A Note from the Director:

The approach of the end of the school year brings

thoughts of endless IEP meetings, spring fever,

summer vacation and graduation.

For those who will graduate from high school, this

marks a time of transition to post-secondary

education or a vocational experience.

Schools are mandated to prepare students for this

transition by initiating a transition plan during the

school year in which the student will be 14 ½

years old. These transition plans, ideally, should

address all facets of the post high school

experience, and include educational, vocational,

recreational, residential and daily living skill

goals.

By including goals that encompass the full

spectrum of a future lifestyle, a transition plan can

be more successful in preparing the student to face

the challenges of adult living.

This issue of the ISRC Review offers information

and resources to assist in creating transition plans

that address lifestyle choices for the students we

serve.

Cheri Sinnott, LCSW

ISRC Director

Ad grandmother

Illinois Service Resource Center S e r v ing Ch i ld r en Who a r e Deaf or Hard of Hearing and

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Em a i l : i s r c@ i s r c . u s I n t e r n e t s i t e : www . i s r c . u s

Spring 2004 Edition

Review

Transition Planning Prepares Students For Adult Living

When young children are in a swimming pool, many

parents prepare for the eventual battle of leaving the

water by providing warnings at 30, 15, 10, 5 and 2

minutes. Children who receive these warnings are less

likely to experience “meltdowns” when it is time to

leave the pool. These children have had an opportunity

to prepare themselves psychologically, emotionally and

logistically for the transition from swimming to the next

activity.

Preparation and warnings are essential during more

significant transitions. Students who will be graduating

from high school need warnings in the form of short

term goals, to prepare themselves psychologically,

emotionally and logistically for the transition from the

cocoon of the educational system to the realities of adult

life.

Effective transition plans include goals that encompass

the full spectrum of an adult lifestyle. This would

include employment/ vocational options, education,

residential considerations, daily living skills, recreation,

self advocacy, adult services, community participation

and any other areas specific to an individual student.

Transition is not so much a goal, as a process that occurs

from “womb to tomb.” Involvement and support are

required from family members, the educational team,

service providers and the community. When the student

is empowered through self-advocacy skills and a strong

transition plan, the worst disability of all, learned

helplessness, can be avoided.

Team members who create and implement successful

transition plans have the privilege of providing a future

for students that is both positive and possible.

In This Issue

Page 2. Family Involvement Key To Success

Page 3. Voc Evals Assist With Career Planning

Page 4. Guardianship Needed For Some Students

Family Involvement Key Component of Successful Transition Plan

When planning for the post-high school experience, it is essential that families be involved in the process. While

students are in the educational system, there is a wealth of support available, including an educational team, mandated

services and financial resources. Once a student leaves high school, the family is the primary support system

available. There are no mandated services, and the pool of financial resources is severely limited.

In addition to planning for an educational and/or vocational option, families should be encouraged to plan for social

and recreational opportunities for their child. Many students experience the majority of their social interaction during

the school day, or through school sponsored clubs or activities.

Families should be encouraged to create a full picture of the lifestyle they expect for their child, whether that be

finding a job and living at home, attending college and living independently, creating an in-home Community

Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA), attending a sheltered workshop during the day, or living in a residential

placement.

There are a variety of questions to consider. For example, if the student will be living outside of the home, how often

will there be visits with the family? Will participation in Special Olympics or park district programs be a possibility?

Are there specialized support services available at school that need to continue, such as counseling or physical

therapy? Will the student need assistance to go out into the community for groceries?

The school system provides opportunities for continuity of care that are not available in adult services. While a

student is in school, educators have the opportunity to read through a student’s file, and contact previous teachers and

service providers. There may be an established history of student preferences, successful behavior intervention

strategies and student strengths. The student’s family will need to take responsibility for communicating this

information to any future service providers.

When families and IEP teams consider the vision of a complete lifestyle for the student, this is considered Person-

Centered Transition Planning. This hopeful approach focuses on the student’s strengths, gifts and capacities. It

Transition Plans Mandated By State And Federal Regs

Transition Plans are mandated in Illinois by

three separate statutes: the Illinois School

Code, the Illinois Administrative Code, and

the Code of Federal Regulations. The School

Code requires transition goals in the areas of

employment, post-secondary education and

community living alternatives. The Illinois

Administrative Code and the Code of Federal

Regulations also cite goals related to adult

services, independent living and community

participation, and stress the need for the plan

to be based on the individual student’s needs,

preferences, and interests.

assists in identifying supports available to help the student

achieve the desired lifestyle.

Two key components of a Person-Centered Transition Plan

include a Circles of Support Map (sometimes called a

Relationship Map) and a Community Presence Map. The

Circles of Support Map is created by drawing concentric

circles, resembling a bullseye target. The student’s name is

written in the middle. The next circle includes names of

those closest to the student, such as family members. The

next circles include friends and relatives. Next is

individuals that are seen in specific situations, such as

sports or camp. The outer circle includes service providers.

