TRANSITION BASICS

It Begins In Elementary School

THE PARENT RESOURCE CENTER

CONROE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Walter P.JETT

Continuing Education Center

601 W. Lewis Street, Room 104

Conroe, Texas 77301

936 709-8210

PARENT LIAISONS

Judie Hunter

Barbara Grogan

What does Transition mean?

What does transition mean to parents?

What happens when the bus stops coming?

Where are my supports?

THE ANSWER IS:

Be prepared Knowledge is power

Do your homework starting now.

What does transition mean to educators?

Transition is results-oriented

All About Community ParticipationPost-secondary Education

Employment

Independent Living

Social/Recreational/Leisure

Agency Supports for Adult Services

Success requires intentional supports

ADVOCACY ROLE Students must have permission to

dream and permission to fail to learn from their mistakes

Students must learn to become self-advocates

Parent’s role changes to be an active case manager

ADVOCACY ROLE As a team, parents/students must be

consistent, persistent, and follow

through

Keep Transition Notebook

Don’t ever Give Up!

PURPOSE TODAY

Help you connect the dots between school andcommunity as your child transitions to

adulthood Education/ARD Process Changes IDEA 2004 Agency maze Medicaid waiver programs

Urgency of planning “ Raising your expectation level ”

FEDERAL LAW IDEA 2004 FAPE

TEXAS REGULATIONS FOR TRANSITION All youth with disabilities,

beginning at age 16 or younger, when appropriate, receive individualized, coordinated transition services, with an outcome oriented process

WHAT’S NEW? Annual goals in general curriculum are no longer the focus Transition services must have appropriate, measurable post-secondary goals based on age appropriate transition assessment related to training, education, employment, and independent living skills Students must be invited to their ARD Appropriate agencies are invited to the ARD

TRANSITION PLANNING Begins with the “End” in Mind

Regulations require interests and strengths be included in the IEP ARD committee must document transition planning by data collection

CORE AREAS ADDRESSED Employment Further Education/Training Daily Living Skills Leisure activities Community Participation Health Self-Determination Social Skills

ARD COMMITTEE REVIEWS DATA

Develop a “a coordinated set of activities” to meet the interests and needs of the student

Facilitate movement from school

post school Improve academic-functional

achievement Includes instruction, related services,

community experiences, employment, and post school living objectives

WHAT IS A POST-SECONDARY GOAL?

The answer is an outcome occurring “after” school

Examples: I will attend a 4 year college I will enroll in a certificate program I will participate in on-the-job

training

WHAT IS “AGE-APPROPRIATE”?

Goals are broad for a younger student and become more specific as graduation approaches

LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

Graduation is end of entitlement Protection of IDEA 2004 no longer applies No ARDS ……. No IEPS Identification of disability needs is no longer through FAPE and the assessment process Self-determination PREVAILS!

ADULT SERVICES - THE DIFFERENCE Office of Civil Rights (OCR) enforces Section 504 and American Disability Act (ADA). Services are dependent on Self- Advocacy Persons must disclose disability to receive accommodations Persons must know their rights and responsibilities Assume case management role

EDUCATION’S ROLE

Prior to TRANSITION ARD Begin data collection with parent and student input Informal assessments identify competencies, preferences, and areas of need Agency invited and documented Letter of invitation sent to student to sign and return

IN THE NEAR FUTUREDistricts will be required to submit follow up reports on students’ post graduation success

Can these questions be answered YES or NO?

1. Were post-secondary goals

achieved?

2. Were the goals measurable?

AGENCY MAZE

STATE AGENCIES Department of Human Services(Offices for Medicaid, Food Stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Children’s Health

Insurance Program) Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative

Services (DARS) Services for the Blind/Visually Impaired Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Early Childhood Intervention

Department of Aging and Disabilities Services (DADS)

Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Department of Family & Protective Services

FEDERAL AGENCIES

Social Security

Administration

DADS – Funds through MHMR

Services for Mental Retardation

Service Coordination Vocational Assistance Residential Supports Specialized Therapies Day Habilitation

Respite In-home/Family

Support Behavioral Supports Community Supports Nursing

DSHS – Funds through MHMR

Services for Mental Health Psychiatric Consults Medication Counseling Limited Residential Supports Hospitalization Vocational Assistance Service Coordination

DARS – Job Training and Supports Rehabilitation

Vocational Assessment Psychological Assessment Continuing Education/Job Skills Job Acquirement Job Coaches Equipment Job Appearance Counseling Medication Resources

SOCIAL SECURITY

All about WORK and permanent status of CAPABILITY to produce income.

Eligibility and Age (18)

Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance, Survivor Benefits

Must have less than $2,000 in assets

MEDICAID WAIVER PROGRAMS

(Parents income is not an inhibitor)

6 Basic Programs HCS – Home and Community Based Supports TxHmL – Texas Home Living Interest List through MHMR Centers MR or Autism (75 or below IQ) Eligibility MDCP – Medically Dependent Children’s Program CLASS – Community Living Assistance and Support Services CBA – Community Based Assistance DBMD – Deaf Blind/Multiple Disabilities

HCS – GOLDEN LIST

Residential Assistance Foster/Companion Care Supported Home Living Supervised Living Residential Support

Adaptive Aids Nursing

HCS SERVICES Dental Treatment Minor Home Modifications Counseling and Therapies Respite Day Habilitation Supported Employment

URGENCY OF PLANNING

Interests lists for support services are years long (CLASS, HCS, MDCP)

Day programs have waiting lists and are sparse

Consider needs for transportation Be informed of pros and cons of

guardianship at 18 years Develop and expand support circles

URGENCY OF PLANNING Visit colleges/certificate programs Attend conferences, workshops, transition/resource fairs Educate yourself on estate and financial planning – special needs trusts and wills Join appropriate support and

advocacy organizations

EMPOWERMENT

WEBSITES TRANSITION

www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed. http://.pacer.org/tatra/list/signup.asp http://www.ncset.org

WAIVER GUIDE AND TOOL KIT

www.imagineenterprises.com

STATE AGENCIES

www.mhmr.state.tx.us www.dads.state.tx.us www.dars.state.tx.us