Nearly 500 attendees gathered at the Renaissance Framingham Hotel and Conference Center on Saturday, October 24, marking a record turnout for The Arc of Massachusetts biennial event, thearcofmass.org reported. Titled Transition Journeys 2026: Tools for Today, Hope for Tomorrow, the gathering brought together parents, self-advocates, guardians, siblings, educators, and professionals.
The conference featured 24 distinct workshops covering various facets of the transition process. Attendees also heard from two specialized panels. One group consisted of young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and autism, while the other featured parents discussing the topic, “What I Wish I Knew about Transition.”
Special guest speakers included Department of Developmental Services Commissioner Sarah Peterson and The Arc of the United States CEO Katy Neas. The venue hosted nearly 50 exhibitors in the main hall, including state agencies, schools, financial planners, service providers, and chapters of The Arc.
Participants in the exhibit hall engaged in a prize quest featuring gift baskets donated by The Paper Store. For the first time, educators attending the conference were able to earn continuing education units (CEUs). Organizers also provided interpretation services across nine of the workshops.
Support for the event came from a broad roster of top sponsors, including Nonotuck Resource Associates, Inc; The Guild for Human Services; PLAN of MA & RI; Special Needs Law Group; Amego, Inc.; Beaverbrook STEP, Inc.; House of Possibilities; Vinfen Corporation; Aspire Living and Learning; Cotting Transition Institute; Habilitation Assistance Corp; NESCA; Road to Responsibility; and WeCare 365 Adult Foster Care Program.
The organization announced plans to host the next Transition Conference in 2028.