The community presence map is created by drawing a

house with lines extending out. At the end of each line,

write situations in which the student goes out into the

community, such as bowling, church, YMCA, renting

movies, etc. Include how often this occurs (1x/wk, 1x/mo).

This information is used to assist in the development of a

transition plan that encompasses all aspects of a future

lifestyle for the student.

- ISRC Review Page 2 -

Vocational Evals Assist

With Career Planning

Vocational Evaluations can be

helpful tools when creating a

transition plan. They can assist

with determining aptitude,

career interest, or if an

individual is a candidate for

supported employment vs.

competitive employment.

The Illinois School for the Deaf

provides evaluations at no cost

for students age 14 to 21. The

Transition Competence Battery

was designed and normed for

individuals who are deaf, and

takes six to eight hours to

complete. Other tests include

the Career Interest Inventory

and the SSSQ (Street Survival

Skills Quiz) which focuses on

adaptive behavior.

The Department of

Rehabilitation Services

contracts with agencies that

offer testing beginning at age

14 ½. These evaluations can

take several weeks, with the

student participating in a work

situation and being observed for

work skills, tolerance, ability to

work with coworkers and to

grasp new ideas, attendance and

punctuality.

Sheltered Workshop/ Residential Programs Needed For Some Students

Some students will require sheltered workshop and/or residential programs. There are two groups of students that are

eligible for this type of adult services: students that fall into the category of Developmental Disability (DD) and those

who have a Serious Mental Illness (SMI). Both groups receive funding from the Dept. of Human Services (DHS).

In order to be considered DD, a student must be evaluated to have an IQ of 65 or below, prior to the age of 18. The

DD label in adult services is different from the DD label used in education for children younger than age 6. To be

eligible for services with a Serious Mental Illness, a student must meet specific diagnostic criteria (there is a list of

acceptable DSM-IV diagnoses), have a documented history of treatment, and

demonstrate serious levels of functional impairment. If a student is eligible for services in one of these two categories, the first step

to obtaining funding is to contact the Pre-Admission Screening (PAS) Agent.

The PAS Agent will determine if the student does in fact meet the criteria for

adult services, and will make the decision to approve funding from DHS. The

PAS Agent will also provide assistance in submitting applications to

vocational and/or residential placement options. A list of PAS agents is

available from the Illinois Service Resource Center.

NIU And NTID Offer Transition Programs

Northern Illinois University (NIU) offers the Program for Hearing Impaired

(PHI), which includes a six-week evaluation Summer Program and/or a nine

month post-high school program.

The Summer Program is designed to serve as an intensive diagnostic

session to assess the student’s level of functioning to plan vocational,

academic and personal goals. Students often attend this program between

their junior and senior year of high school. Some students choose to attend

this program following their senior year, and remain on campus for the nine

month program.

The Nine Month Transitional Program offers Pre-Vocational and College

Prep programming. Students live in the dorms and attend classes. This

program is for students who have graduated from high school.

For more information on PHI, contact 815-753-6503.

National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) offers Explore Your

Future (EYF), a one-week summer program for deaf and hard-of-hearing

students who will enter their senior year in high school. During EYF

students are able to experience college life and try several different career

programs. Explore Your Future teaches deaf and hard-of-hearing high

school students to make some decisions about life after high school.

Students from around the country and the world attend EYF at the NTID

campus in Rochester, New York.

For more information contact the Department of Educational Outreach at

585-475-6705.

- ISRC Review Page 3 -

ISRC Staff

Cheri Sinnott Director

Jacki Marcus School Psychologist /

Deaf Educator

Dr. Steve Vaupel Behavioral /

Psychological

Consultant

Jeri Reed Deaf / Special Needs

Educator

Mike Teplitsky Information

Specialist

Ann Sego Administrative

Assistant

Guardianship Needed For Some Students

Many parents choose to pursue guardianship, when they feel their

child does not have sufficient understanding or capacity to make

decisions regarding finances, personal care or other significant

issues.

The first step in the process to petition for guardianship is to

obtain a physician report form. These are available from each

county courthouse. After the physician completes this form to

verify that the student is disabled, a petition is filed with the

Probate Court Clerk. This is the official request to the court for

appointment of a guardian. Next, notices are sent out, and a

hearing date is set.

Parents may choose to hire a private attorney, or obtain assistance

through low cost or free legal resources. These are primarily for

limited income families. The State of Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission has offices located regionally

throughout the state. The web site is gac.state.il.us. It includes an online intake form.

Learn more about services and resources available from the ISRC

www.isrc.us