FAMILY SUPPORT RESOURCE DIRECTORY - SSCAC, Inc.

1 A CFCE PROGRAM OF SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCILSOUTH SHOREFAMILY NETWORKFAMILY SUPPORTRESOURCE DIRECTORY covering the communities of:Carver, Cohasset, Duxbury, Halifax, Hanover, Hingham, Kingston, Marshfield, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton and ScituateTABLE OF CONTENTSA bout SoutH SHore CoMMuNity ACtioN CouNCil, iNC..3 EARLY education & CHILD CARE ..5 CHil D CAre iN MASSACHuSettS ..5 HeAD StArt ProgrAMS ..6 CHooSiNg CHil D CAre for your CHil D ..6 How to fiND A CHil D CAre ProviDer ..7 EEC ProvidEr Listing ..8 CHil D CAre fiNANCiAl ASS iStANCe ..19eArly SCHool DiStriCtS ADMiNiStrAtive offiCeS ..20 EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ..21 AbuSe & ASSAult ..21eNergy ASS iStANCe ProgrAMS ..22fiNANCiAl MANAgeMeNt AND ASS iStANCe ProgrAMS ..22fooD & NutritioN ProgrAMS ..23fooD PANtrieS.

2 23legAl AiD ..25 SHelterS AND eMergeNCy HouSiNg ASS iStANCe ..25 FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES ..27 ADult education & CAreer DeveloPMeNt ..27 el Der ServiCeS ..27 CouNCilS oN AgiNg ..27 HouSiNg ProgrAMS ..28 HouSiNg AutHoritieS ..29 PAreNt reSourCeS ..29trANSPortAtioN ServiCeS ..30 PHYSICAL & MENTAL HEALTH ..31 HeAlt H CAre ServiCeS ..31 HeAlt H iNSurANCe ..31loNg terM CAre & CHroNiC ill NeSS ..32 MeNtAl HeAlt H ServiCeS ..33 PREGNANCY & CHILDbIRTH ..35 SPECIAL NEEDS education & SERVICES ..36 RECREATION & LEISURE ..37 CHilDreN S MuSeuMS ..37eNriCHMeNt ProgrAMS ..37librArieS ..38this DIRECTORY is for informational purposes only. funded by a Coordinated FAMILY & Community engagement grant from the Massachusetts Department of early education & ShOrE COmmuNiTy ACTiON COuNCiL, 1965, South Shore Community Action Council, inc.

3 (SSCAC) has provided a range of critical services to low-income individuals and families on the South Shore. SSCAC runs many programs in the areas of transportation, youth and FAMILY Development, fuel Assistance, income Maintenance, emergency food and Housing Assistance, Self-Sufficiency, and energy Assistance. in addition to our main office located in Plymouth, SSCAC operates 2 South Shore early education sites (Plymouth and Marshfield) and 3 fuel Assistance intake offices (Plymouth, Hyannis and Martha s vineyard). SSCAC prOgrAmS ANd SErviCESSOuTh ShOrE FAMILY NETWOrKSouth Shore FAMILY Network is funded by the Coordinated FAMILY and Community engagement grant from the MA Dept. of early education and Care. South Shore FAMILY Network hosts a wide range of local workshops for families, early childhood fairs, parent-toddler playgroups, and other FAMILY oriented events with the goals of increasing knowledge of parenting and child development including the importance of social and emotional development and the importance of developing early literacy skills, helping families build resilience and social connections and connecting families with resources that can provide concrete SUPPORT in times of need.

4 SOuTh ShOrE EArLy education & CArESouth Shore early education offers high quality early education and child care for children from birth to age 5, including early Head Start infant/toddler care, Head Start preschool, MA subsidized preschool, and private pay for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. with centers in Marshfield and Plymouth, South Shore early education offers bus transportation to/from school, nutritious meals and snacks, health and dental screenings, social services, parenting SUPPORT and education , and extended day care for working parents. each site has attained accreditation from the National Association for the education of young Children (NAeyC). FuEL ASSiSTANCEthe low income Home energy Assistance Program (liHeAP), more commonly known as the fuel Assistance Program, provides low income households with help in paying heating emergency Assistance retrofit task weatherization Assistance Program (HeArtwAP)

5 With federal and private utility funds, the HeArtwAP program helps reduce the high cost of home heating for low-income individuals and families through no-cost home heating system inspections and repair/replacement, making home heating more efficient, safe, and free program enables SSCAC to insulate and make minor energy efficiency related repairs to the homes or apartments of low income households that are also eligible for fuel ASSiSTANCES outh Shore Community Action Council provides transportation Services for eligible low income, disabled and elderly residents to Doctor and Dental visits, Adult Day Health Programs, Non-emergency Hospital visits, employment work Programs, education facilities, Metro boston Hospitals and other Medical rESOurCESthe goal of the food resources Program and it s food Distribution Center is to get more nutritious food to hungry people in the most cost-effective way through coordinated food pick-up, transport, storage and distribution.

