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Transition News and Resources - February 11, 2016
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A new resource is now available for transition services in the state of Montana. Through a contract with Montana Vocational Rehabilitation and Blind Services, the Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Technical Assistance Center will provide technical assistance to schools, Tribes, and VRBS staff regarding Pre-ETS for high school students.
Students with disabilities are eligible for Pre-ETS if they receive special education services from the high school, have a Section 504 Plan from the high school, or have any disability recognized and not served through the high school. The student may receive Pre-ETS services beginning the academic year in which the student turns sixteen years of age and ending when the student is no longer enrolled in high school for reasons such as graduation, dropping out, or exiting high school for any reason.
If you would like to learn about Pre-ETS training opportunities, resources, technical assistance availability, and more, join the Montana Pre-ETS online mailing list by sending your name and email address to Kim Brown. Please type "Pre-ETS" in the subject line to ensure you are added to the correct mailing list.
Recruitment has begun for the 2016 Montana Youth Leadership Forum (MYLF)! If you know of high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors with disabilities who you think may benefit from this program, please invite them to apply. Those who have previously attended MYLF as delegates and others with an interest in youth with disabilities may volunteer to serve as staff members. MYLF is scheduled for July 18-22 on the Carroll College campus in Helena. The application deadline for both delegates and staff is March 25, 2016.
Montana Vocational Rehabilitation has partnered with the University of Montana's Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities to offer Movin' On in Montana, a free summer transition program for high school students. This is a four-day, on-campus experience for any Montana high school student (age 15-19) with a disability who is considering college. Students will stay in a residence hall, attend seminars, take campus tours, experience a college lecture, become familiar with student resources and participate in community activities. Seminar topics include assistive technology, self-advocacy and choosing a college major. This year's session will take place June 27-30, 2016. The registration deadline is May 1, 2016.
ASPIRE Montana is currently recruiting! As part of the larger Department of Education PROMISE Initiative, Montana has joined with five other western states to learn how to improve the future for youth with disabilities. Youth ages 14 to 16 who receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income) are eligible to participate in this research study. Once enrolled, youth are randomly assigned to one of two groups. Half of the youth will receive information about existing services in their communities and state. The other half will receive additional services and supports, such as understanding benefits, parent education, financial literacy, self-determination training and case management. In the future the two groups will be compared to find out if there is a difference in educational attainment, employment and household income. To learn more, visit the ASPIRE Facebook page, or call 1-844-442-3167.
Save the dates! The Rural Institute Transition and Employment Projects is pleased to announce four webinars scheduled for 2016. Interested individuals may participate from their own offices or homes, and there is no registration cost for any of the sessions. Detailed session information and registration instructions will be sent to Montana Transition E-mail List members a few weeks prior to each scheduled webinar. All sessions will take place from 1:00-2:30 PM Mountain Time.
March 1, 2016: What's the Buzz about Inclusion?
March 22, 2016: My Voice, My Choice, My Future
April 12, 2016: Technology for All
May 10, 2016: Puzzle Pieces: Putting Together the Picture of Adult Life
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The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is now accepting applications for the 2016 Autism Campus Inclusion (ACI) Leadership Academy! The ACI summer leadership training prepares Autistic students to create systems change on their college campuses. Applications are due February 21, 2016.
The Office of Disability Employment Policy has released Inclusive Internship Programs: A How-to Guide for Employers [PDF]. This resource addresses the benefits of internships to both individuals and employers and important considerations for employers when establishing internship programs. |
The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) has issued its January 20 newsletter, featuring information about workplace flexibility/customizing the work relationship, enrollment for the Disability Employment Tracker, upcoming webinars, and more.
The customized transportation plan [PDF] from The National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision in Mississippi is meant to generate conversation regarding an individual's transportation situation.
The ApprenticeshipUSA Toolkit features resources to learn about apprenticeship, tools for building apprenticeship partnerships, models of successful workforce system/apprenticeship partnerships and more.
Increasing Opportunities for Integrated Employment shares an example of a promising practice designed to meet the needs of individuals, promote integrated employment, and comply with requirements of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Home and Community-Based Services settings rule.
