Transition to Adulthood

IPUL Youth

A group of youth attending a Work of Art session

Employment

Pre-Employment Transition Services

How to Receive Services from VR Using a Pre-Case

How to Receive Services from VR Using a VR Case.

Pre-employment transition services provide opportunities for students with disabilities to learn through work and education. To receive more information about how to access Pre-Employment Transition Services, please contact the VR office in your region.

Employment Information from the State Independent Living Council's Able to Work Program:

Growing Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities - Able to Work

High School & Post-Secondary Education

Autism at-a-Glance

The two links below are new resources from the Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism (CSESA). The resources are the first two in an anticipated series from the center and are designed for students with conversational speech and for those supporting students with more significant communication needs:

Supporting Communication in the High School Setting

Supporting Functional Communication in the High School Setting

How Colleges Help Visually Impaired Students Succeed

Money

The ABLE act

With ABLE account programs located through the United States, eligible Idahoans now have a way to save money for education, housing, transportation and more.

What ABLE account savings may be used for?

The Social Security Administration does not allow people with disabilities who qualify for SSI to have more than $2,000 in cash resources. In 2014, Congress passed the ABLE act (529A account) to give people with disabilities the ability to save for:

Housing: Make a deposit on a house or apartment.

Education: Pay for tuition, textbooks, etc.

Employment: Pay for employment supports, such as assistive technology.

Transportation: Purchase a vehicle or pay for transportation to get to work or school.

How do ABLE accounts work?

SSI/SSDI recipients have the ability to establish 529A savings accounts in excess of the $2,000 resource cap.
People with disabilities may save up to $14,000 annually (may not have more than $100,000 total.)
Any eligible individual may open an account in any state that maintains an ABLE account program.

In the 2017 legislature:

The State Independent Living Council will request funding for a position to provide information about ABLE accounts to people with disabilities and families in Idaho. The position will also provide financial literacy education to people with disabilities.
Legislation will also be introduced to protect people with disabilities from being ineligible for any state benefit program due to savings within their ABLE account.

For more information, contact:
Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities
208-334-2178; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Click here for a PDF infographic of this information

Transition Guides

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services US Dept of Education Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities

Moving on Idaho Transition Binder

A tool for students and families to plan and get organized as youth prepare to leave high school and move into the adult world. It is our hope that the binder will provide resources which will be useful as you prepare to leave high school and move into the adult world.

The Journey to Life After High School: A Road Map for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Whether you have a middle schooler (11-14), a high schooler (14-18), or even a young adult (18-26), this is a tool for you to use as you begin planning your child’s transition into adulthood. While it can’t cover every detail or every situation, it will give you an overview of what lies ahead and a list of resources for where to go next.

The report has four goals:

To inform families about the components of the transition to adulthood
To encourage families about the components of the transition to adulthood
To explain the choices and changes that makeup the transition process
To connect families with the many resources available for helping them transition

Building a Bridge From School to Adult Life for Young Adults with Disabilities in Idaho

A manual developed by Idaho Parents Unlimited to help develop post school goals and transition activities.

Download a pdf of Building a Bridge here

Download a Spanish Text only version here

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Transition Website

Kits are available for youth with special health care needs ages 12-15, 16-18, and 18 and up, along with Parent Companion Guides. These kits assist youth in ensuring their health needs are focused on as part of transitioning to adulthood.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare's Transition Website can be accessed here: Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Transition to Adulthood

Youth Transition Resource :

Got Transition? - a website with a great amount of information about transitioning from youth to adult care

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare's "Road to Transition - A Guided Tour for Accessing Adult Medicaid and Developmental Disability Services" (pdf)

Click below to see videos created by and for youth with disabilities and special health care needs in transition to adulthood.

This I Believe - From the Pacer Center, we bring you this video. Five high school students read an adaptation of an essay written by a 14-year-old, who shares what it is like to experience bullying and to be misunderstood as he tries to figure life out.