The Area Agency System

Services for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities and Acquired Brain Disorders

Area Agencies provide a number of supportive services to families, such as family support, and administer waiver programs that support individuals in the home and the community.

An Area Agency provides, either directly or through subcontractors, an array of services for individuals who have a developmental disability or acquired brain disorder. To be eligible for area agency services, you must meet the disability definition and be of a specific age, depending on the service. There are 10 Area Agencies throughout New Hampshire that are non-profit corporations and operate within the guidelines and regulations established by the Department of Health and Human Services. Families can discuss this in full detail with an Area Agency near them.

NHDHHS, Division of Long Term Supports and Services, Bureau of Developmental Services (BDS), has a main office in Concord and 10 designated non-profit area agencies that represent specific geographic regions of NH.

All direct services and support to individuals and families are provided per contractual agreements between BDS and the Area Agencies. Supports include:

• Respite care
• Home health care
• Day and vocational services
• Personal care services
• Community support services
• Birth to 3 Family-Centered Early Supports and Services (Early Intervention)
• Assistive technology services; and
• Specialty services and flexible family supports, including respite services and environmental modifications.

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

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

When a young person turns 21, day services, vocational services, and community supports are managed through the Area Agency system.

Each local region has established a Regional Family Support Council consisting of members who have a family member with a disability. The Family Support Council provides advice to the area agency in the development of family support plans and monitors the services provided pursuant to the plan. Each local agency also has a family support coordinator to assist families to acquire supports and services.

State Legislation

RSA 171-A, Services for the Developmentally Disabled
RSA 126-G, Family Support Services
RSA 137-K, Brain Injury Services

The Area Agency System – Regions and Towns They Serve

Region 1 Northern Human Services

• Berlin, Telephone: (603) 752-7404
• Colebrook, Telephone: (603) 237-4955
• Conway, Telephone: (603) 447-2111
• Groveton, Telephone: 603-636-2555
• Littleton, Telephone: (603) 444-5358
• Tamworth, Telephone: (603) 3232354
• Whitefield, Telephone: (603) 837-9547
• Wolfeboro, Telephone: (603)569-1884
• Woodsville, Telephone: (603) 747-3658
• Website: http://www.northernhs.org

Towns served:

• Albany
• Bartlett
• Bath
• Benton
• Berlin
• Bethlehem
• Brookfield
• Carroll
• Chatham
• Clarksville
• Colebrook
• Columbia
• Conway
• Dalton
• Dixville
• Dummer
• Easton
• Eaton
• Effingham
• Errol
• Franconia
• Freedom
• Glencliff
• Gorham
• Groveton
• Hart’s Location
• Haverhill
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• Lancaster
• Landaff
• Lincoln
• Lisbon
• Littleton
• Livermore
• Lyman
• Madison
• Milan
• Millsfield
• Monroe
• Moultonboro
• Northumberland
• Ossipee
• Piermont
• Pittsburg
• Randolph
• Sanbornville
• Sandwich
• Shelburne
• Stark
• Stewartstown
• Stratford
• Sugar Hill
• Tamworth
• Tuftonboro
• Union
• Wakefield
• Warren
• WatervilleValley
• Wentworth
• Whitefield
• Wolfeboro
• Woodstock