School to Work
Sussex

The transition from school to work, by state law, should begin at age 13. From that age until graduation, you and your parents must begin to plan for transition into adult life. The first step in the transition process is to make sure that your file is open and active at your local Division of Developmental Disabilities Services. The Division of Developmental Disabilities Services is a good resource for adult services such as job coaching and housing. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is a good resource for employment services.

If your diagnosis does not fall under DDDS's definition (for example, individuals with Asbergers Syndrome are not covered by DDDS), you or your parent should contact the Parent Information Center for guidence on the process you should follow.  You can access thier website at www.picofdel.org 

Equally important is to make and develop a Transition IEP that can be put into practice.

The Parent Handbook - As your son or daughter moves from high school into the adult world, a variety of needs may exist. This handbook can help you anticipate some vocational, social, recreational, and living needs.

Early Start to Support Employment Timeline - This timeline was developed to give families an idea of the different services that can be expected in the supported employment process and when to access them.

Transition from High School to Work: Issues, Needs, Supports and Successes

The employment outcome for people with disabilities is a serious issue. Consider these statistics from the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability:

• One-third of students with disabilities do not finish high school
• Only one-third of young people with disabilities who need job training receive it.
• People with disabilities enroll in post-secondary education at half the rate of the general population.
• Only 26% of working age adults with disabilities have a job or own their own business.

The contributing factors to employment declines for individuals with disabilities include:

Guiding Principles for Effective Transition Employment Programs

Soft Skills Employers Seek

• Supported Employment - full employment services at a competitive community job, including assessment, job placement and mobility training. Job coach decreases time on the site out as the individual gains independence, and then may “check in” once or twice a month to offer support.
• Supportive Employment - minimal supports at a competitive community job; usually very short term, a few days to a week. Follow-up/ongoing supports are not provided with this model.
• Sheltered Workshop or Day Program - large grouping of individuals, all with disabilities, working in a segregated setting. Facility gets contract work from companies (mailings, packaging, etc.) Pay is usually by piece-rate.
• Mobile Work Crew - group of people (usually 3-6) who goes out to do various work at community businesses (ex: cleaning crew). Company pays the agency, agency pays the workers.
• Enclave - group of people who go to a business to do a specific job. They work at the business site, usually in a separate area. Workers are paid by the company.
• Specialized Training - Facility focuses on one or more specific skills/products (i.e.: horticulture program, dry cleaning, ceramics, etc.)
• Higher Education - accessible and accommodating college, university or trade school.
• Community Program - participants meet at a specific location each day, and spend most of the day at various community locations doing volunteer work, career exploration, social skill development, and possibly some paid work as well.
• Adult Day Care/Adult Training Facility - program focusing on more recreation and/or personal care, usually for folks who are older (at or near retirement) or need extensive physical and medical supports.

Top

The Social Security Administration pays monthly cash benefits to people ages 18 to 64 with disabilities who are not able to support themselves. Currently, eligibility for benefits restricts earnings to no more than $800 per month and restricts savings or personal assets, including life insurance policies, to no more than $2000.

Social Security disability programs also offer healthcare coverage or medical assistance through Medicare and Medicaid.

You and your parents should:

• Call your local Social Security Office three months prior to your child's 18th birthday to begin the registration process. Ask that the "Disability Report - Adult Form" be mailed to you. This is the preliminary form that must be filled out to secure Supplemental Security Income.
  
• Make an appointment with the Social Security Office to complete the registration process within 30 days of your child's 18th birthday. You may register at any time after the 18th birthday but benefits are not retroactive.
  
• Your child becomes eligible for a medical assistance card at the time of diagnosis of a disability. If he/she does not already have an MA card, request one now through Social Security to assure that your adult child has healthcare insurance. Parents' income is not considered when applying for medical assistance for a child with a medically-diagnosed disability.

Top

• ACTION (Accessible Community Transportation In Our Nation)
  Project ACTION works with transit, disability and consumer organizations, and federal agencies to improve transit accessibility. The site includes a database of accessible transit services throughout the United States. It also provides materials to train transit personnel to work with customers with disabilities.
  
• Commuter Choice
  A nationwide partnership designed to help employers create customized solutions to their employee's commuting challenges.
  P.O. Box 15542, Washington, DC 20003
  (202) 393-3497 Fax (202) 546-2196
  email - info@commuterchoice.com
  
• General Public Transportation
  1666 K Street N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20006
  (202) 496-4800
  
• Senior Citizens Affordable Taxi (SCAT)
  900 Pubilc Safety Boulevard, Dover, DE 19901
  (800) 355-8080 or 800-252-1600 (TTY)
  
• Dart First State ’s Paratransit Service
  To apply: www.dartfirststate.com/paratransit
  For reservations: call 1-800-553-DART (1-800-553-3278) or online at: www.dartfirststate.com/paratansit/reservation

Top

• A consumer guide to public Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
  Now available at StateData.info: data on individuals who completed VR services in fiscal year 2003. For every state, you can find out how many people found jobs through the VR system, the hours they worked, the number of people who used supported employment, and the average cost per case-- to name a few.
  
  The StateData.info website creates charts of disability services and outcomes from variables users choose. You can compare states, view national trends, or download files to analyze on your own computer. In the Individual Outcomes section, you can view competitive employment outcomes by disability, age, gender, and educational status. StateData.info can give you a better picture of employment and disability in the U.S. and help you argue your case. This service is FREE.
  
• 2003 VR Data -- http://www.StateData.info
  
• The ARC of the United States
  Scroll down to find "Employment/Transition to Work"
  
• The ARC of DE 302-996-9400
  
• National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
  
• NICHCY
  National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
  P.O. BOX 1492, Washington, DC 20013
  (800) 695-0285 or fax- (202) 884-8441
  email - nichcy@aed.org
  
• Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support (O.A.S.I.S.)
  Links to education resources, support groups, etc.
  
• Partners in Employment
  Partners in Employment is a self-study course designed to help people with developmental disabilities find meaningful jobs and jumpstart their careers. Since 1987, Partners in Policymaking ® participants have strived to create a new employment culture - one in which willing workers are welcomed and embraced by satisfied employers and a supportive public. Hundreds of individuals with developmental disabilities and their family members have learned new, exciting ways to open the world of work to everyone.
  
• Transition Handbook - Supporting transition-age youth with disabilities
  
• Job Accommodation Network
  PO Box 6080, Morgantown, WV 26506-6080
  (800) 526-7234 fax - (304) 293-5407
  email - jan@jan.wvu.edu
  
• National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability
  c/o Institute for Educational Leadership, 4455 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 310, Washington, DC 20008
  (877) 871-0744 or TTY: (877)871-0665
  
• Office of Disability Employment
  Frances Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,
  DC 20210
  (866) 633-7365 or (877) 889-5627 Fax (202) 693-7888
  
• School to Career Transition Services
  Preparing for the future: a guide to vocational rehabilitation services in Delaware
  (302) 739-5478 or (302) 378-5779
  
• Social Security Administration
  Offices of Public Inquiries
  Windsor Parking Building
  6401 Security Blvd
  Baltimore, MD21235
  (800) 772-1213
  www.ssa.gov/disability
  TTY: (800) 325-0778
  
• The Super Senior Program
  Super Seniors provides students with disabilities the extra training and support needed to become independent and successful in community jobs.
  Grants Wood AEA, 4401 Sixth Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
  (800) 332-8488 ext. 6442 or email