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Knoxville Seamless Transition Project

Knoxville Seamless Transition Project. An Integrated Transition Systems Project operated jointly by the Knoxville Area Career Center & The Cerebral Palsy Center Stephanie Potter stephanie.potter@knoxcac.org. Characteristics of the Transition Systems Integration Model.

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Knoxville Seamless Transition Project

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  1. Knoxville Seamless Transition Project An Integrated Transition Systems Project operated jointly by the Knoxville Area Career Center & The Cerebral Palsy Center Stephanie Potter stephanie.potter@knoxcac.org

  2. Characteristics of the Transition Systems Integration Model • No lag time between systems • Supports driven by the student • Students learn in the community 6 hours a day • Services managed by highly structured schedules that include work & non-work activities • Staff are trained to set up environments and support job seekers in speaking up for self, decision-making & problem-solving • Supporting families as they transition from entitlement to eligibility

  3. Partnership • Critical Stakeholders involved from the start: • Knox County Schools • Division of Rehabilitation Services • Division of Intellectual Disabilities Services • University of Tennessee • San Francisco State University

  4. How the Guidance Group Began • Built on existing relationships established through collaboration on: • Local Business Advisory Council • Regional Employment Consortium • Local Employment Consortium • TN Customized Employment Program • Knox County Schools wanted to replicate the Transition Integrated Transition Systems Model and pilot it in our county

  5. Shocking Statistics • Only 13% of Special Ed. Graduates are employed 2 years post exit • Only 25% of Special Ed. Graduates are employed 3-5 years after exit • Of these percentages only 38% earn minimum wage or better • These graduates are at high risk for poverty • The majority of these graduates are in segregated programs Study conducted in 2000 by the National Council on Education

  6. Outcomes: No service disruption “The day after graduation looks the same as the day before” Same jobs Same community activities Same support staff

  7. Outcomes : • 100% found employment • 92% are currently employed • Averaging 10.2 hours per week • 40% receive funding from Division of Intellectual Disabilities Services • 31% growth in quality of life indicators after one year

  8. Quality of life Indicators 31% growth after one year in the project • Handling money and making purchases • Understanding complex instructions • Showing initiative • Interacting with others • Taking care of personal belongings • Food preparation and eating in public • Employment and other activities

  9. What did it look like before?

  10. Knox County Schools • Some work-based learning (average 2 x per week) • Very few referrals to DIDS or VR • Only partnered with CRP’s for sheltered work • Life skills taught in a classroom • IEP’s did not include long-term transition goals

  11. Cerebral Palsy Center • Very few referrals from transitioning students • Referrals would come after students graduated and sat at home for several months frustrated • Community-based and Employment-based services were separate • Participants saw staff as friends • Safety and protection first instead of Employment First

  12. Workforce Connections/Career Center • TN Customized Employment Grant ending • Career Center was fully accessible but people with disabilities were not utilizing the services • VR was a mandated partner but not truly integrated

  13. Role of the Student Students MUST : • want to work • have family support • attend and participate in all IEP meetings • be open to home visits • participate in person centered planning and divulge information such as: • Likes, dislikes, experiences, personality traits, skills, motivation • Support needs and accommodations • Work history, employment preferences, stamina, schedule

  14. Role of Voc. Rehab. • Specify one case manager for all students in the project • Take the application as soon as students are identified • Fund the employment piece up to 90 days after placement

  15. Role of DIDS • Assign one case manager to all participants • Take application as soon as students are identified • Fund post-employment follow up services and community-based services (only happened 40% of the time due to the long waiting list)

  16. Role of Workforce Connections • Provide an employment specialist • Conduct Self-Advocacy training • Ensure all Career Center resources are accessible • Access WIA funds including summer youth employment funds

  17. Role of School System • Refer appropriate students • Modify IEP’s to match project goals • Fund community-based services until graduation

  18. Role of the CP Center • Attend all IEP meetings • Conduct interests inventories and home visits • Develop master and individual schedules • Hire community specialists/ case managers • Provide transportation • Support students in the community • Provide direct service

  19. The Nuts and Bolts How in the world do we do this?

  20. Significant Scheduling Details • Heterogeneous groups based on common interests • Chronological age-appropriateness • Natural Supports from non-disabled persons • Use the students’ network (Including family, friends, classmates, church members, etc)

  21. Significant Scheduling Details cont… • Natural Consequences • Natural Proportion • Activities based in the student’s neighborhood (so they become regulars) • Supports driven by the student • Employment: First Service to Consider Required: Large Doses of Creativity, Perseverance & Commitment

  22. Significant Staffing Components • Staffing support 1:3 ratio, Employment 1:1 • Non-authoritarian approach • Natural consequences (follow behavior plans) • Staff support families and act as case managers

  23. Significant Staffing Components • Staff help students by “fitting in” • Staff trained to support students in • Speaking up for self • Decision making • Problem solving

  24. EMPLOYMENT

  25. Eric’s Schedule Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

  26. MASTER SCHEDULES

  27. How Do We Fund it? Additional grants, fundraisers, and WIA funds are required to supplement public funding School System funds community and work based learning during the student’s last year in school VR funds employment services during the student’s last year DIDS funds begin when the school funding ends to continue community based activity and long-term employment supports

  28. Success Stories

  29. How YOU can get started today! • Build partnerships • Incorporate employment into every day • Empower your participants • Make the day meaningful • Re-train or hire new staff • Get creative • Think you can…think you can…think you can!!!

  30. For more information contact: Stephanie Potter Workforce Connections PO Box 51650 Knoxville, TN 37950 865-544-5200 Stephanie.potter@knoxcac.org

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