Developmental Disabilities Services

The NH developmental services system offers adult individuals with developmental disabilities a wide range of supports and services within their own communities.

Adult Services

BDS is comprised of a main office in Concord and ten (10) designated non-profit area agencies that represent specific geographic regions of NH. All direct services and supports to individuals and families are provided in accordance with contractual agreements between BDS and the Area Agencies.

The range of services available include:

Service Coordination including advocacy, facilitation and monitoring;
Day Services focusing on assistance and training provided to individuals to maintain and improve their skills in personal care, vocational activities and community integration to enhance their social and personal development;
Employment Services focusing on assistance and training provided to individuals to maintain and improve their skills in vocational activities and enhance their social, personal development and well-being within the context of vocational goals. These services develop paid employment opportunities in integrated settings which offer meaningful occasions for workers to interact with coworkers and customers;
Personal Care Services offering assistance and training to individuals to maintain and improve their skills in basic daily living and community integration and to enhance their social and personal development;
Community Support Services that are intended for individuals who have developed or are trying to develop skills to live independently within the community. Services consist of assistance and training provided to maintain and improve skills in daily living and community integration and to enhance social and personal development;
Family Support Services including respite and environmental modifications, to assist families in caring for a family member at home; and
Crisis Services, Assistive Technology Services and Specialty Services.

Any resident of NH is eligible for services who has a developmental disability and meets the following criteria:

Which is attributable to an intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism or a specific learning disability, or any other condition of an individual found to be closely related to an intellectual disability as it refers to general intellectual functioning or impairment in adaptive behavior or requires treatment similar to that required for persons with an intellectual disability; and
Which originates before such individual attains age 22, has continued or can be expected to continue indefinitely, and constitutes a severe disability to such individual’s ability to function normally in society.

Family Support Services

All family support services are provided through ten (10) designated non-profit area agencies that represent specific geographic regions of NH. These agencies are committed to strengthening and supporting families within the context of their lives and within their own communities.

Services include:

Recreational opportunities,
Parent to parent support,
Respite services,
Assistance in accessing home modifications or adaptive equipment,
Information and referral,
Advocacy,
Assistance with planning for transition from early supports and services to school to adult services; and
Help with applying for state and federal benefits.

Each local region has established a Regional Family Support Council consisting of members who have a family member receiving services from an area agency. The Family Support Council provides advice and oversight to the area agency in the development of family support plans. Each area agency also has a family support coordinator and other family support staff to assist families to acquire supports and services.

Family Support has proven to be a cost effective program that is designed to keep families intact and prevent or delay the need for more intensive and costly services and supports.

Related Information

Acquired Brain Disorders

An acquired brain disorder (ABD) is defined as a disruption in brain functioning that:

is not congenital or caused by birth trauma;
presents a severe and life-long disabling condition which significantly impairs a person's ability to function in society;
occurs prior to age 60;
is attributable to external trauma to the brain such as a motor vehicle incident or fall; anoxic or hypoxic injury to the brain such as cardiopulmonary arrest or carbon monoxide poisoning; infectious diseases such as encephalitis or meningitis; brain tumor; intra cranial surgery or cerebrovascular disruption such as a stroke; toxic exposure; and other neurological disorders such as Huntington's disease or multiple sclerosis that predominantly affect the central nervous system; and
is manifested by significant decline in cognitive functioning and ability or deterioration in personality, impulse control, judgment; modulation of mood or awareness of deficits.

Any resident of NH is eligible for services who has an acquired brain disorder and meets the skilled nursing facility or long term rehabilitation level of care need, and is eligible for Medicaid.

ABD Services

ABD Services offer individuals with acquired brain disorders and traumatic brain injuries a wide range of supports and services within their own communities. All direct services and supports to individuals and families are provided through ten (10) designated non-profit area agencies that represent specific geographic regions of NH, and are available to eligible individuals after age 22.