About Us
What is PLAN of Massachusetts and Rhode Island?
Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of Massachusetts and Rhode Island (PLAN of MA and RI) is a non-profit organization that provides planning and trust management services to individuals with special needs throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. We are committed to serving disabled individuals by helping to enhance their quality of life, support their integration into the community, and provide peace of mind through individualized trust management and social services.
History
PLAN of MA and RI, changed its name in 2011 from PLAN of MA. The organization was originally incorporated as the MARC Trust in the 1960’s by parents who were concerned about the well being of their children with disabilities after the parents died. In 1995 after the passing of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1993, an attorney and MARC Trust board member worked together to expand MARC Trust’s services to include First Party Special Needs Pooled Trusts in order to serve people of all disabilities. In 1999, two other MARC board members collaborated with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to establish Third-Party Pooled Trusts for people with mental disabilities. Meanwhile, MARC Trust became affiliated with the National PLAN Alliance and no longer served only people with mental disabilities, but expanded to include individuals with developmental and physical disabilities as well. In 2004 the two organizations merged and became known as PLAN of Massachusetts. In 2011 the organization's name changed to PLAN of Massachuetts and Rhode Island to acknowledge its presence throughout both of these states.
Today, PLAN of MA and RI manages over 23 million dollars for more than 400 beneficiaries. It is currently the largest pooled trust serving Massachusetts and Rhode Island. For more than 20 years PLAN of MA and RI has committed itself to meeting the needs of disabled people. All of our board members and staff are friends or family members of disabled individuals or have extensive experience working with this population. Every member is passionate about the work PLAN of MA and RI does. Despite the big changes and growth, our focus has been and will continue to remain on enhancing the quality of life of the beneficiaries we serve and providing their families with the peace of mind they deserve.
National PLAN Alliance
PLAN of Massachusetts and RI is one of 26 members of the National PLAN Alliance (NPA). As the parent organization for PLAN affiliates in 21 states, the NPA offers supportive services to current and developing programs across the country. PLAN programs were founded to assist families in planning for the future care of loved ones with lifelong disabilities. A program evaluation study of six PLAN programs to examine the long-term impact of PLAN on participants and their families noted that the most highly rated outcomes were reduction of family stress, peace of mind for families, and a more satisfying life style for participants with a lifelong disability.*
*For more information about the National Plan Alliance, please visit: www.nationalplanalliance.org.
