The Saving Wrentham and Hogan Alliance is a grassroots, statewide effort dedicated to protecting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Massachusetts. We document systemic gaps in care, analyze state policies, and advocate for safe, sustainable options for those with the most complex needs.
Our newly released Cost Analysis examines the true cost of serving high‑acuity residents and highlights the urgent need for evidence‑based planning.
Need help navigating DDS, residential options, or high‑acuity supports?
Families across Massachusetts are facing barriers, delays, and mixed messages. If you need support, have questions, we’re here for you.
Please fill out our Contact Form, and a member of our team will reach out privately.
Massachusetts keeps getting sued over disability services. Find out why in our lawsuit series— the Introduction, Rolland v. Cellucci, and Ricci v. Okin, Boulet v. Cellucci, and Hutchinson v. Patrick and our Summary and Conclusion are now live.
A single pattern emerges:
Massachusetts repeatedly recognized disability rights on paper while failing to build the services needed to make those rights real.
• Ricci exposed dangerous, unconstitutional conditions in state institutions and forced the Commonwealth to adopt basic clinical standards.
• Rolland showed that even as institutions improved, people with intellectual disabilities were quietly moved into nursing homes that were more restrictive and less therapeutic.
• Boulet revealed that thousands of adults found eligible for residential services received nothing at all, proving the state was denying federally required supports.
• Hutchinson demonstrated that the same failures extended beyond intellectual disabilities, leaving adults with acquired brain injuries stuck in nursing homes because the state had never built the services they needed — and it provided rare transparency into the true cost of high‑acuity community care.
Together, these cases show a system that improves only under enforceable oversight and reverts once that oversight ends. The lesson is clear: rights without infrastructure are rights in name only, and durable, independent enforcement is the only way to prevent the cycle from repeating.
Governor Maura Healey’s Executive Order 656 is an important acknowledgment that adults with profound autism in Massachusetts need a coordinated, statewide strategy. SWHA welcomes this recognition and the commitment to examining the gaps families have been facing for years.
A Step Forward — But Only a First Step
The Executive Order creates a Statewide Strategy Council to study the issue and make recommendations. This is a meaningful start, but it does not yet create:
- new placements
- high‑acuity day programs
- crisis capacity
- long‑term residential options
- or dedicated funding
Families continue to struggle with limited choices and long waits for services that match the complexity of profound autism.
What’s Needed Next
Massachusetts needs a full continuum of care that includes:
- intensive day services
- crisis stabilization
- specialized residential options
- and intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disability (ICF/IID) capacity where appropriate
Adults with severe and profound autism require predictable environments, continuous supervision, and on‑site clinical support. A statewide strategy must reflect those realities.
Saving Wrentham and Hogan Alliance’s (SWHA) Role
SWHA looks forward to engaging with the Strategy Council and contributing data, experience, and family perspectives. Recognition is an important beginning — but families need concrete action.
We remain committed to advocating for the services and supports that adults with severe and profound autism and intellectual disabilities deserve.
Who We Are
We’re a nonprofit committed to protecting the rights, dignity, and care of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Massachusetts. We protect the rights to choice of individuals with intellectual disabilities. As the state moves toward closing vital facilities like Wrentham and Hogan, we unite families, professionals, and allies to ensure no voice is left behind.
Through coalition-building, legislative advocacy, and hands-on support, we’re building a strong and compassionate network that champions respect, belonging, and continuity of care.
Why It Matters
These facilities are more than buildings—they are homes and communities where people have built relationships, routines, and lives. Preserving them isn’t enough. We’re calling for the reopening of admissions, restoring access and protecting the rights to choice of individuals with intellectual disabilities in Massachusetts. These vital facilities are for those who choose them and would thrive in these supportive environments. We want to ensure continuity of care for future generations.
We’re also working to revitalize the campus itself, removing condemned buildings and creating intergenerational housing options for elderly parents, so they can spend their final years beside their adult children.
The Bigger Picture
As privatized, community-based providers increasingly reject individuals with higher support requirements, our vision is clear: a safe, skilled, and welcoming model that serves both the unserved and the underserved.
Whether you’re a caregiver, advocate, policymaker, or concerned neighbor—there’s a place for you here.
Together, we’re saving more than institutions and the intermediate care facility level of care. We’re rebuilding home, renewing hope, and restoring dignity for those too often left behind.
Explore Our Website
The website offers comprehensive information regarding the costs associated with supporting individuals with complex needs in community-based settings versus congregate care models. It outlines relevant legal frameworks concerning individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), analyzes differences among various levels of care, and provides an overview of our organization.
Join Our Mission
Become a member of the Saving Wrentham and Hogan Alliance today for free. Donate today and help us with our mission.
Follow Us
Join our Facebook Group at Saving Wrentham and Hogan ICF/IID Facilities in Massachusetts | Facebook
Contact Us with Your Ideas, Comments, Concerns, and Questions
Join us in defending the rights of individuals with disabilities for quality, person-centered care and choices.
Blog
Explore a collection of thoughtful articles and resources highlighting our efforts to protect and promote quality care for individuals with developmental disabilities.
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How Families Can Protect Themselves When Advocating With DDS
Families advocating with DDS often face fear, isolation, and uncertainty. This post…
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Why 1915(c) Waivers Fail Medically Complex and Aging Individuals and Why the Closure of Wrentham and Hogan Would Be Devastating
For decades, Home‑ and Community‑Based Services (HCBS) waivers under §1915(c) of the…
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A Quiet but Meaningful Victory for Choice and High‑Acuity Care
Some victories don’t show up in the final vote tally. They show…
We Are:
Family Members of Individuals Seeking Admission to Wrentham or Hogan Facilities
Family Members of Individuals Currently Receiving Services at Wrentham or Hogan
Direct Support Workers (DSW)
Nurses and Other Healthcare Workers
Concerned Citizens and Supporters
Supporting Organizations
Our Supporting Organizations
