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Welcome to the latest edition of Transition Tidbits. We hope you find the news and resources in this issue useful as you support young Montanans with disabilities in their transition to adult lives.
Montana News
We need your help! It is time for the annual review of the main website for the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities. Please take a minute or two and complete the "Rate our website" box, located on the lower left side of the site. Thank you in advance - we appreciate your input!
 
Montana's Title V Program is seeking public input on the 2015 Maternal and Child Health Block Grant's Annual Report and 2017 Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Application. Please review the applicable documents and provide your input to the general email box: MCHBlockGrant@mt.gov. All comments will be reviewed and to the extent possible, incorporated into the revised application. Thank you for your time.
 
The Rural Institute Consumer Advisory Council (partially funded through a contract with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Children's Special Health Services) is recruiting youth/young adults with developmental/intellectual disabilities or special health care needs, and parents or family members of such youth/young adults to serve on the council. For more information or to apply, please contact Kim Brown.
 
Save the date! The 2016 Montana Youth in Transition Conference will be held in Helena at the Radisson Colonial Inn on November 14-16, 2016. Youth with disabilities, families, educators, counselors and service providers are invited to connect, collaborate and learn more about transition planning at this exciting annual event.
Announcements
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 provides technical assistance to Montana schools and VRBS staff regarding Pre-ETS for high school students. 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.

The final rules to implement all titles of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) were made available on June 30th by the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education. The U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services website houses a number of additional resources related to the rules.
 
On July 7th, the LEAD Center published a Summary Description of FINAL RULE Implementing Title I of the Rehabilitation Act (State Vocational Rehabilitation), as amended by Title IV OF WIOA. Please note that this policy brief does not include an analysis of the content of the Final Rule.
 
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) has announced the second year of the Autistic Scholars Fellowship, a scholarship which provides four to six autistic students with a $5,000 tuition scholarship to promote autistic leadership and create systemic change on their college campuses. Completed applications for the January 2017 scholarship period are due on Sunday, October 30th. Questions about the fellowship program and the application process should be directed to Reid Caplan, Leadership Programs Coordinator for ASAN, at rcaplan@autisticadvocacy.org.
 
Employment
The Customer Goal and Financial Situation Assessment Tool was developed to support workforce job center staff as they help customers with disabilities prepare for earning income and maintaining employment. It provides "an informal approach to guide job seekers to resources and assistance that can stabilize their employment situation and empower them moving forward."
 
Cents and Sensibility [PDF] is a guide to money management for people with disabilities. It provides a step-by-step process to help individuals organize and manage their money.
 
The National Endowment for Financial Education website houses free Financial Workshop Kits to teach money management skills to diverse audiences.
 
The Winter/Spring 2012 issue of Impact featured a number of articles about supporting new career paths for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
 
Fight for Job Promotion Spotlights Conflict for Disability Providers describes a recent decision by the Minnesota Human Rights Department that a large nonprofit likely violated a worker's civil rights when it denied him a promotion because he received services for a cognitive disability through the organization.
 
Companies Find Hiring Those on the Spectrum Has Vast Benefits explores the growing trend for businesses to adapt their workplaces and work processes to incorporate the skills and talents of employees on the autism spectrum. Work in Progress: An Inside Look at Autism's Job Boom further explores this trend, along with the use of virtual interviewers to help prepare job seekers for interviews and the workplace.

Health
The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health has released the full event proceedings from the 2015 Symposium: Designing Systems that Work for Children with Complex Health Care Needs [PDF].
 
The American College of Physicians Pediatric to Adult Care Transitions Initiative recently released a toolkit to facilitate more effective transition and transfer of young adults from pediatric to adult care. The toolkit contains disease/condition-specific tools developed by internal medicine subspecialties to assist physicians in transitioning young adults with chronic diseases/conditions into adult care settings.
 
New Guidance Makes It Easier for Families of Children with Special Needs to Get Medical Records [PDF] is a tip sheet from Family Voices describing how guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services will facilitate families of children with disabilities being able to obtain medical records.
 
Young Adults Can Face a Confusing Path to Health Insurance explores some of the challenges young people may encounter as they transition from children's health care coverage to adult coverage options.
National News
The Campaign for Disability Employment is using social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, to help educate about the value and talent people with disabilities add to America's workplaces and economy.
 
The 2016 National Disability Employment Awareness Month poster is now available to be downloaded and printed for display. The poster shares the message that inclusion works.
Post-Secondary Education
Project REACH is a pilot program for students with autism on five campuses at the City University of New York. The program includes weekly workshops (open to all students with disabilities) and one-on-one peer mentorship.
 
