Keep up with all the news & information about the people we support and their successes as they Reach for Independence!
WHAT’S NEW AT HMEA
June 17, 2024
Three Leading Massachusetts Human Service Providers Set to Merge
On July 1, 2024, Advocates, Horace Mann Educational Associates, Inc. (HMEA) and Family Continuity will
become a single, unified organization operating under the Advocates name. The merged organization will serve more than 40,000 children, adults and families in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and employ more than 2500 staff. The majority of employees are essential direct care workers.
Read our press release to learn more.
October 30, 2023
Providence Resident Wins HMEA Board of Directors Award for Excellence and Dedication
HMEA—a private, not-for-profit agency that supports nearly 4,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families—today announced that Providence resident Maria Freire has received the agency’s 2023 Board of Directors Award. The Board of Directors Award is awarded to an employee who has significantly enriched the lives of the people they support, by consistently encouraging meaningful relationships, increasing community participation, empowering people as decision-makers, and teaching new skills. Learn more in GoLocalProv.
April 27, 2023
Woonsocket Resident and HMEA Employee Running for Miss Rhode Island
Kaitlynne Santana, an HMEA employee and Woonsocket resident, is in the running for Miss Rhode Island. Kaitlynne spoke with the Daily Breeze about her history competing in pageants, and about why she’s running. Check it out!
April 22, 2023
Runners compete for a cause at Autism Superhero 5K
April is National Autism Acceptance Month, and hundreds of people gathered at Polar Park on Saturday for the annual Autism Superhero 5K. The event, organized by HMEA’s Autism Resource Central, gives families a memorable day of community networking and autism acceptance. Learn more in Spectrum News.
June 3, 2022
HMEA Receives Grant from the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism
The Flutie Foundation Allison Keller Education Technology Grant, awarded to HMEA’s Autism Resource Central (HARC), will fund the purchase of assistive technology devices and provide learned skills and executive functioning trainings. To read more about this grant and how it will benefit the teens and young adults receiving services at HARC, click here!
September 27, 2021
Q&A: Providing autism supports at HMEA
HMEA’s Autism Resource Central’s Director, Kris Cariglia, was interveiwed by the Worcester Business Journal. To read the interview, click here www.wbjournal.com/article/qa-providing-autism-supports-at-hmea
July 1, 2021
Mike Moloney Retires
After first joining HMEA in 1984, Mike went on to lead the organization as CEO from 2000 to 2020. Over the years, he has been a vital force in the expansion of our services and the establishment of many programs, initiatives, and advocacy efforts. Mike has inspired countless staff, supported individuals, and families as a fearless partner in the pursuit of a meaningful life for all. Mike lives and breathes HMEA’s mission and relentlessly strives for our vision of a world in which individual differences are appreciated and celebrated, and where everyone contributes. Everyone here at HMEA wishes him the very best in this next exciting phase of his life!
April 27, 2021
Advocates and Horace Mann Educational Associates (HMEA)—two leading Massachusetts human service agencies—today announced a strategic partnership to better serve children, adults, and families with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, and behavioral health needs.
Click here to read – News Release HMEA and Advocates Affiliation
March 16, 2021
HMEA acknowledges the 1 year anniversary of closing programs due to the Covid-19 pandemic and celebrates the incredible dedication and innovation of its amazing staff.
February 1, 2021
HMEA celebrates Black History Month. Click the link below to read a message from Jule Gomes Noack, HMEA’s President and CEO, and a founding member of our longstanding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, as we recognize the history-making accomplishments of Kamala Harris, Raphael Warnock, Stacey Abrams, and Amanda Gorman, and all those who laid the foundations for their achievements and who will build upon their efforts. https://conta.cc/3q5qXmL
January 9, 2021
HMEA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee proposed, voted, and finalized some upcoming changes to HMEA’s 2021 holiday schedule. HMEA and the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee feel these changes are an opportunity for HMEA to continue to learn, connect with each other, and reflect on how to move forward while honoring what has occurred in the past.
October 28, 2020
Covid-19 and 2020 has brought such a dark cloud over all we do and all that is happening but, there are some genuine heroes who rise to the occasion of helping others in need. HMEA Funders are some of those heroes who have done just that. During these trying times the following grantors and foundations have made it their mission to help HMEA (and many other nonprofits in need) to continue to meet our mission to teach, support, and empower people with developmental disabilities and their families to live meaningful lives of their choice. These funds will help our dedicated and committed staff to continue to provide essential services in a safe and healthy environment. On behalf of all of us at HMEA, thank you!
Jule Gomes Noack Assumes Top Leadership Role At HMEA – 7.1.2020
6.12.2020 – A great big THANK YOU to Rockland Trust – Blue Hills Charitable Foundation for their generous grant of $15,000 to HMEA!