What is Discovery? is a research brief defining the term "discovery," one of the key components of customized employment.
A special issue of the Journal of Disability Policy Studies, co-edited by Yonatan Ben-Shalom and David Wittenburg, is available for free online viewing. Articles in the journal shed new light on the employment and economic well-being of people with disabilities and describe implications of existing and proposed policies to improve their employment outcomes.
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In November, Montana became the 30th state to opt into the Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid. The state will expand Medicaid eligibility up to 138 percent of poverty (approximately $33,000 for a family of four) but require beneficiaries to pay premiums up to 2 percent of their income.
The National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative has released six Health Insurance Jeopardy videos addressing topics that people with disabilities should consider when selecting an insurance plan in the ACA (Affordable Care Act) marketplace. |
In September 2015, the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities submitted its interim report [PDF] to the Secretary of Labor and Congress. The report shares the Committee's interim findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
A settlement agreement has been approved between the United States and the State of Oregon to resolve violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Oregon's employment service system was alleged to have over-relied on segregated sheltered workshops and placed individuals, including youth, at risk of entering sheltered workshops.
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Making My Way through College provides information and resources to help students prepare for, navigate and succeed in college and transitioning from college into the world of work.
Rethinking College is a 25-minute film produced by Think College that explores the growing movement to include students with intellectual disabilities in higher education.
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Self-Advocacy and Advocacy
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The curriculum from the Pacific Alliance on Disability Self Advocacy's 2015 Pacific Leadership Academy is now available.
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The President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities 2015 Report to the President,
The Association of Blind Citizens operates the Assistive Technology Fund, which provides funds to cover 50% of the retail price of adaptive devices or software that will allow blind and visually impaired individuals access to products that can improve employment opportunities and enhance overall quality of life.
The Arc's Tech Toolbox offers a peer-reviewed directory of technology products that are effective for people with I/DD.
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Young Adults with Autism Call for Higher Expectations, published by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, reports on a five-person panel of young adults with autism who "repeatedly said they felt that expectations were too low for them." They spoke of the need to "raise the bar."
The Work Early, Work Often video campaign created by the Youth Transitions Collaborative highlights the importance of work and work-based experiences during the transition to adulthood. The campaign is designed for young people with disabilities, their family members, and potential employers.
Claudia Gordon, chief of staff in the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs at the US Department of Labor, wrote a blog discussing the importance of early employment and work-based experiences for youth, particularly those with disabilities.
What Matters Most: Research on Elevating Parent Expectations [PDF], a Partnerships in Employment information brief by Erik W. Carter, discusses the importance of "equipping families to hold high expectations from an early age, to aspire toward and advocate for enviable outcomes after high school, and to share this vision with every person whose life intersects with the lives of their sons and daughters."
Transition Truths is an online tool describing systems that may affect young people with and without disabilities as they transition from youth to adulthood. The tool is designed to be used by both youth and the professionals who serve them.
Predictors of Successful Transition from School to Employment for Youth with Disabilities by P. Wehman, A.P. Sima, J. Ketchum, M.D. West, F. Chan, and R. Luecking (Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 25(2), 323-334) confirms several predictors of competitive employment, including high school employment experiences, parental expectations of post-high school employment, arrest record, and school type. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
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SmoothMovesYHT is a new website featuring youth health transition information targeted to teens ages 14-17.
The national Employment First website, funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, provides national data, state profiles, and state comparisons. Visit the site to learn what is happening with Employment First initiatives around the country.
The Office of Disability Employment Policy's website offers links to a variety of resources addressing Financial Capability, Asset Development, and Work and Tax Incentives. |
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Learning Opportunities - Montana and Online
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Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM) offers free online training on how to use visual supports for people with autism. AFIRM is an extension of the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder.
ServiceSource and the National Disability Institute have made two archived webinars available for viewing:
Feb. 11, 2016
12:00-1:00 PM MT
This webinar is intended to assist State VR agencies and State Education Agencies in developing MOUs that create effective and efficient delivery of transition services for students and youth with disabilities resulting in improved post-secondary outcomes.
