The annual Montana Youth in Transition conference will be held in Helena November 14-16. The conference will feature exciting keynote presenters, as well as workshops covering topics important to a successful transition from high school into adulthood.  

On September 27^th, the Employer Assistance and Resource Network offered a webinar about The Interplay between ADA and FMLA. The presenters have compiled a supplemental Q & A document to respond to questions posed during the webinar.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a variety of resources and programs to help entrepreneurs of any age or ability start and manage a small business.

In July, the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston published Description of Supported Employment Practices, Cross-System Partnerships, and Funding Models of Four Types of State Agencies and Community Rehabilitation Providers [PDF]. This report presents research that focused on vocational rehabilitation agency partnerships with other state entities, and sources and models for long-term funding. One of the major findings described in the report is that agencies vary considerably with respect to how Supported Employment is defined and emphasized.

In his September 27, 2012 blog post, Dale DiLeo writes about his visit to NOVA Employment outside of Sydney, Australia.  Dale reports that NOVA requires staff to make a certain number of employer contacts per week, month, and year; sets goals for resulting hires; provides financial incentives for employees who exceed their targets; and makes a significant commitment to staff development and training.

The Arc has released The Affordable Care Act: What Disability Advocates Need to Know [PDF]. This analysis examines such topics as how the ACA expands coverage and what the Act's impact on Medicaid will be. A one-page summary is also available.

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) emphasizes patient-centered, comprehensive, coordinated, accessible care. The PCMH Resource Center  is a website defining PCMH, offering the latest evidence-based PCMH research, and providing a number of tools and resources.

The National Council on Disability has released its annual progress report on national disability policy. The 2012 report is organized under the broader policy areas of living, learning and earning. Chapter Three: Earning, looks at the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act, employment disparities among subgroups of people with disabilities, and unemployment gaps among people with and without disabilities.

Ever wonder if post-secondary education is still worth the expense? If so, you might be interested to know that a recent analysis from The Hamilton Project finds the earnings benefits of college are growing even faster than college costs, and the overall returns from college attendance are much higher than from other investments (stocks, real estate, etc.).

The NCWD/Youth's August 30^th blog, More Tips for Youth Transitioning from College to the Workforce (Part 2 or 2), discusses adjusting to the work environment, work/play balance, developing goals, finding a mentor and more.

The September 2012 Think College! E-News is now available and includes an article about essential apps for college students, links to archived webinars, and invitations for students to share their postsecondary education stories.

The U. S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration sponsors the CareerOneStop Scholarship Search Tool, which allows users to search more than 7,000 scholarships, fellowships, loans and other types of student financial aid. Search results may be filtered to find scholarships specifically for students with disabilities.

Social Security has announced a 1.7 percent benefit increase for 2013. View the 2013 Social Security Changes fact sheet for the new SSI Federal Payment Standard, SGA, TWP and Student Earned Income Exclusion amounts.

The Ticket to Work website has been redesigned. The site offers three portals, one for people seeking general information, one for Social Security beneficiaries, and one for service providers. 

The Office of Disability Employment Policy has released a series of videos to complement its Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success training curriculum.

Easter Seals Project ACTION is conducting a Youth Transportation Initiative that includes an Accessible Transportation for Students Online Community. This is a place for educators, transit professionals, and others to share information regarding how transit is addressed in transition planning. ESPA also recently released an updated version of You Can Ride, a pictorial guide for people traveling on a bus or subway. The booklet depicts steps for traveling from planning the trip to arriving at the destination.

Whose Future Is It Anyway? is a student-directed transition planning process to help students gain self-determination skills and prepare for their IEP meetings. The curriculum includes six sections with six lessons in each.

Things People Never Told Me: When You Start Living on Your Own from Foster Care, There Are Some Things in Life that People Seem to Forget to Tell You About [PDF] includes suggestions about finances, health care, employment, and relationships. Although it is geared toward youth in foster care transitioning to adulthood, most of the information is relevant and valuable for all young people preparing for their adult lives.