Transition Partners in Action

1. Transition Partners in Action 6th National Organizational Change Forum September 23, 2010 Debra Martin Luecking, Ed.D.

2. Effective Transition Practices • Student centered planning • Youth empowerment • Individualized career/work experiences • Paid inclusive employment • Family support and participation • Inter-agency collaboration and service coordination National Collaborative on Disability, 2008

3. Collaboration has been defined as • A mutually beneficial relationship working toward common goals by sharing responsibility, authority, and accountability (Chrislip & Larson, 1994) • An activity that is essential for sustaining interagency programs and eventually achieving system reform, the fundamental requirement for “seamless transition” (Certo & Luecking, 2006)

4. MarylandSeamlessTransitionCollaborative

5. What is Seamless Transition? For the exiting student: The Next Day is the Same as the Day Before

6. Seamless Transition is… A sequential delivery of specific transition service features beginning in early high school and… the braiding of resources of transition partners… resulting in uninterrupted, collaborative transition from public secondary education to employment and/or postsecondary education.

7. Case Study Service collaboration yields Seamless Transition

8. 10th Grade (or 3 yrs prior to exit) 11th Grade (or 2 yrs prior to exit) 12th Grade (or 1 yr prior to exit) Post School Completion (2 yrs beyond high school) DORS openscase Applicationsfor Post school PaidEmployment Linkages Post schoolFollow Up ENROLL MSTC ModelStudent Services Flow Chart Service Outcomes Direct Services

9. There’s a job for everyone who wants one, regardless of disability, need for support, or economic vitality of their community Work is Good! What we believe…

10. Beliefs • Job seekers need to be actively involved in decisions made about their future and empowered to make these decisions • The aspirations, skills, and positive attributes of a job seeker must match the needs, expectations, and workplace culture of the employer

11. Beliefs • Effective job development is highly individualized • No one agency can do it alone—linkage with school and other key partners is critical

12. Employment Process

13. KEY Job Seeker Employer Linkage for operational or direct services Potential resources for Job Seeker D E M A N D Local Project Management Team S U P P L Y Community Rehabilitation Providers LEA Additional Resources Independent Living Center Social Security Assistive Technology Center Mental Health Post Sec Education Developmental Disabilities Vocational Rehabilitation One-Stop Career Center

14. MSTC Services & Lead Partner

16. Primary Transition Partners: Interactions & Connections

17. Transition Partners: Interactions & Connections VR Agency DD Agency LEA Community Rehabilitation Provider One Stop Postsecondary Education before MSTC during MSTC

18. How are CRPs Building Capacity? • Buying into awareness and skill training • Changing Mindset: “There is a Job For Everyone who wants one” • Embracing “It Takes a Village” • Linking early and often • 0ffering person-centered services

19. How are CRPs Building Capacity? • Using VR services • Appointing lead person to interface with school and VR • Learning to work in the community • Learning how to assist student self-discover

20. How is VR Building Capacity? • Early involvement • Transition Counselors assigned to each school • Direct services delivered until DD services begin • Investing in summer youth employment • Investing in CRPs build capacity to sustain model services

21. High School Completers: 48

24. Case Study Service collaboration yields Seamless Transition

25. NEXT STEPS? What Action will you Take?

26. Thank YOU! Debra Martin Luecking, Ed.D. dluecking@transcen.org Learn more about MSTC: www.seamlesstransition.org Access Self-paced Transition modules and more: www.transcen.org