Wicked Local – Franklin – 4.29.2020
HMEA gets virtually creative with incredABLE 5K event. Click here
Mansfield Woman Brings Music, Joy To Friends And Neighbors
She brings the music, to you. A young Mansfield woman is serenading friends and neighbors, but from a safe distance. Jamie is a singer who’s also on the autism spectrum. What she’s doing gives a new definition to “taking requests.” Find out more about her at //cbsloc.al/33VwjXC
NEWS RELEASE
President & CEO
Noack Named New President and Chief Executive Officer of HMEA Current President/COO will become only the third CEO in the human service agency’s 58-year history beginning July 1, 2020
FRANKLIN, MA, January 8, 2020 — The HMEA Board of Directors today announces that it has unanimously voted to appoint Jule Gomes Noack, as HMEA’s next President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective July 1, 2020.
Noack joined HMEA in 1987 as the agency’s first clinical coordinator and, over the past 32 years, has worked directly in or managed nearly every program, service and administrative role within the organization. For the past 13 years, she has been a key member of HMEA’s executive leadership team and has served as President/COO since 2013.
“As CEO, Ms. Noack will bring continued leadership stability and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities on the horizon,” said Katie Hauser, board president, HMEA. “She has a very clear, progressive vision for advancing HMEA’s mission to teach, support and empower people with developmental disabilities and their families to live meaningful lives of their choice.”
In her current role, Noack has led the creation and expansion of the agency’s Quality, Learning and Performance department, which is focused on ensuring the highest levels of service quality, improving staff development methods to address a diverse workforce and measuring performance outcomes in all divisions and departments throughout the organization. She has also been the champion and driving force behind the development of HMEA’s diversity initiative, which promotes a culture of inclusion with a strong focus on a resolution of respect and a ‘No Place for Hate’ workplace. HMEA employees come from more than 38 different countries.
“I’m excited about the opportunities I see to continue to grow and improve the services we provide, to use technology to make our jobs easier, and to ensure that our diversity work guarantees that this agency is a respectful and safe workplace that provides advancement for our employees and the people we support,” said Noack. “I also see opportunities to continue to develop partnerships that will allow us to build upon our many accomplishments and to ensure a long and bright future for this organization.”
Noack will be only the third CEO in the 58-year history of the organization. She succeeds Michael Moloney, who has served as CEO since 2000.
Under Moloney’s leadership, HMEA achieved significant growth and success over the past two decades, growing from an organization serving 550 people to today providing comprehensive services to more than 5,000 people of all ages.
VP of Government
& Community Relations
Moloney will remain with the organization serving as Executive Vice President for Government and Community Relations. In this new role, Moloney will continue to be an advocate and statewide leader on key issues impacting HMEA and all human service agencies such as improvements in data-driven outcomes, managed care transformation, and better pay and benefits for direct care staff. The transition becomes effective on July 1, 2020.
Congratulations to Rich Welsh of Dell and Russell Leete of HMEA, Inc. on their well-deserved Work Without Limits Leadership Award presented at our 2020 #RaiseTheBar2019 Conference. This was awarded for their work on Dell’s Neurodiversity @ Work initiative. This has aimed to help highly skilled individuals with Autism overcome barriers to getting jobs in high tech fields
Pictured L-R Russell Leete from HMEA , Rich Welsh from DELL and Kathy Petkauskos Director of WWL/UMASS Medical School
Here’s an amazing story about what it means to be a team! #Franklin High Senior Taylor Padula, who has Down Syndrome, gets the start in tonight’s Girl’s Varsity Basketball game 🏀 🏆 @boston25 pic.twitter.com/InYgxUJwuE
— Nicole Oliverio (@NicoleOliverio) February 9, 2019
Doug MacPherson, HMEA’s VP of Development & Public Relations, talks about Helping Hand Florist and the 2019 incredABLE 5k on the Rhode Show.
HMEA’s Autism and Family Support Center Grand Opening
HMEA opens a one-stop shop for Autism and Family Support Services
Kelly Charlebois, TechACCESS RI Executive Director, talks about the Assistant Technology Conference.
“HMEA honors Mr. David Felper, former 2x Board chair and 24 year Board member for HMEA at the 2018 Awards Night Ceremony.”
Past News
- Car Pooling with Ben DeCastro – Kelly Charlebois of TechACCESS RI talks assistive technology
- Exposure With Mosher #93 Innovative Workforce Solutions
- Carpooling with Ben DeCastro – Doug MacPherson, VP of Developmenr, talks about the incredABLE 5K
- The Health Foundation of Central MA – Activation Fund Grantee Recognized as Innovator of the Year
- 9/25/2017 – HMEA Awarded Innovator of the Year
- 7/14/2017 – HMEA News 2017 Summer Edition
- 1/29/2017 – HMEA Delivers Hundreds of Coats to Straight Ahead
- 1/19/2017 – HMEA Newsletter Winter 2017 edition
- 1/8/2017 – One on One: Maura Looney, project leader, Students for Higher
- 4/20/2016 – HMEA expands autism program with $57K grant
- 3/20/2016 – ‘Light it up Blue’ community gathering to mark autism awareness on April 1
- 2/24/2016 – Autism providers applaud Tufts settlement for therapy coverage
- 2/28/2016 – On-the-job autism: Initiatives address challenges for employers and workers
- 11/22/2015 – Michael Moloney, chief executive officer, HMEA, Franklin
