Collaboration with Agencies for Successful Transition

2013 Secondary Transition Institute

Current trends in Transition:High unemployment, poverty rates for people

with disabilitiesLack of jobs, continuing education, social life

after graduationDisjointed services & supportsReliance on Social Security incomeTight budgetsNo immediate services upon exit of school

system

Why Collaboration?Meaningful employmentSeamless transition with supports in place for

workBetter outcomes for students: Better quality of

lifeInteragency collaboration: More bang for the

buck!Lifelong learning (continuing education,

postsecondary institutions)Satisfying social lifeIndependent/supported living options

STUDENT

Department of Rehabilitation

Regional Center

Other Agencies

TRACESan Diego Unified

Access to Independen

ce

Transition Resources for Adult Community Education

TRACE

All means ALLAll students belong in their schools and communities.

Who comes to TRACE?Must be 18-22 years oldSpecial Education Students who are

eligible for an IEPHave not received a High School DiplomaMust live within SDUSD boundariesActive participation in planning and

implementing life pursuitsReview and update life pursuits on a

consistent basis

VOCATIONALJob/Career GoalsJob PreparationEmployment and Vocational ResourcesJob Search/DevelopmentCollaboration with Adult Agency Service

ProvidersMicro-EnterpriseSSI + Work

RECREATIONSportsFitness, health clubsRecreation centersEntertainmentCultural CentersHobbies/Clubs

COMMUNITY

Volunteer opportunitiesMental Health ServicesNeighborhood services i.e.: banks, stores,

postal services etc.Mobility

ADVOCACYSelf-Advocacy People 1st

Legal rightsProtectionsConservatorship

INDEPENDENT LIVINGIndependent Living Skills i.e.: Section 8, Take

Wing, Supportive Living agenciesNutritionFood PreparationFamily/personal healthBudgeting/Scheduling

ADULT EDUCATIONHigh School Diploma ProgramGED ProgramCommunity CollegesROP/Training schoolsAdult Learning CenterPublic Library Program

LINKAGESRegional CenterDepartment of RehabilitationAccess to IndependenceAdult agenciesMental Health servicesIndependent Living Agencies

San Diego Regional Center

Support for Transition Age Youth

Our Mission StatementTo serve and empower persons with developmental disabilities

and their families to achieve their goals with community partners

SDRC Role in the Transition ProcessAs early as age 14: Service Coordinator/Case Manager can

begin transition planning with the student, parents, teacher, and the entire support team. The earlier the better to create a seamless transition. Attend IEP meetings and discuss the possibilities of work and job skills training while in school.

16-21: Service Coordinator continues to participate in the program planning (i.e., attend IEP, IEP goals to coincide with IPP outcomes).

Common questions we should be discussing during transition period:1) Services and supports?2) Making friends?3) Finding a job?4) Other activities to do during the day?

4) Living?5) Legal/Benefits issues that need to be dealt with?

SDRC Role in the Process (continued) Age 21:

1) SDRC Day Program/Habilitation Coordinator will send Service

Coordinators a printout of students and their scheduled

graduation date 9 months prior to graduation. 2) Service Coordinators to discuss available adult programs options

w/team. 3) Discuss different options and appropriate matches for students

a. Regional Center Funded Day Programs and partnership with

San Diego Unified School Districtb. Supported Employment - Habilitation Funding

and partnership with DOR and San Diego Unified

School District4) Service Coordinator to encourage student, parent, teacher to tour

agencies, meet providers, to ensure the best match

SDRC Role in the Process (continued)

Age 22:1) Confirm scheduled start date for (RC) funded or Supported

Employment Program2) Play an active role in the ISP/IHSP process. Continuous assessment of the appropriateness of the program. Encourage movement as person becomes more independent and needs less

support.

Perspective- RehabilitationOld way of doing business

Late handoffPoor collaborationMany students sitting home waiting for jobs to

be developedLoss of momentum, good work habits

POINT OF TRANSITION SERVICE INTERGRATION PROJECT (POTSIP) funded to address these concerns – 1996 – Interwork Institute – SDSU

Perspective: RehabilitationImproved employment outcomes through

collaboration and overlapping resources – School, DDS, DR, Adult SE and Day Program agencies

First year – grant dollars – two sites of 8 students eachEarly SE dollars requested in San Diego to sustain efforts before grant funding faded - establish a

“ New way of doing business”.

Perspective: RehabilitationLeveraging information

IEPs; ITPs; verbal sharing of critical information

Leveraging relationshipsAdult agency builds on the trust & rapport already established by school staff

Perspective: RehabilitationOverlapping relationships prevent culture

shock at end of school (i.e., being handed off to a bunch of strangers)

Cost neutral – students will be referred eventually

Prevents students from sitting home – waiting for adult services to gear up

Program DesignProgram developmentFinancial issues & costsSub-contracting with adult service providersCreating systems change = creative thinkingConnecting individuals to resources

Agencies, funding, transportation, community

Program ImplementationMatching students to appropriate support

systems (integrated work, SE, IP)Coordinating systems & servicesBuilding quality schedules with vocational

emphasisNon-work activities/networkingTimelines for “seamless” graduation

Perspective: AgenciesAgencies are the driving machine that make

students’ participation in activities and jobs come to life. If the student placement is successful, the student will stay on with the agency after graduation and they have no disruption of services or loss of job/activities.

Direct Placement, Supported employment or Integrated Work Programs

Transition Partnership Program (TPP)

A cooperative program between the San Diego Unified School District and the California State Department of Rehabilitation – in collaboration

with the San Diego Regional Center and the San Diego Workforce Partnership

Access to IndependenceLocal Center for Independent Living (CIL)

founded in 1976Non-residential services for persons with

disabilities to maximize independenceCross-disability , serving all agesNon-profit receiving State and Federal

fundingServices provided to residents of San Diego

and Imperial counties

Access to Independence servicesTransition- Community IntegrationAdvocacy (Individual and systems)Peer Support and CounselingHousing ResourcesEmploymentIndependent Living Skills Training/SupportAssistive TechnologyInformation and ReferralPersonal Assistant Services

Examples of Access classes offered to TRACE participants

Nutrition-Healthy LifestyleHow to obtain a driver’s licenseHousing Options- Section 8, Public Housing,

HUD ProgramsFinancial Benefits-SSISubstance Abuse AwarenessBudgeting-Money ManagementAssistive TechnologyAppropriate Relationships-Safe Dating-

Boundaries

So Far - So Good!Higher employment rates (65-75%)Higher rates of seamless transition – ILS program (City Schools, 100% since 2001!!)

Hours per week worked (7-40 hrs/wk)

Non-work activities: recreation, postsecondary education, social activities

Student Perspectives on Collaboration

Alan

Anthony

Melissa

Contacts:

Colleen Harmon, TRACE: charmon@sandi.netJudee Chambliss TRACE:

jchambliss@sandi.netDave Noyes, DOR: dnoyes@dor.ca.govStormy Miller, R.C: smiller@sdrc.orgTom Riis, Access to Independence:

triis@a2isd.org