Personal Competencies for College and Career Success, a new guide by NCWD/Youth, describes various strategies postsecondary professionals can use to assist students in developing personal competencies that will increase their chances of success.
Self-Advocacy and Advocacy
The Center for Parent Information and Resources website houses self-advocacy webinars, videos, toolkits, and more. 
Social Security
The May 2016 Disability Rights Montana Transition Newsletter [PDF] discusses the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, Social Security work incentives, and more.
 
What You Need to Know about Your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) When You Turn 18 [PDF] is a new brochure from the Social Security Administration. In addition to describing the age-18 redetermination, the brochure includes an overview of work incentives and supports.
Technology
LEADing to Employment Information Brief: Funding for Assistive Technology - Transitioning from Secondary School to VR and Work [PDF] discusses how assistive technology can follow people with disabilities from secondary school to post-secondary education, vocational rehabilitation and employment.
 
8 Tips for Staying Safe on Social Media and the Internet [PDF] offers online safety tips for people with developmental disabilities.
Transition
Executive Functioning Issues: Strategies You Can Try at Home offers specific strategies and tools that could make everyday life easier for parents and their child with executive functioning issues.
 
Accessing the Dream: Preparing Deaf-Blind Youth for a Self-Determined Life from the National Center on Deaf-Blindness National Transition Initiative features a video with chapters addressing Student-Focused Planning, Student Development, Interagency Collaboration, Program Structure, and Family Involvement.
 
The Washington State Developmental Disability Council funded the new online Person-Centered Planning Guide, designed to help people plan and prepare for each stage of life.
 
Practice Brief: Employer Preferences in Hiring Youth with Disabilities by R.G. Luecking and E. Fabian presents research designed to answer questions such as: How do employers regard youth with disabilities and those transition professionals who support these youth in their pursuit of work experiences? What do employers expect when they agree to host youth for work experiences or to hire them for jobs in their companies? What are the implications of these perspectives for effective transition practice? Implications for increasing work experience opportunities and improving employment outcomes for transitioning youth are also discussed.
 
8 Ways to Encourage Family Engagement in Secondary Schools offers tips for parents and teachers of middle and high school students.
Websites
Benefits.gov, the official U.S. website for government benefits, recently unveiled new features to make the site even easier to use. For example, "Discover Popular Benefits by Location" allows a site visitor to view a list of the five most popular benefits in their state.
 
The WINTAC (Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center) website provides an overview of Pre-Employment Transition Services and activities in each of the five Pre-ETS categories.
 
The Jobs for the Future website houses resources in three categories:
  • Preparing for College and Career
  • Earning Postsecondary Credentials
  • Advancing Careers and Economic Growth
Learning Opportunities - Montana and Online
Archived recordings of the Montana Pre-Employment Transition Services Technical Assistance Center webinars are available on the Vocational Rehabilitation and Blind Services YouTube channel.
 
Discovering Personal Genius (or Discovery) is a rigorous evaluation/planning process based on the foundational excellence of Person-Centered Planning. However, Discovery is specifically designed to take one's vocational aspirations to the next level: to Community Employment that is guided by the individual, customized to their specific needs and talents, while meeting the personnel needs of local business. Griffin-Hammis Associates provides a three-day intensive Direct-Service Personnel training on Discovering Personal Genius. For more information or to schedule the training in your area, please contact Cary Griffin or Beth Keeton.
 
 
The Promoting Self-Determination and More Positive Transition Outcomes: The Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction webinar recording and handouts are now available for viewing and downloading.
 
The recording, transcript and PowerPoint slides for GetMyFuture: Getting Career and Job Information into the Hands of Youth are archived and available for viewing. This June 2016 webinar provided a brief, virtual demonstration of GetMyFuture.org, a mobile-friendly web app that helps youth plan their careers, explore education and training options, and search and apply for jobs.
 
The Resource Mapping: Enhancing Individual's Financial Capability Outcomes webinar recording [Video] and materials are now available. Explore Resource Mapping and the impact it has on financial well-being outcomes for individuals and the community providers that support them.
 
August 4, 2016
12:00-1:30 PM MT      
The ABLE National Resource Center would like to invite potential ABLE participants, their families, and all other ABLE stakeholders, to attend a free webinar focused on helping you understand the differences between the various ABLE programs as well as how to determine which ABLE program might be best for you.
 
August 8, 2016
11:00 AM-12:30 PM MT
In this webinar, panelists will discuss new and innovative ways for older adults and people with disabilities to receive community-based supports and services that can increase their self-determination, independence, and access to improved life outcomes.
 
August 8-9, 2016 (8:30 AM-4:30 PM)
August 10, 2016 (8:30 AM-3:00 PM)
Billings, MT
Based on Dr. Marc Gold's "Try Another Way" approach to teaching people with intellectual disabilities, systematic instruction training [PDF] is a must for people supporting individuals who have difficulty learning - This three-day course provides: background on the history of supported and customized employment; strategies to organize job information and to teach individuals to be competent, confident employees in integrated, competitive employment; and a model to facilitate the development of natural supports in the workplace.
 
