The Fairfield County Board of DD Transition Project Presented to the APSE/OAAS Conference “Employment First: Transitions” September, 2012

How It Began  Enhancing Transition Services to DD Eligible Youth was a priority in the FCBDD Strategic Plan.  A transition planning group identified several needed activities: Hiring a Transition Coordinator Facilitating an Interagency Task Force on Transition Developing a written Interagency Agreement Obtaining signatures (22 of them!)

Transition Coordinator Position  Works closely with ISCs to identify DD eligible students in each school district.  Serves as liaison to school districts  Provides information, technical assistance and t raining to school districts on transition  Facilitates the Transition Task Force Meetings every other month  Assisted with Bridges Application/Implementation

The Fairfield County Transition Initiative: Local Interagency Agreement  Statement of Need  Mission  Authority and Scope of Services  Description of Mandated Transition Services  Transition Quality Indicators  Overview of Transition Services  Two-Year Goals  Two-Year Special Projects  Participating Agency Commitments

The Fairfield County Transition Initiative: Local Interagency Agreement  Terms of Agreement  Resolution of Conflicts  Signatures  New Special Projects: Disseminate all materials reviewed during the Transition Task Force Meetings electronically Training and technical assistance on Identifying and conducting age-appropriate transition assessments

VRP3: Life Works  Provides internship opportunities to students in their last year of high school.  Alleviates parental fear and disbelief of their child’s ability to work in the community.  Assists with Adult Option program placement upon graduation.  CES is a vendor of services (one of two)

Annual Transition Conference: Discover the Possibilities  Invitation open to all DD eligible students as early as sophomore year.  Highlights various success stories told by individuals and parents who have recently transitioned to employment.  Allows students to voice their opinions about the type of job they want, where they want to live. Parents compare their wishes to their children’s.

Annual Transition Conference: Discover the Possibilities  Tom Fish: The Role of the Family in Transition  Mom and Dad support groups.  Description of Adult Options available in Fairfield county.  Description of Rehab. Services  Time to develop a Futures Statement  Time to develop an Action Plan

Project SEARCH  Partnership with Fairfield Medical Center, the Career Technical School, RSC, and FCBDD.  8-10 students chosen via an interview process  Students engage in am class, rotate through a variety of internship sites, and end the day with reflections.  Students gain self esteem, employment skills, and responsibility.

Discovery/Customized Employment  FCBDD embraces best practice suggestions and takes advantage of all funding opportunities.  Developed a Customized Employment Process including Discovery prior to RSC’s Griffin-Hammis Project  Involve students in the Discovery Process throughout their high school career (Bridges)

Discovery/Customized Employment  See Discovery Road Map handout  CES has infused the following Discovery Stages into the way they typically do business: Home Visit, Neighborhood Observation, Vocational Observations, Vocational Profile contains interests, themes, contributions, conditions, and accommodation and support needs.  Proposal to RSC: Implementing the Discovery Process for Youth in Transition

Bridges to Transition  Shares vocational coordinator with Hocking County.  Benefits from the services of a Parent Mentor.  Works with ISCs to determine which students should be referred to Bridges.  Pays for assessments, summer work, participation in Discover the Possibilities, job development/coaching, etc.  Designated Transition RSC Counselor

CAT Team  Community Action Team includes business owners who  actively engage in referring to employers for possible placement  assist with self employment (feasibility study, business plan development, marketing plan development, etc),  Relationship Building

Discovery Facilitator Position  Will facilitate the Discovery process for students while in school and for new adults who have been determined eligible for FCBDD.  CES capacity limits their ability to conduct all Discovery activities….county board has made arrangements to contract with other vendors who have gone through the RSC ACRE training by providing them with additional training on the Fairfield Method of conducting the Discovery Process.

Discovery Facilitator Position  Will facilitate the Discovery process for students while in school and for new adults who have been determined eligible for FCBDD.  Discovery will provide an opportunity for students to engage in various job experiences/observations as a way to recommend appropriate program placement prior to choosing a provider.

Futures Planning  ISC staff have been trained to facilitate Futures Planning.  FCBDD will work with school districts to assist families in developing the Futures Planning Statement on the IEP which identifies post secondary plans for education and training, employment, and independent living.

Ohio University Lancaster Branch  Two year Partnership involves FCBDD and OUL staff by Understanding each other’s system Identifying students with DD who want to go to OUL Providing students with a team approach to get the needed supports Provide funding (waiver/budget) for educational coaches, job coaches, etc.

Director of Business Development  New position  Will develop, lead and coordinate entrepreneurial and new business projects.  Will develop collaborative relationships with other community partners, local government, business associations and other economic and community development partners and participate in regular meetings and other forums leading to job creation for individuals served by Fairfield DD.

Presenter Information Katina A. Karoulis Independent Consultant 676 Dominic Drive Cuyahoga Falls, OH (614)