Question 31
Young adults with disabilities do not always have an accessible peer
group as they did when they were in high school. I would like suggestions
on model programs for older students that are 1) community, rather than
school based, 2) uses cash match dollars, vouchers, combined funding or
other significant collaborative efforts with other agencies, and, 3) has
a self-determination curriculum or plan infused into the program.
STW Wizard Strategies
Strategy 1
Where do I start. In San Diego we have 7 locations throughout the city.
Four are on community college sites and three are located in store fronts
and provide supports to students in their own community. We also have two
teachers that are non-facility based programs. They do not come into a location
but rather meet in the community in small manageable groups or are individual
placements. All of these programs are community based and students spend
little or no support at the various locations.
We are working on a grant with SD State University at this time and the
majority of the students in their final year (if they choose to participate
in the program) are supported by an Adult vendor (paid for by the school
district) and are supervised by a teacher who responsible for IEP development
and program integrity. The agency providing the support is vendored for
supported employment and DD support. They are also non-facility based and
students have the option to stay with them after graduation or go with another
agency. This past year they had a 75% employment status which is very exciting
given our past track record in this area.
We just received $27,000 to do a curriculum on advocacy/abuse/neglect
and systems orientation. We will be developing that curriculum over the
next year and will make it available at that time.
We support all students regardless of disability as long as they are
between 18-22 years of age (zero reject).
Strategy 2
I am not familiar with specific names of resources but have had very
good luck with Community Education in Roseville, MN. They have allowed me
to take a free class each quarter of their class schedules. (Of which this
time I chose Spanish!) I am also very fortunate to have all that were involved
within my transition planning still 'friends'. Regularly when things aren't
good and to celebrate the good things also, we do things that keep me connected
with them.
Volunteer work is one of the greatest benefits that I have had the opportunity
to do. The only fee involved is the traveling to and from the site. Many
of my friends cannot understand why I do all that I do in volunteerism but
it is the thing that keeps me going. I have the opportunity to meet people
who share the same interest and are committed to the same ideas.
There is a volunteer handbook that my 'other' employer puts out that
has been very valuable. It lists a bank of names and places that look for
assistance and rely on support of volunteers. You list your interests on
an intake sheet and they match you up with the best places. This eliminates
the possibility of getting into something that would be unsuitable. They
have even suggested and given me places that could provide my transportation
(I use a wheelchair for mobility), before they knew I drive my own car.
Peer support activities can be a very valuable thing. I am involved in
such an activity at our Metropolitan Center for Independent Living. I travel
to the person and am matched with someone who is having the same challenges
that I did at their age.
Most often in my seeking out the things that interest me I learn self
determination. I am determined to create a better life for myself and to
get beyond the challenges that I have had. And my opportunities have not
been something that has been structured within a program setting. It has
been from word of mouth and from people suggesting opportunities to me (and
giving me ideas).
Strategy 3
Here in California, a number of us who are based out of San Francisco
State University (as well as San Diego State University) have been providing
technical assistance to numerous school districts, regional centers (our
MRDD local providers), and local vocational rehabilitation agencies across
the state to pool financial and human resources in order to successfully
transition students with significant disabilities from school to adult life.
In a nutshell, one difference with this project in comparison to what
has been previously done is that the pooling of resources occurs when the
students are in their final year of public school. In actual practice, an
adult agency is either found or developed, and this agency is paid to develop
jobs and community-based schedules for the students, and when the students
officially graduate from school, this same agency simply continues the services.
Another significant difference with this project is that once the students
become official "clients" of adult services, under our model,
all work support is paid through Supported Employment, and all non-work
community support is paid by the MRDD system, for the same person. As you
know, usually a person receives support that is paid for by one of the two
funding systems, not both. The adult agency is vendorized to receive reimbursement
for each person from both systems under our model.
In terms of work, all project participants, regardless of the severity
of the disability, are supported to obtain and maintain directly-hired (as
opposed to subcontract), minimum-wage or above, individualized (as opposed
to enclave) employment, the funding for which is provided through Supported
Employment. As most work part time, support for integrated, community-based
activities (such as banking, shopping, travel, community college, gyms,
clubs, etc.) is provided as well; paid for by the MRDD system.
To more directly address your questions I will break it down below:
1) Community, rather than school based
As I explained, our model is 100% community-based, and the supports are
developed and implemented before the students officially age out of the
public school system.
2) Uses cash match dollars, vouchers, combined funding or other significant
collaborative efforts with other agencies
Our model involves significant collaborative efforts between the public
schools and the MRDD and VR systems, as well as the direct support personnel
affiliated with those systems.
3) Has a self-determination curriculum or plan infused into the program.
As a regular and integral part of the project, person-centered planning
is used, and participants and their families are supported to determine
work and non-work schedules and future plans. The project services are not
limited to fixed hours, so support occurs whenever and wherever it is needed;
evenings, weekends, etc.
Also, in reference to your comment regarding accessible peer groups,
this project supports participants to create their own schedules, including
community activities with one or two of their peers with disabilities (or
smaller group meetings such as job clubs), as well as activities with their
non-disabled peers and co-workers.
Strategy 4
Several programs come to mind. There is a program just outside of Lexington
Kentucky that uses a small liberal arts college to implement such a program
a secondary contact person for that would be Jacqui Kearns <farmerj@ihdi.uky.edu>
at the university of KY. She helped initiate the program. The adult education
program for that same school district is doing some things relative to supported
employment too. Also, Jefferson County Public which is in Louisville KY
is developing such a program. They are in the process of piloting it and
are just getting agencies and their school district to buy into it. You
can contact Alexis Varney at AVARNEY1@jefferson.k12.ky.us. She is the coordinator
of transition for the school district. J county is a large school (with
the top 20 in size) and has the intention to expand this big time. Also,
I have read and heard that a version of the is developing out in California.
I believe that Ian Pumpian and colleagues are implementing something like
what you described.
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