2026

Here is the presentation from the July 2026 open board meeting of the Saving Wrentham and Hogan Alliance:

This presentation was given at the July 2026 open board meeting of ...

08/26/2026

SWHA has been receiving concerns about DDS retaliation. Here is a post regarding these issues:

Families advocating with DDS need more than courage—they need documentation, legal knowledge, support networks, and collective action to protect their loved ones from retaliation and push for systemic change.

08/26/2026

Massachusetts made assurances to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in its July 1, 2023 request for renewal of their intensive supports waiver. Massachusetts told CMS that level of care decisions would be based on adaptive functioning, caregiver capacity, safety risks, and standardized assessments.
But families are told “we already know him,” “he’s untestable,” or “we don’t need to do that.” The waiver promised objectivity.

08/25/2026

Massachusetts made assurances to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in their July 1, 2023 request for renewal of their intensive supports waiver. The application claims that Licensed Psychologists supervise every level of care (LOC) evaluation.

08/25/2026

The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is supporting a hearing officer’s order to us to refrain from speaking while serving as advocates for an appellant in a departmental appeals pro…

08/25/2026

Families across Massachusetts are sounding the alarm — and COFAR’s latest blog post shows exactly why.

Last week, COFAR documented a deeply troubling pattern inside DDS: a hearing officer attempting to silence family advocates who were simply trying to protect their loved one. Even more disturbing, DDS leadership supported the hearing officer’s actions.

For families of high‑acuity individuals, this is not an isolated incident. It reflects a broader reality we know all too well:

Families are being pushed out of the process.

Advocacy is treated as a threat instead of a partnership.

Transparency is replaced with retaliation.

And the people who depend on us the most are left vulnerable.

The Saving Wrentham and Hogan Alliance stands firmly with COFAR in calling out these systemic failures. When a state agency tries to silence families, it’s not just a procedural issue — it’s a civil rights issue.

Our loved ones deserve better.
Families deserve better.
Massachusetts deserves better.

If you haven’t read COFAR’s post yet, please take a moment. It’s an important window into what families are facing behind the scenes — and why strong, independent advocacy is essential.

🔗 Read the COFAR article:
https://cofarblog.com/2026/08/24/dds-supports-hearing-officer-in-silencing-us-as-advocates-for-family-member-of-departmental-client/

SWHA will continue to speak out, stand with families, and push for a system where advocacy is welcomed, not punished.

The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is supporting a hearing officer’s order to us to refrain from speaking while serving as advocates for an appellant in a departmental appeals pro…

08/24/2026

https://savingwrenthamandhogan.org/designed-as-an-alternative-operated-as-a-system/

HCBS waivers have become a core part of disability services, but federal oversight has not kept pace. This post examines accountability, cost-neutrality, and meaningful choice.

08/24/2026

Neutral, Clinician‑Informed Assessment

Principle of Good Care:
Every high‑acuity individual deserves a real clinical evaluation of their medical, behavioral, communication, and supervision needs.

Too often, assessments are replaced with provider checklists or recycled paperwork. True assessment must be neutral, clinician‑informed, and grounded in the person’s actual profile — not convenience or assumptions.

Neutral assessment is the foundation of appropriate care.