Feb. 11, 2016
12:00-12:45 PM MT
This webcast focuses on AT and employment, and the methods, materials and resources for creating assistive technology solutions in minutes using everyday items and materials.
Feb. 11, 2016
2:00-3:00 PM MT
This presentation will give parents and professionals a greater awareness of the many ways person-centered technology can support the skills needed for independent living.
Feb. 17, 2016
1:00-2:15 PM MT
The presenters will discuss career pathways strategies that support the employment of youth with mental health conditions.
Feb. 18, 2016
1:00-2:00 PM MT
This webinar will present results from a four-year evaluation of an integrated care program in which people transferred from fee-for-service Medicaid to managed health care. It will include innovative ways to assess the views of people with IDD regarding their health and healthcare, outcomes of the transition, and strategies resulting in better health care outcomes.
Feb. 25, 2016
9:45-11:30 AM MT
Pathways to Careers is an innovative employment program for people with disabilities, designed to include four core elements: (1) strengths-based assessment of participants, (2) an 8-12 week paid internship, (3) employment that features an employer payroll tax adjustment, and (4) ongoing career support. Join Mathematica's Center for Studying Disability Policy to learn about Pathways' progress and the early evaluation findings.
MYT Soft Skills Train the Trainer Session
March 1, 2016
1:00-5:00 PM MT
Billings, MT
Cost: $30 per person, payable to "NCILS/MYTransitions"
For youth who are new to the job market, understanding soft skills is a difficult but important step in their growth. To support these students and young adults, and the professionals who serve them, the Montana Youth in Transition Project has developed a youth-oriented soft skills curriculum. This training is appropriate for anyone supporting youth in preparing to be or currently employed. The MYT Soft Skills Curriculum also demonstrates techniques for teaching students with a wide variety of learning styles and abilities. To register, please email mylfjuneh@bresnan.net with "Billings Soft Skills Training" in the subject line. In your message, include the names of individuals attending the session and the name of their employer. Please include information about how payment will be made and if your agency will need to be invoiced. Please RSVP by Thursday, Feb. 25 at 5:00 PM.
March 1, 2016
1:00-2:30 PM MT
Detailed description available soon.
March 8, 2016
1:30-2:30 PM MT
This presentation examines the influences of degree of disability, social and communication ability, academic success, employment, and independence and autonomy on quality of life in young adults with autism and what we can do to make a difference in these outcomes.
April 12, 2016
1:30-2:30 PM MT
Joel Carver will discuss how he became who he is today and the path he took to be a William and Mary student in the center of the first college-supported Neurodiversity group in the nation.
April 14, 2016
12:00-12:45 PM MT
The presenter will examine employer engagement strategies and demand-side factors associated with employment of people with disabilities. Effective strategies and tools will be presented.
April 18-May 16, 2016
Cost: $125
This course will take a closer look at customized employment and how it can facilitate employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. It will also review strategies for collaboration and braiding funding to support the needs of an individual with a disability in order to be successfully employed in the community.
April 25-June 6, 2016
Cost: $300.05
This course provides participants an understanding of the issues, challenges, and strategies that are involved with helping youth with autism transition to work and participate to the fullest degree in society.
May 2-July 25, 2016
Cost: $325
This course provides an extensive overview of supported employment and how to facilitate competitive jobs for individuals with significant disabilities.
May 10, 2016
1:30-2:30 PM MT
This webcast will discuss the importance of using person-centered planning tools for individuals with ASD pre-k through adulthood.
May 23-June 20, 2016
Cost: $125
The course will cover Supported Employment/Customized Employment; Job Development; Business Research; Employer Relations; Job-seeker Representation; Employer Concerns; and more.
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Learning Opportunities - Other States
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April 18-19, 2016
Sioux Falls, SD
Plan to attend the University of South Dakota's Center for Disabilities 2016 Symposium, featuring nationally renowned keynote speakers, presentations on leading edge topics such as Supported Decision Making, multiple breakout sessions, and more.
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