Our Mission - To enrich the lives of people of all ages and abilities by providing positive life experiences and advocacy through distinctive, individualized, quality service.
Dedicated to meeting the unique needs of people with disabilities, BFAIR incorporated in 1994 and went on to open our first residential home for people with developmental disabilities. Two years later, a Day Habilitation program was launched, offering individualized services for adults with disabilities. In 2000, the agency was awarded its first vocational contract. Today BFAIR’s Employment Services vocational program offers employment, training and job placement services for close to two hundred adults and students with disabilities annually referred by both DDS and the Mass Rehab Commission
Moving forward, the agency relocated its administrative office and Day Habilitation program to a new facility on South Church Street, North Adams. Simultaneously, a satellite office was opened in Pittsfield, offering Individual and Family Support Services to promote semi-independent living for adults with disabilities as well as outreach services to families. Eleven residences, shared living arrangements and supported apartments provide living assistance for adults with disabilities. BFAIR’s Adult Family Care and Shared Living program offers people with medical, physical and/or intellectual disabilities in-home supports provided by a family member or qualified caregiver.
Continuing to expand service options, BFAIR was awarded a contract through Elder Services of the Berkshires to provide Homecare services (licensed practical nursing care and homemaker services) for older adults residing throughout Berkshire and Franklin Counties. BFAIR’s Clinical Department offers clinical supports using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) for students with autism attending schools through Berkshire County and Southern Vermont, as well as in-home ABA services that are covered by major insurance providers.
In 2014, BFAIR experienced great expansion. A new residence was developed for four women with acquired brain injuries (ABI) previously residing in nursing homes. This initial home led the way for four additional homes dedicated to the care of people living with ABI. Presently, BFAIR has three homes for people with ABI throughout the Berkshires, as well as two located in Northampton and Westfield. In total BFAIR operates eleven residential homes for adults with intellectual disabilities, autism and ABI. With continued growth and need for services, in 2015 BFAIR opened a second day habilitation as well as Community Based Day Services center focused on supporting our communities through volunteerism as well as community integration for adults with developmental disabilities and autism on Roberts Drive in North Adams. In 2016, our Pittsfield administrative offices found a new home on Willis Street. This second administrative office houses our individual and family support program, several employment program staff, and has a full kitchen and conference spaces for the use of the entire organization.
With over 320 staff, serving nearly 600 residents of our communities, BFAIR operates on a $15 million budget annually. Learn more at bfair.org.