Family-Directed Transition Planning Guide
Excerpt from Section 5

Planning for Education after High School
ACTIONS THE HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION TEAM MAY RECOMMEND
•    Assess student’s self-advocacy skills, academic preparation, and college bound test scores
•    Assess student’s technical skills, social skills, independent living skills
•    Interview youth regarding educational setting interests and preferences -size, setting, programs (use other methods to assess interests and preferences if student is nonverbal)
•    Identify youth’s long-term career goals
•    Develop a list of supports student needs to achieve post-secondary education goals
•    Discuss health care issues that may impact student in post-secondary setting
•    Identify needed natural supports, academic or physical accommodations, and support services
•    Visit campuses
•    Participate in college night
•    Have college students with disabilities talk to youth
•    Research colleges and universities that offer special services to students with disabilities
•    Discuss financial issues
•    Discuss preferred location of college
•    Analyze the demands and expectations of the post-secondary education setting-accessibility, support services availability, academic rigor, social culture, independent living setting
•    Match the student’s assessment and list of needed support to the demands of the post-secondary education setting
•    Provide developmental academic support and course work needed to prepare for post-secondary education goals
•    Assist youth with applications, interviews, and test preparation
•    Identify potential service providers
•    Develop natural supports
•    Provide self-advocacy training (pre-employment or on-the-job)
•    Monitor progress in the post-secondary setting
•    Monitor changing need for natural supports
•    Monitor changing need for services
•    Advocate for changes and adjustments, as needed

“As an adult I have the right to live my life as independently as everyone else. That right and my desire to exert that right should never be questioned. Somehow there seems to be a silent debate about whether I should really be assisted in living independently or whether I should live in a group home. And that should be my decision.” – Maine consumer

“For many students, both with and without disabilities, an important part of becoming more independent is to move out of their parental home and into a place of their own, often sharing this space with others. It is critical to include planning for housing and community living goals in the transition planning process since many of the necessary skills for successful independent living (cooking, budgeting, menu planning, personal hygiene, etc.) can be incorporated into the IEP, as appropriate. There are a number of interrelated issues that also need to be considered, such as the availability of transportation, the location of post-secondary education or employment choices, access to the services and supports necessary to fully participate in community life, including medical, dental, and counseling services, shopping and recreation/fitness opportunities and the type of housing and neighborhood desired.

Although there is funding available through New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) to develop housing for people with disabilities including those with dual diagnoses, it is important to know that there are other resources as well. To begin this process, it would be helpful to have an understanding of where and with whom the student would like to live. Since each individual and family is unique, there is no blueprint or model for securing housing or the needed supports. Finding a place to live that is affordable and available can be challenging enough. Since the need for additional services and supports may make it seem almost impossible it is important to begin this process early.
In the past, it was up to us to decide what to do with our daughter. When people would ask, “what will you do; what will she do,” I could never answer. In the last year or so, Jylle has been telling us what she wants to do. It has taken me to task, because in the past I didn’t really think she had the right or the ability to make a choice. Well, she has made a choice. She would like to live in an apartment. She would like to choose with whom she lives. I think she has the right to do that.” – Alaska parent