Collaborative Practice in the Transition Years

Starting Work and Careers as Teens and

Young AdultsMarsha Threlkeld, PIVOTAL

Consulting/Trainingmarsha.threlkeld@icloud.com

TEXAS TRANSITION CONFERENCE 2016

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Believe Everyone Can Work Employment First is a declaration of both philosophy and policy stating that: Employment is the first priority and preferred outcome of people with disabilities.

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The Department of Justice is Currently Looking At More Than 20 States

Settlement Agreement in Oregon with Department of Justice

No “mock” work similar to sheltered industry work

No sending student to sheltered industry as part of their school day

Real work experiences

Placement based on the student’s skills, abilities, and preferences

Employment in the community at minimum wage or better

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What is Seamless Transition? Seamless transition occurs when the first day after school exit looks the same for youth as their last day of school. That is, they exit school already in an integrated job, with supports in place to keep this job. And not only that, services are available to support the acquisition of new jobs and career advancement throughout their adult life.

Luecking, D.M. & Luecking, R., 2015, Translating Research into a Seamless Transition Model

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Features of a Seamless Transition Model

Work experiences throughout secondary school years to help students identify interests, skills and supports relevant to the attainment of adult employment;

Employment in integrated settings during their last year of school where they are hired directly by the employer;

Non-work activities performed in normalized community settings;

Adult agency employment specialists working in conjunction with school personnel before school exit;

Cost sharing resources of the school system, state vocational rehabilitation services, and state intellectual/ developmental disabilities agency; and

An outcome of paid work with post-school support in place before school exit. Luecking, D.M. & Luecking, R., 2015, Translating Research

into a Seamless Transition Model

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Key Elements to Obtain Jobs for Students - Education

1. Discover preferences, interests, and abilities

2. Identify Post School Employment Goals

3. Identify Community Based Learning Objectives/Content

4. Participate in Community Based Work Experiences (partner with employers)

5. Open case with Vocational Rehabilitation (partner with VR)

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Key Features Continued

6. Secure an employment services provider (partner with employment providers)

7. Begin Job Development and Marketing prior to exiting school

8. Secure a job prior to exiting school

9. Stabilize a job prior to exiting school

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So What Does It Look Like?

•Students spend time primarily on the job during the last year in school.

•Jobs are developed prior to the start of the final school year, and are in integrated settings, at minimum wage or better, paid directly to the student by the employer.

•Each job is located based on student interest and preferences.

•When students are not working, they are engaged in individually arranged community referenced instruction and activities.

.

Luecking, D.M. & Luecking, R., 2015, Translating Research into a Seamless Transition Model

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What Teachers Can Do

Use Person Centered Planning or Personal Profiles to identify the student’s individual post school employment goal based or preferences, interests, and abilities.

Create Community Based Work Experience Sites based on Student goals

Create Student Career Portfolios to use during interviews and other engagement with adult services

Create strategies for student success to include assistive technology and strategies for centering and calming, or being at one’s best

Facilitate students connecting with Voc Rehab and employer service provider agencies

Help educate families on the power and satisfaction of employment

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Cost Sharing•School Districts•Vocational Rehabilitation•Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities

•Workforce•Mental Health

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Education and Voc Rehab Typical Responsibilities

Teachers – Work with Students to adopt post school employment goals, set up community based learning/work experiences, work in partnership with adult service systems

Voc Rehab – Opens student cases early, paying for assessment while student is still in school, paying for job development while student is still in school, works in partnership with schools, I/DD, Mental Health and other adult services

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Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Typical Responsibilities:

Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) – Braids funding with Voc Rehab to pickup long timer supports immediately upon school exit, helps forecast students coming up in future years, runs transition fairs and family info nights, works very closely with area employment provider agencies, often leads the pilot school-to-work efforts offering a coordinator and covering training costs for providers and teachers.

