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The Yankee Express

Open Sky Community Services opens new family support center

Open Sky Community Services, Inc. is opening the Blackstone Valley Family Support Center in Whitinsville this month, according to agency President and CEO Ken Bates. The Center will serve children and adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism and their families. 

“We are very pleased to have been selected by the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to operate this program in the Blackstone Valley,” said Bates.  The Center will operate at 70 Douglas Road in Whitinsville, the site of the historic Alternatives Whitin Mill.

The Center will offer a wide range of services designed “to help individuals live, learn, work, play, have relationships and pursue their life’s aspirations in the community,” according to DDS. 

Among others, services will include help in applying for DDS services and other benefits, trainings, information and referral, navigation of systems and community resources, social and recreational opportunities and connecting individuals and families with each other.  

The Alternatives Whitin Mill is the perfect location for this service, according to Donna MacLeod-Prior, vice president of developmental services at Open Sky. “This site has long been a place where the community gathers for plays, concerts, gallery exhibits, and so much more. While these events are currently virtual, we look forward to welcoming our new DDS families and individuals to in-person events in the near future.” 

The Family Support Center will be staffed by a manager and service navigators and is expected to serve between 300 and 450 families once fully operational.

For more information, email [email protected] .  

For more information about Open Sky Community Services, please contact Lorie Martiska, [email protected] 

About Open Sky 

Community Services

Open Sky Community Services is dba for Alternatives Unlimited, Inc. and The Bridge of Central MA.  Open Sky offers a wide range of services for adults, adolescents, and children with mental health challenges, developmental and intellectual disabilities, substance use disorders, brain injury, homelessness and other challenges throughout Central Massachusetts. Open Sky Community Services has over 1,300 dedicated employees and an annual budget of $83M with more than 100 programs throughout the region. For more information, please visit www.openskycs.org.

About The Bridge 

Training Institute

The Bridge Training Institute is an industry leader in providing both theoretical and real-world training on evidence-based and best