California Bridges to Youth Self-Sufficiency Project Overview

Award SSA awarded YTPD grant 9/30/03 CDOR grantee 5 year research and demonstration project

CA. Bridges Project 5 Demonstration Sites (7 School Districts) A state evaluation Planned participation in a national evaluation (Mid 2006) Planned participation in waivers

Mission Statement Educating youth and their families to use services and supports as a bridge to greater self-sufficiency

Bridges Project Objectives 1.Increase the self-sufficiency of transition aged youth with disabilities by decreasing their dependence on public benefits; and 2. Conduct a state-level research and evaluation study on this population to inform policy decisions.

Bridges Project Outcomes 1.Employment Outcomes (e.g., work history, part or full time employment) 2.Educational Outcomes (e.g., high school and post secondary completion) 3.Level of Independence (e.g., reduced benefits due to earnings) 4.Service Participation (e.g., participation in all services to determine effectiveness) 5.Quality of Life Indicators (e.g., individual and family satisfaction)

Project Sites 1.Capistrano/Saddleback Valley Unified School District Consortium 2.Irvine/Newport-Mesa Unified School District Consortium 3.Riverside County Office of Education 4.Vallejo City Unified School District 5.Whittier Union High School District

Local and State Advisory Bodies Purpose: Provide guidance and technical support Information sharing Collaboration and linkages Facilitate systems change

WorkAbility I CDE Program since 1981 Serves special education students in middle and secondary school up to age 22 Comprehensive pre-employment preparation, paid and unpaid employment, placement, and follow up

WorkAbility I Outcomes (2003) 301 Programs statewide 12,000 Middle school students served 89,000 High school students served 30,000 annual placements

Transition Partnership Program (TPP) CDOR program since 1987 Serves secondary through post secondary youth Community based instruction, vocational and basic skills assessment, tutoring, vocational and work-site training, specific job skills training, pre-employment preparation, work-site evaluation, work experience, career/job development, job placement, job coaching, job retention and follow up services

TPP Outcomes (2003) 86 Programs 14,396 Clients served 2,529 Annual placements (90 days unsubsidized, post high school)

Bridges Outreach and Recruitment Youth aged in project site areas SSI, SSDI, CDB or “at risk” of becoming eligible for benefits Foster youth, youth in juvenile justice system, teen mothers, special education, Section 504, culturally diverse Each project’s goal will be to serve a minimum of 50 participants at any one time, consisting of a range of participant ages

Bridges Services Benefits Planning: Individual benefits counseling and assistance for youth and their families. Service Coordination: Assess and coordinates individual participant service needs including employment supports Education: Educating families, partner agencies, and education staff about public benefits, work incentives, and resources

State Evaluation Comparison group model Augmented with CDE and CDOR funds Measures the impacts of agency interventions Special Education – Baseline WA I – CDE TPP – CDOR Bridges - SSA

Demographic Summary Overview

Demographic Summary by Age

Demographic Summary by Diagnosis

Demographic Summary by Residence

Demographic Summary by Ethnicity

Bridges Program Managers Capistrano USD – Gerry Strickland Irvine USD – Linda O’Neal Newport Mesa USD – Gail Hunt Riverside COE – Lynn Smith Saddleback Valley USD – Bobby Menn Vallejo City USD – Joyce Montgomery Whittier UHSD – Richard Rosenberg

Transition Challenges Challenges to self-sufficiency Systems barriers Community barriers Family issues Youth issues Bridges potential to impact these challenges How can SSA assist in ensuring self-sufficiency outcomes for transition age youth

Systems Barriers Current Challenges Lack of SSA interagency collaboration Limited SSA involvement in transition Limited understanding of SSA by education system No direct link with SSA and education Bridges Potential Impact Direct link to SSA Benefits coordinator trained by SSA experts Understanding and communication with local SSA offices Local advisory committee linking SSA, CDOR, EDD, HUD, Medi- Cal, and Regional Centers Breaks down the SSA myths

Community Barriers Current Challenges Lack of access to services and resources Business linkages Lack of affordable, accessible transportation and housing Lack of affordable and accessible mental health, dental and medical support Links with post secondary education/training support Bridges Potential Impact Role of Service Coordinator and community linkages Coordinators understanding SSA – sharing and disseminating information Assist with navigating the various systems available to participants Identify and link youth and their families to medical, housing, transportation, and available resources

Family Issues Current Challenges Expectations are limited Cultural influences Fear of losing benefits Difficulty navigating the SSA system Lack of knowledge of the SSA system Bridges Potential Impact Parent training and workshops for community – school, DOR, Regional Center Material dissemination in various languages Benefit planning Role models and peer support Trouble shooting

Youth Issues Current Challenges Lack of knowledge of the SSA system and work incentives Youth prepared and capable of working – not working or underemployed Lack of self esteem and self advocacy skills – ADA Lack of career ladder planning Bridges Potential Impact Linkages with job placement Career curriculum training Work Experience and work training Benefits knowledge Self advocacy training Linkage to adult agencies Career planning

Ensuring Self-Sufficiency for Youth Institutionalize the local SSA linkage with the Education system SSA provide training in an understandable, culturally sensitive, manner to families and students on benefits and incentives Examine impact of services and outcomes and replicability of Bridges, to lead to self- sufficiency

Bridges Panel Parent/Guardians Cindy Johnson Joanna Forth Lulu Wright Denise Moon Jim Henshall Participants Laneisha Mayo Patricia Moutez Patricia Holmes Jona Henshall Jestin Samson Tarek Sinnukrot

California Bridges to Youth Self-Sufficiency Project Thank you for your time and excellent questions. Communication and Collaboration is the key. Thank you!