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Expected Key Outcomes

•Schools teaming with VR, community provider

•Families engaged in transition process

•Early VR involvement

•Early Community Provider involvement

•Positive personal career planning

•Individualized paid work experiences

•Individualized paid inclusive job

•Supports in place prior to exit

Luecking, D.M. & Luecking, R., 2015, Translating Research into a Seamless Transition Model

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Personal Profiles or Person Centered Planning

Student Career Planning Connecting to the IEP or Transition Plan

Developing a Postive Personal Profile

Materials I created, available on WISE website

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Community Based Work Experiences

Work with community employers

Have a marketing strategies

Placements must not replace regular employees

Have a learning plan for the student

Track student progress

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Student Career Portfolios Used to market students and as an aide during job interviews PowerPoint Video Resumes Jacob's Jobs

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Schools Working With Voc Rehab

•Have a day annually for Voc Rehab Counselor to come to the school to enroll students

•Invite Voc Rehab to Family Info Nights

•Educate families on what Voc Rehab can do: Offer counseling around work pursuits, pay for initial job search, placement, and coaching efforts from an employment placement agency

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Schools Working With Employment Agencies•Facilitate employment specialists getting to know students while still in school, as part of their school day•Facilitate employment specialists taking students out on job interviews and related activities•Support the work of employment specialists as they coach students in jobs prior to exiting school•It is a partnership. Adult Services will be part of the school day.

Serv

ice O

utco

mes

10th Grade(or 3 yrs prior to exit)

ENROLL

11th Grade(or 2 yrs prior to exit)

VR opens case

Applicationsfor Post school

(DD,MH)

12th Grade(or 1 yr prior to exit)

In Competitive Integrated

Employment(CIE)

Post School Completion(2 yrs beyond high school)

Post schoolFollow Up

Selection Criteria• Desire to participate• Need supports to

seamlessly transition• Receiving Special

Education services• Eligible for VR service

In CIE employment receiving supports from

CRP (if needed)

or

Enrolled postsecondary education receiving

supports from Disability campus services (as

needed/as requested)

Dire

ct S

ervic

es

• Self-determination instruction

• Positive personal/ career profile

• Work-based Experiences • Paid Employment Supports

DISCOVERY PROCESS

Student-led IEP development Health & Social Linkages

Family Support/Participation Public Benefits Management

(all services are adjunct to school and academic preparation)

Seamless Transition Flow of Student Services

Luecking, D.M. & Luecking, R., 2015, Translating Research into a Seamless Transition Model, Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals.

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Oregon Seamless Transition Project

Positive Personal Profiles for Students

Discovery Process from Customized Employment

Community Based Work Experiences

Paid Summer Youth Employment

Voc Rehab comes to school for intake

Students connect with Employment Providers

Family Info Nights

Placement prior to leaving school

Ongoing supports for students with I/DD

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Washington State Specifics•WA DDA collects outcomes data on students, employment providers, # of hours, rate of pay. Creates Employment Outcomes Monitoring Report.•Department of Ed collects data one year after exit, available online to all https://www.seattleu.edu/ccts/post-school-survey-and-outcomes/post-school-outcomes-reports/

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Efforts Statewide in Washington

•WA DDA sends funds to County DD for School-to-Work and Employment Services and training for providers

•Counties and partners forecast and reach students•Data of all students and those in service is tracked•Outcomes data tracked •Statewide Transition Conference funded by DDA, counties, and VR

•Training and Technical Assistance for Employment funded by DDA and VR

•VR Counselors attached to schools

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Finding and Tracking StudentsForecasting by birthdates Grad year Birthdate range 2015 9-1-93 to 8-31-94 2014 9-1-92 to 8-31-93 2013 9-1-91 to 8-31-92

DATA PROVIDED BY WASHINGTON STATE DDA-EMPLOYMENT AND DAY UNIT.

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King County Embedded Employment Specialist Model•Job before exit is the goal•Schools interview and choose employment service provider•Employment Specialist works with school program to provide Discovery, job development, placement, and initial coaching.•Employment rates at about 70%

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King County High Support Project

•Students with the highest support needs•Components: Parent meetings, employment provider consortium, person centered career planning, Assistive Technology Assessment, Behavior and Employment Support Plan, Discovery, Customized Employment Approach•Outcomes: 80% employment rate•School Refers Students with Higher Support Needs; Funds Approximately 1/3, VR and County funds the rest•Last two years of school

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Rural and Mid Sized: Whatcom County, Braided and Systematized•Cross system teams present to schools and families•School-to-Work partners meet regularly •Adherence to timeline•Countywide Transition Fair and Parent Training Sessions•Person Centered Career Planning for students•County DD, VR, providers, Arc, and schools•Ongoing training and technical assistance

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Tips•Start with a pilot, all students from a given district •Don’t leave families behind•Blend or Braid funding•Offer ongoing learning •Put outcomes data in front of partners on a regular basis

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Contact Information Marsha Threlkeld

PIVOTAL Training and Consulting 206-786-0237

marsha.threlkeld@icloud.com