Taking the Risk
What would make the risk of losing a benefit check worthwhile for a young person who could potentially be self-sufficient for life?
What would make the risk of losing a benefit check worthwhile for a young person who could potentially be self-sufficient for life?
Individual's with disabilities should not be on waiting lists for 8 years before they receive assistance. There should be a NO WAIT IN ANY STATE POLICY for services for individual's with disabilities.
It is not an uncommon situation for a parent of a child with a serious and debilitating disability to leave their job to take care of their child in the home. Families in this situation should receive some type of benefit or deduction and receive financial credit for the lost income.
The best outcomes are derived when young people (who are planning for employment after high school) work before they leave high school. Since there are often not enough funds for adequate job services in schools to get kids to work outside, ensure job placement in paying jobs before the end of high school (17-21), with the support of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR).
Federal student aid defines a full time college student as one who is taking 12 or more credits. Very often, students with disabilities would benefit from taking a lighter course load - 6 to 9 - while still being considered as a full time student. Our state funding now makes accommodations for this, but the federal funding does not.
The age to begin transition service planning should be lowered back to 14, or sooner. Waiting to age 16 to initiate planning is too late.
Currently, if a person who continues to need employment support is funded for that support in one state, parents are unable to leave that state without losing that support. A move can mean going to the end of a very long waiting list. IEPs transfer from state to state. Adult services should, also.
Require all US pre-service programs leading to secondary special education teacher certification to include both coursework and practicum work to ensure the candidates have mastered professional personnel competencies in secondary transition topics.