Not started or approaching school exit
Build the DDS adult eligibility record
Match the evidence to the correct adult DDS eligibility category instead of assuming autism and intellectual disability are one lane.
Official sources checked 2026-07-29
Start here
DDS eligibility for servicesBefore you start
- Diagnostic reports, cognitive and adaptive testing when relevant, functional evidence across major life activities, developmental history, current risks, school and medical evaluations, and Massachusetts residence proof.
Who to contact
Use the official destination above, the DDS Area Office assigned by city or town, the service coordinator, the operating agency, or the exact contact on the controlling notice.
Step by step
- Identify whether the record supports intellectual-disability services or community developmental-disability services such as autism without intellectual disability.
- Index each evaluation and explain the functional limitation it documents.
- Provide requested updates and preserve the complete record used for the decision.
Expected next
An intake assessment, records request, and written decision identifying eligibility or appeal information.
Save this proof
Evidence index, evaluation copies, submissions, intake notes, requests, and complete decision.
If this stalls or the answer is no
Ask the regional eligibility team to identify the exact unmet criterion and the evidence it relied on.
Beyond Childhood planning aid
Build the DDS adult eligibility record checklist
A Beyond Childhood planning aid derived from the cited official sources.
- Owner and date started
- Documents supplied
- Confirmation or notice
- Current status
- Next event and date
- Escalation contact
Derived from DDS eligibility for services, DDS eligibility for adults with autism, DDS eligibility, planning, and appeals regulation
Official resources
Limits
Beyond Childhood does not decide which DDS category or criteria a person meets.
Beyond Childhood’s checklists and prompts are planning aids derived from official sources. They are not official forms, legal advice, eligibility decisions, or guarantees of funding, capacity, quality, or service.