6 In 2016, the food Distribution Center distributed 509,610 lbs of food. EmpLOymENT & TrAiNiNgSouth Shore Community Action Council recognizes that a lack of employment opportunities is a critical factor that can lead to poverty. to counter this, SSCAC is proud to offer Commercial Drivers license Driver training, teacher Aid and Certified food Handler SErviCESS outh Shore Community Action Council provides help to meet emergency needs for area residents. emergency Assistance is offered through the emergency food and Shelter Program and the Patriot ledger lend a Hand Program. SSCAC also supports the important work of feMA and area emergency food providers, including food pantries and meal Aidthe Consumer Aid Program provides mediation of consumer complaints. the office is staffed by mediators trained in complaint resolution and consumer rights.

7 The Program is funded by, and works in cooperation with, the Massachusetts Department of the Attorney general. For more information about SSCAC please call 508-747-7575 or visit us on the web at education & ChiLd CArE iNFOrmATiONthe Massachusetts Department of early education and Care (eeC) licenses two main types of early education and eeC ProviDerS: Center-based Child Care and FAMILY Child Care. CENTEr-BASEd ChiLd CArE these include private nursery schools, kindergarten, preschools, and Head Start programs that operate in a center. Center-based Child Care providers typically serve children under seven years old, although they may serve special needs children under 16 years old. Children may attend for part-day (less than 4hrs) or full-day (4-12 hrs). FAMILY ChiLd CArE (FCC)Care is provided in a private residence on a regular basis during part or all of the day.

8 Small FAMILY Child Care providers care for up to 6 children with one staff person. large fCCs care for up to 10 children with one staff person and an approved assistant. Some fCCs join a FAMILY Child Care System to offer additional SUPPORT to providers and families. All licensed child care programs must meet eeC standards regarding health, safety, curriculum, and staffing. for further information about the state regulations go to the eeC website: To learn more about a provider s licensing history and status, you may contact staff at one of EEC s regional offices: SOuThEAST ANd CApE rEgiONAL OFFiCE1 washington Street, Suite 120 | taunton, MA | 508-828-5025(Serving Hanover, Marshfield, Pembroke, Plympton, Halifax, Carver, Kingston, Plymouth and other towns in Southeast Massachusetts)mETrO BOSTON rEgiONAL OFFiCE 1250 Hancock Street, Suite 120S | Quincy , MA | 617-472-2881(Serving Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, Norwell, Scituate and other towns surrounding boston)56hEAd STArT prOgrAmSHead Start is a nationally funded early education and care program that promotes school readiness through early educational experiences and FAMILY SUPPORT services.

9 Head Start provides services to families and young children, including infants, toddlers, three, four, and five-year-olds. Head Start services are free for all families who meet federal low-income guidelines. families with children with special needs or who receive public financial assistance may also be eligible. those who are not eligible for free services may qualify to enroll at a Head Start program for a minimal ShOrE EArLy education , hEAd STArT prOgrAmS832 webster Street, Marshfield, MA 781-837-6837 South Meadow road, Plymouth, MA 508-746-0333 locate other head Start programs please visit the following website to locate other head Start programs: #map-homeChOOSiNg ChiLd CArE FOr yOur ChiLdthe National Association for the education of young Children (NAeyC) and the Massachusetts Department of early education and Care (eeC) provide guidance on choosing a child care provider that is right for you and your FAMILY .

10 For eeC s Tips on Choosing Child Care, go to and follow the link for programs and Licensing. for NAEyC s suggestions, please go to below are just a few of their suggestions: LOOK FOr prOvidEr S STATE LiCENSES ANd ChECK ThAT ThEy ArE CurrENT. SOmE prOgrAmS mAy ALSO hAvE NATiONALLy ApprOvEd ACCrEdiTATiON. ON WhAT dAyS iS ThE prOgrAm CLOSEd FOr hOLidAyS Or OThEr iN-SErviCE ACTiviTiES? CAN yOu imAgiNE yOur ChiLd hAviNg FuN ThErE? iS pArENT iNvOLvEmENT WELCOmEd? WhAT iS ThE dAiLy rOuTiNE LiKE? iS ThErE OuTdOOr pLAy ANd A mix OF ACTivE ANd quiET ACTiviTiES? dOES ThE prOgrAm S BEhAviOr mANAgEmENT phiLOSOphy mATCh yOur OWN? ArE hEALThy SNACKS prOvidEd? iS BACKup CArE prOvidEd iN CASE OF prOvidEr iLLNESS? EArLy education & ChiLd CArE7hOW TO FiNd A ChiLd CArE prOvidErChild Care RESOURCE & referral (CCr&r) agencies provide information and referrals to help families find child care providers to meet their needs.