August 10, 2016
12:00-1:00 PM MT
Learn about the legal obligations colleges have when making disability accommodation decisions for students.
 
August 10, 2016
1:00-2:00 PM MT
This webinar will define credit building, distinguish the difference between credit building and credit/debt remediation, and explain the importance of credit building for the individuals we support.
 
August 10, 2016
1:00-2:30 PM MT
This Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program Community of Practice webinar will focus on a Seamless Transition from secondary education to competitive integrated employment model that is designed to address state/local level cross-agency collaboration to systematically deliver discovery and early work experiences. This model and Oregon's efforts illustrate how WIOA mandates for student transition can be implemented.
 
Family Transition Plan Training
August 11, 2016
9:30 AM-3:30 PM MT
Butte, MT
The Montana Youth Transitions Project recognizes that the parent/youth relationship is a key component to successful transition planning and that all aspects of a person's life should be explored to ensure a well-wounded transition plan. The Family Transition Plan Training is designed to help parents of youth with disabilities who are preparing for the monumental step into adulthood. Youth and parents will attend the Family Transition Plan Training together.
To register, email June Hermanson or phone her at 406-442-2576.
 
August 11, 2016
10:30 AM-12:00 PM MT
This webinar will focus on the Montana Job Service Operations Bureau, part of the Workforce Services Division, and the key role it plays in workforce development by providing services to assist in employee recruitment, retention, individualized job search, job training, work-based learning opportunities and services to veterans.
 
Family Transition Plan Training
August 17, 2016
9:30 AM-3:30 PM MT
Billings, MT
The Montana Youth Transitions Project recognizes that the parent/youth relationship is a key component to successful transition planning and that all aspects of a person's life should be explored to ensure a well-wounded transition plan. The Family Transition Plan Training is designed to help parents of youth with disabilities who are preparing for the monumental step into adulthood. Youth and parents will attend the Family Transition Plan Training together.
To register, email June Hermanson or phone her at 406-442-2576.
 
August 24, 2016
2:00-3:30 PM MT
Ever wondered about how deconstructing a traditional lesson plan could lead to a more inclusive learning environment? Using UDL principles framed by CCSS, Luis & Kendra will take you on a deconstructing journey exploring processes to use available tech tools to create more engaging and supportive lessons that meet academic needs of all learners.
 
Aug. 29-Sept. 30, 2016  
Cost: $250
This course will cover the basics and frequently asked questions that individuals with disabilities may have when thinking about starting a business. The course content is appropriate for individuals with disabilities as well as those who support them, including family members, community rehabilitation providers, vocational rehabilitation counselors, employment specialists, and others.
 
Sept. 20-21, 2016
Butte, MT
The symposium, hosted by Governor Steve Bullock and the Main Street Montana Project, will focus on utilizing work-based learning solutions to strengthen the State economy and build a workforce for Montana businesses across multiple industry sectors. Work-based learning, including apprenticeship training programs, support businesses as they grow and create more good paying jobs for Montanans.
 
Oct. 3-Dec. 23, 2016  
Cost: $325
This course provides an extensive overview of supported employment and how to facilitate competitive jobs for individuals with significant disabilities. Topics include: federal policy; customer profile; job development; working with employers; job-site strategies; support plans; and alternative funding.
 
Nov.14-16, 2016
Helena, MT
Youth with disabilities, families, educators, counselors and service providers are invited to connect, collaborate and learn more about transition planning.

Learning Opportunities - Other States
Oct. 19-22, 2016
Myrtle Beach, SC
Plan to attend the 20th international conference of the Division on Career Development and Transition.
 
Nov. 16-18, 2016
Columbus, OH
Join participants from across the U.S. and around the globe to collectively focus on common concerns and share proven solutions that address issues and challenges faced by individuals with autism, sensory disabilities, and low-incidence disabilities across their lifespan.
 
Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2016
St. Louis, MO
This year's conference explores inclusive communities, schools, and workplaces that support people with disabilities, including those with complex support needs, in living a fair, just, and balanced life.
 
Dec. 1-2, 2016
Fairfax, VA
This conference highlights postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the U.S. It is a great way for family members and advocates as well as state and community teams interested in learning how to establish similar programs in their own communities to gather information and network with practitioners.

Please note: The Transition and Employment Projects at the University of Montana Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities shares information and resources our listserv members may find of interest. We do not endorse the websites 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.
 
This project is funded in whole or in part under a contract with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. The statements herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Department.
We hope you enjoyed this edition of Transition Tidbits. We welcome your feedback and suggestions at any time. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Kim Brown
MT Transition E-Mail List