1. CSAVR Fall Conference November, 2015 The Transition Alliance of South Carolina Working together to increase successful post- secondary transition outcomes for youth with disabilities through active interagency collaboration

2. Presentation Overview TASC Initiative Highlights Partner Agency Perspective Local Collaborative Team Perspective Getting Involved

3. Able South Carolina Center for Disability Resources Family Connection of South Carolina Francis Marion University Lexington Richland School District Five ProParents of South Carolina SC Assistive Technology Program SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs SC Department of Education SC Department of Employment and Workforce SC Developmental Disabilities Council SC Vocational Rehabilitation SC Department of Educational Studies Working together to increase successful postsecondary outcomes for youth with disabilities through active interagency collaboration

4. Grantors SC Department of Education, Office of Special Education Services SC Developmental Disabilities Council Grantee Center for Disability Resources at the University of SC School of Medicine

5. South Carolina TEAM A Model for Improving Transition to Employment Programming Grantor South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council Grantee Center for Disability Resources at the University of South Carolina Purpose Utilize information and resources from local, successful high school transition programs in the state, coupled with the evidence-based literature, to build capacity for improved outcomes for youth with ID/DD transitioning from high school to adult life.

6. Intent Refine and implement a framework of support for local interagency transition teams 1.Build awareness and understanding of evidence based practices in secondary transition. 2.Assist local stakeholders in forming and cultivating interagency transition teams. 3.Assist local interagency teams in creating collaborative strategic plans for program improvement. 4.Assist local teams in implementing strategic plans. 5.Improve Post-School Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities 1. Statewide Interagency Transition Conferences Education Networking Strategic Planning 2. Website 3. Moderate Support for up to 20 teams 4. Intensive Support for 4 teams 5. Statewide Trainings 6. Community Partner Support

7. Capacity Building Strategies 1. Statewide Interagency Team Transition Conferences 2. Moderate Support System 3. Intensive Support System 4. Statewide Trainings 5. Website 6. Community Partner Support

8. Strategy 1 Statewide Interagency Transition Conferences  2 Years, 3 Events  52 Local Interagency Teams  57 SC School Districts  Education, Networking, Strategic Planning  Participation Opens Access to Support System

9. Local Transition Team Strategic PATH Plan

10. Local strategic PATH plans include goals grounded in both legislation and literature.

12. Strategy 2 Moderate Technical Assistance  Up to 20 Teams  First-come, first-served application process  Technical assistance, training, and/or provision of materials/resources  Supports implementation of EBPs & strategic plan goals  Connection of local experts for TA/Training

13. Strategy 3 Intensive Technical Assistance  4 Local Teams  Competitive Application Process  Technical Assistance, Training, and/or Provision of Materials/Resources  Teaming/Collaboration  1 Additional Domain Area  Supports implementation of EBPs & strategic plan goals  Connection of local experts for TA/Training

14. Strategy 4 Statewide Trainings  3 statewide or regional trainings  Spring, 2016  Topics based on local team priorities  2015 Trainings Interagency Collaboration/Teaming (January, 2015) Transition Assessment (February, 2015) Student Engagement (April, 2015)

15. Strategy 5 TASC Website  Best Practices Training and TA Content  Local Team Pages  Local Team Networking Component  State Resource Clearinghouse  Training Calendar & Registration

19. Strategy 6 TASC Community Partner Support  TASC team members (e.g., DDSN, VR, Able SC, Family Connection)  Connection of state partners to support local program development

20. Building Capacity in South Carolina Anticipated Results of TASC Sustainable system of support for local interagency collaborative transition teams. It is expected that this will result in:  Increased collaboration among state-level transition stakeholders  Increased collaboration among local-level transition stakeholders  Increased stakeholder knowledge  Increased local capacity to improve employment and other post school outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities  Ultimately, improved post-school outcomes for SC’s youth and young adults with disabilities.

21. Partner Agency Perspective Partner Agency Perspective South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department

22. Collaboration Communication Consistency The Three C’s to Success

23. Collaboration is Key! “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ~Helen Keller

24. Collaboration Have a common mission Key players at the table Each agency has support from top leadership (MOU) Collaboration cannot just be on the state level

25. Communication “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I might remember. Involve me and I will understand.” ~Benjamin Franklin

26. Communication Communication is more than just talking to each other. Understanding each other’s mission and where it fits in our scope and purpose. Communication is not just amongst ourselves. It can be what we project in our community. Have a presence together in the community.

27. Consistency “If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it.”

28. Consistency Have a presence together in the community Each agency is able to send a consistent message not only to the local teams but to the top leadership as well Staying focused and keeping it simple

29. Our Path Plan Experience Angie Slatton, Ph.D. District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties

30. Where We Started with our Path Plan May, 2014: 2 district reps with an assigned community partner undocumented baseline data began to develop a plan for improved practices to include: – increased community experiences – increased student readiness for community experiences – increase student engagement with community partners – develop a PST team

31. Early Fall, 2014 o Defined our Steering Committee and Core Teams o Identified Community Partners o Set monthly (Core) and Triennial (Steering) meeting dates o Collected reliable baseline data o Updated goals

32. Fall, 2014 ● Signed Project Search MOA ● Signed Community Options MOA ● Began planning for Transition Fair ● Attended the follow-up Path Planning conference ● Updated progress monitoring tools for job coaches

33. Spring, 2015 ● Meet 2 of 5 Path Plan goals ● Increased outcomes for other goals ● Held Transition Fair (17 community partners, 150 visitors) ● Initiated initial steps for Project Search ● Received DD Council grant for program evaluation for PST programming

34. Fall, 2015 ● Opened the second Project Search site in South Carolina ● Attended the Interagency Conference ● Updated our path plan ● Expanded our partners on our Path Plan Steering Committee ● Conducting system-wide evaluation of post- secondary transition services

35. What’s to Come in 2015-16 ● Second Annual Transition Fair with expanded activities ● Increased Community Based Training ● Increased community partnerships with exiting seniors ● Continued work and progress monitoring of goals through a thoughtful, organized plan ● Develop plan for Improved practices based on evaluation of PST programming

36. For More Information, Please Contact…. Joy Ivester E-TASC Director USC CDR Joy.Ivester@uscmed.sc.edu Laura Spears TASC Chair, Transition Coordinator SC Vocational Rehabilitation Lspears@SCVRD.STATE.SC.US Angie Slatton Special Education Director Lexington School District 5 sslatton@lexrich5.org Kinsey B. Carlson-Britting E-TASC Assistant Director USC CDR Kinsey.Carlson@uscmed.sc.edu

37. Antosh, A.A., et al. (2013, April). A collaborative interagency, interdisciplinary approach to transition from adolescence to adulthood. Silver Spring, MD: Association of University Centers on Disabilities. Cornell University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics. (2012). Disability status report: South Carolina. Retrieved from: http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/ Health Information Technology Research Center. (2013). Continuous quality improvement (CQI) strategies to optimize your practice. Retrieved from: http://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/nlc_continuousqualityimprovementprimer.pdf Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 (2004). National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center. (2013). Secondary transition evidence-based practices and predictors of post-school success. Retrieved from: http://www.nsttac.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdf/pdf/ebps/Description%20of%20EBPs_updated.pdf Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network. (2014). Pennsylvania secondary transition guide. Retrieved from: http://www.secondarytransition.org/ Test, D.W., Mazzotti, V.L., Mustian, A.L., Fowler, C.H., Kortering, L., & Kohler, P. (2009). Evidence-based secondary transition predictors for improving postschool outcomes for students with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals. Retrieved from: http://www.nsttac.org/ebp/practicedescriptions/ References: