Governor Signs Order to Support Adults with Profound Autism

08:18AM / Sunday, April 05, 2026Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — Ahead of Autism Awareness Month, Governor Maura Healey signed an Executive Order to establish a statewide strategy to better support adults with profound autism, or adults who are over 22 years old with diagnosed autism spectrum disorder and require 24-hour support and assistance due to a significant intellectual disabilities and limited or no language skills.

The Executive Order aims to improve coordination across state agencies, promote innovation and advance outcomes for adults with profound autism and their families.

Adults with profound autism and intellectual developmental disabilities represent a highly vulnerable and growing population in Massachusetts.

"Massachusetts is committed to care and support for all. This executive order will strengthen coordination across agencies and help ensure that adults with profound autism and their families receive the support they need," said Governor Healey. "I look forward to appointing individuals representing families, providers, clinicians and advocates who bring deep expertise and lived experience to this work."

The Executive Order establishes an advisory council led by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, with designees from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, Executive Office of Administration and Finance, Department of Developmental Services, Department of Mental Health, Medicaid Director, and the Chairs of the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities. Governor Healey will also appoint up to 10 additional members representing families, clinicians, providers and advocates with expertise in supporting adults with profound autism.

The advisory council will develop recommendations focused on:

Reporting on the prevalence of adults with profound autism in Massachusetts;
Strengthening coordination across state systems serving adults with profound autism, including reviewing eligibility requirements across service systems;
Promoting person-centered, strengths-based approaches that recognize the needs of adults with profound autism;
Identifying opportunities to improve access to stable housing, health care, community-based services, and meaningful daily activities;
Encouraging innovative residential living and service models that support safety, stability, and quality of life;
Improving the use of data to better understand population needs, service utilization, outcomes, and efficient use of state resources over time;
Supporting a sustainable and well-trained workforce responsive to level of care and support needs; and
Informing future policy and budget planning in a manner consistent with the state’s long-term fiscal responsibility.

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15 People Displaced in Pittsfield Home Fires

Staff Reports11:35AM / Sunday, October 11, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fifteen people were displaced after 2-alarm home fires this weekend on Springside Avenue and Elaine Drive.

On Friday evening, the Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 209 Springside Ave., which took a four-hour battle to extinguish and resulted in a partial roof collapse. The next day, on Saturday evening, crews knocked down a fire at 121 Elaine Drive in about an hour.

The garage and part of the single-family home on Elaine Drive were gutted to the frame, along with a vehicle parked in the driveway. On Springside Avenue, the top level and porch of the multifamily were burned through.

A GoFundMe has been started for the family of the Elaine Drive home, which includes several young children. The fundraiser, with a $5,500 goal, explains they lost their home and all of their belongings. (iBerkshires.com does not confirm or endorse fundraisers; they are provided as information only.)

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries, and both incidents are under investigation. One dog was rescued on Springside Avenue.

On Oct. 10, around 6:15 p.m., PFD responded to the Springside Avenue home for a reported structure fire and saw a 2 1/2-story wood frame multifamily with a heavy blaze showing from the second-floor front porch, extending out.

The building suffered a partial roof collapse, which prolonged extinguishment. The fire was brought under control after about four hours.

“An aggressive offensive attack was mounted by first arriving crews stretching hose lines into the building as well as primary searches that proved negative. Ladders were placed around the structure to provide access as well as escape if needed. An off-duty Fire Captain had also been on scene early in the incident to help evacuate the structure and rescue a dog,” PFD wrote in a press release.

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