Social Security
Social Security Online recently posted an SSI Spotlight on Continued Medicaid Eligibility for People Who Work.The posting explains that people receiving Supplemental Security Income may be reluctant to go to work for fear they will lose their Medicaid coverage. However, in most instances, if the individual is blind or disabled (regardless of age) and had Medicaid before going to work, the Medicaid will continue while they are working as long as they still have a disabling condition.
Transition
NCWD/Youth's blog featured interesting and timely posts in May. If Batman and the Hulk Got in a Fight, Who Would Win (Musings on Innovative Employer Partnerships) reminds us that young people need exposure to a variety of jobs. Too often, they are only aware of the employment options they see on television or that their parents have chosen. Youth with Disabilities Shift the Paradigm of Community Service (Part 1 of 2) focuses on changing the perception of people with disabilities from the "needy" to leaders and contributors in their communities.
NWCD/Youth recently posted a profile of The Able Trust's Florida High School/High Tech Program. The Able Trust operates the statewide Florida High School/High Tech (HS/HT) initiative, part of a national program model designed to help youth with disabilities transition from secondary school to postsecondary opportunities, including education options and entrance into the workforce.
The Social Security Administration's Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim Report on the City University of New York's Project [PDF] by Thomas Fraker, Alison Black, Joseph Broadus, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Reanin McRoberts, Anu Rangarajan, and Debbie Reed, presents first-year evaluation findings for the City University of New York project, which served youth ages 14 through 19 in Bronx County from August 2006 to May 2010.
Highlights of the report include:
- A number of services were delivered through a two-semester series of Saturday morning recreational activities and workshops on self-determination, benefits planning, and career development
- These workshops replaced a summer institute that had been held in a college campus setting
- Approximately half of the enrollees had paid summer work experiences through the project
- The project engaged parents and other family members through workshops on benefits planning, advocacy, and community services
- Services were individualized and included person-centered planning, benefits counseling, and referrals for additional services
- Summer employment was guaranteed for youth who were interested
- Three benefits advisors were among the project staff, as were career development specialists and parent advocates
- Most of the project staff resided in the local community, were demographically representative of the project families, and had children with disabilities or had disabilities themselves
- CUNY students served as "buddies" to the youth participating in the Saturday activities and as job coaches
- Parent peer mentors were also available
When You're 18 - A Health Care Transition Guide for Young Adults [PDF] provides information to help young adults understand what it means to be legally in charge of their health care and how to stay healthy as they grow into adulthood.
The Humboldt County Office of Education/Regional Occupation Program has produced an interactive web-based resource for students transitioning through high school to adult life. The Personal Data Wizard is an individual career portfolio and transition planning program. A student can logon to a secure personal site for the following activities and resources:
� Interest Assessment and Career Research
� Templates for: Applications, Resumes, Cover Letters, etc.
� Self-scoring practice tests for: ASVAB, Employment, etc.
� Personal Budget Builder
� Document saving capabilities
� Many other useful resources to address IEP/ITP goals, objectives and activities.
The cost is an annual service fee of $100.00 and $1.00 per student password per school year (July 1 thru June 30). For more information, contact Scott Keele, PDW manager, Humboldt County Office of Education, 901 Myrtle Ave., Eureka, CA 95501; 707-442-1825 wk/hm; 707-445-7115 wk/cell.
The National Post-School Outcomes Center's website offers a number of excellent transition resources from the recent Secondary Transition State Planning Institute. Click on "presentations" and then "5th Annual Secondary Transition State Planning Institute." Examples include:
- "Innovative Strategies: Navigating the Road to Work" presented by Curtis Richards of the National Center on Workforce and Disability for Youth and Jennifer Kemp, Office of Disability Employment Policy (includes a discussion of the Evidence-Based Guideposts for Successful Transition: School-Based Preparatory Experiences; Career Preparation and Work-Based Learning; Youth Development and Leadership; Connecting Activities; and Family Involvement and Supports, along with several Research to Practice examples)
- "What We Really Know about Students With Intellectual Disabilities Participating in Postsecondary Education" presented by Meg Grigal & Debra Hart, Think College, at the Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts, Boston. Their workshop included the finding that "youth who participated in PSE were 26% more likely to leave Vocational Rehabilitation with paid employment and earned a 73% higher weekly income." Migliore, A., Butterworth, J., & Hart, D. 2009. Postsecondary Education and Employment Outcomes for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities. Fast Facts Series, No. 1. Boston, MA: Institute for Community Inclusion
- "Continuity in Transitions for People Who Use AT" presented by Gayl Bowser from Oregon
Web Sites
USAJOBS is the US government's official one-stop source for Federal jobs and employment information. People with disabilities may check for jobs on a dedicated page and apply either competitively, non-competitively (where a qualified individual may be selected based on a special appointing authority), or through "Schedule A." People with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities who have medical documentation can apply directly to agencies' Selective Placement Program Coordinators (SPPC) to receive placement assistance.
My Next Move is a career information and planning tool recently launched by the U.S. Department of Labor. Visitors can search for job information by keywords or by industry. The site also offers a survey to help individuals find career suggestions that match their interests and training.
A December 2010 post to Rural Transportation.org shares Promising Practices from the Joblinks Employment Transportation Program . Visit the site for a sampling of strategies workforce development professionals are using to make affordable, reliable and accessible transportation available to those they serve.
The Mathematica Policy Research Center for Studying Disability Policy provides a weekly summary of selected disability news from around the world on their web site.
The PBS Newshour Autism Now broadcast series is available for online viewing.
We Connect Now strives to unite people interested in rights and issues affecting people with disabilities, with particular emphasis on college students and access to higher education and employment issues. The site is designed, in part, to help college students with disabilities to succeed in their studies by getting the information and support they need through resources, links, blogs, news updates, and personal contacts.
The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) recently updated their collection of Evidence-Based Practice transition resources.
Sincerely,
Kim Brown
MT Transition Listserv
(Please note: the Transition
and Employment Projects at the University of Montana Rural Institute shares information and resources our listserv members may find of interest. We do not endorse the web sites or workshop contents or their providers, and we assume no responsibility for the validity of information provided on sites or in sessions not hosted by our agency.)
