General Info

As a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Department of Social Services, also known as DSS, is a state agency that provides human welfare services to children and families. It receives and responds to the reports of child abuse. The department offers children adoption, counseling, day care and emergency shelter services. It also provides family planning, foster care, homemaker and housekeeping assistance services for women. The Department of Social Services offers health care-related information and referral solutions. It additionally maintains more than 25 area offices, as well as acts as point-of-contact for the Office of Children, Youth and Families.