A Network of Regional TA Centers in Kentucky

1. A Network of Regional TA Centers in Kentucky Transition from High School to Community for Kentucky’s At Risk Youth -- Ownership and Action through Interagency Collaboration National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center 1st Annual Secondary Transition State Planning Institute May 3, 2007

2. We Know the Barriers • Transition of youth with disabilities from high school to community settings is one of the most stressful of life transitions • In all areas of adult life, young adults with disabilities do not fare as well as their peers without disabilities. • Youth with disabilities have significantly higher drop-out rates (CEC, 1994), lower employment rates (Blackorby & Wagner, 1996), lower rates of independent living (Kiernan, McGaughey, Lynch, Morganstern, & Schalock, 1991); and they do not pursue college or post-secondary education (Blackorby & Wagner, 1996). • Major change in human service delivery system • Lack of adequate data collection (what happens to students?)

3. Personal Care Attendant Church Activities Community College Transportation Work Case Coordination John’s Desired Lifestyle Library Assistant Residential Support Assistive Technology Peer Support Job Trainer Apartment with Friend

4. We Know What Works • A focus on community outcomes when developing curriculum and instruction • Interagency collaboration both during planning and in formally sharing resources • Individualized method of planning for transition • Family and support network involvement in planning and decision-making • Using Successful Models of Student-Centered TransitionPlanning and Services for Adolescents... By: Morningstar, Mary E.; Kleinhammer-Tramill, P. Jeannie; Focus on Exceptional Children, May99, Vol. 31 Issue 9

5. Community College Personal Care Attendant Work Peer Support Transportation John’s Desired Lifestyle Church Activities Library Assistant Apartment with Friend Assistive Technology Residential Support Case Coordination Job Trainer Personal Futures Planning Collective Vision Paul Bates, University of Southern Illinois Relevant High School Curriculum Interagency Cooperation/Collaboration Personalized Post-School Supports

6. Kentucky, like the rest of the nation… began focusing on the transition needs of youth with disabilities in the 1980s through various school-to-work model demonstrations

7. Our State… • Made successful transition for all students an educational goal with the passing of KERA in 1990. • Was one of the few states that answered the 1990 IDEA reauthorization with a separate, individualized transition plan for students with disabilities. • And…the plan was developed by the Interagency Transition Council! • Is one of a few states that require an Individual Learning/Graduation Plan (ILP), focused on transition, for all students. • Has an Interagency Transition Council to foster the collaboration we all know is so critical for successful transition. • Required transition planning beginning at age 14 prior to federal requirement to do so.

8. We Know Individual Success Stories • A young man with cerebral palsy, using a wheelchair and needing communication support, makes the successful transition from high school to the UK campus. • A young woman who has a meaningful day to look forward to, complete with part-time work and social activities. • Etc.

9. But, overall, we falter….. In Kentucky, in 2004… • An estimated 39.0% of people with disabilities, aged 18-64 lived in families with incomes below the poverty line vs. • An estimated 10.5% of people without a disability • An estimated 87.2% unemployment rate for people with a work limitation (disability) vs. • An estimated 22.6% unemployment rate for men and women without a work limitation (disability) Houtenville, Andrew J. 2005. "Disability Statistics in the United States." Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics (StatsRRTC), www.disabilitystatistics.org. Posted April 4, 2005. Accessed September 12, 2005.

10. Why Collaboration is Important • No one can do it alone. • Improving the quality of life and the education of children with disabilities and their families requires the collective knowledge, skills, experience and expertise of all family members and professionals. • It requires that the community and all service systems work together to achieve the goals of the child and family." Bruner, C.; Kunesh, L.G.; Knuth, R.A. “What Does Research Say About Interagency Collaboration?” retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/stw_esys/8agcycol.htm on 1/1/05

11. Why Collaboration is Important • Most human services are crisis-oriented. • Services are generally administered by dozens of rigid and distinct separate agencies and programs and each have their own: • categories that reflect a particular focus • sources of funding • guidelines • accountability requirements • rules governing expenditure of funds Bruner, C.; Kunesh, L.G.; Knuth, R.A. “What Does Research Say About Interagency Collaboration?” retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/stw_esys/8agcycol.htm on 1/1/05

12. Why Collaboration is Important • Agencies with pronounced dissimilarities in professional orientation and institutional mandates seldom see each other as allies • Sufficient funds not available to provide necessary prevention, support, & treatment services to make lasting difference for young people who must overcome multiple problems, years of neglect. Bruner, C.; Kunesh, L.G.; Knuth, R.A. “What Does Research Say About Interagency Collaboration?” retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/stw_esys/8agcycol.htm on 1/1/05

13. A Formalized Interagency Structure… Provides a forum through which students, parents, and professionals can: • Communicate and decide how to work together as a team (e.g. relationship and structure); • Identify current practices and areas in need of improvement; • Share resources, knowledge, unique experiences and expertise; • Benefit from successful outcomes and shared rewards.

14. The Path We Are Following

15. Build Upon What We’ve Got • Kentucky’s Special Education Cooperative Network (KSECN) • Kentucky Interagency Transition Council for Persons with Disabilities (KITC)

16. Build Upon What We’ve Got • Kentucky’s Special Education Cooperative Network (KSECN)

18. Kentucky Special Education Cooperative Network Vision Statement:We provide effective leadership that facilitates the educational success of students.

19. Kentucky Special Education Cooperative Network Mission Statement:Kentucky's Special Education Cooperatives will enhance the educational opportunities and outcomes of students by providing effective leadership and delivering specialized services in partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education, local school districts, institutes of higher education, and other service providers.

20. Kentucky Special Education Cooperative Network • Technical assistance • Training • Professional development • Specialized services • Research • Other needs identified by member districts and the Kentucky Department of Education.

21. Utilize Special Education Cooperative Transition Consultants as consistent, unifying leader • Kentucky has 11 Special Education Cooperatives (SEC) • All Local Education Agencies belong based upon geographic proximity • Each Special Education Cooperative has Transition Consultant • SEC Transition Consultants have established regional interagency linkages

22. Build Upon What We’ve Got Kentucky Interagency Transition Council for Persons with Disabilities (KITC)

23. Form Core Work Team from Interagency Transition Council Members • Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CCSHCN) • University of Kentucky Human Development Institute • Kentucky Department for Mental Health/Mental Retardation (KDMHMR) • Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) • Kentucky Deafblind Project • Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) • Division of Exceptional Children (DECS) • Special Education Cooperative Network (SECN) • Division of Career and Technical Education (DCTE)

24. Core Team Develops Vision Youth with disabilities in Kentucky receive the supports necessary to achieve desired post-school outcomes that lead to a successful and productive life

25. Core Team Defines Mission Serve as the catalyst for development and implementation of an infrastructure that supports youth with disabilities in achieving their desired post-school outcomes

26. Core Team Identifies Objectives Objective 1 Identify key stakeholders Objective 2 Align key stakeholders Objective 3 Collaborate with key stakeholders to develop an infrastructure

27. Core Team Identifies Action Steps • Identify key “transition players” at state level • Identify key “transition players” at regional level • Utilize Special Education Cooperative Transition Consultants as “the glue” • Provide opportunities for structured forums to foster collaboration • Provide training, technical assistance, and resources to support regional interagency collaboration

28. Identify State Agencies, and others, Responsible for Transition of Youth • Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CCSHCN) • Kentucky Department for Mental Health/Mental Retardation (KDMHMR) • Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) • Kentucky Special Parent Involvement Network (KYSPIN) • Department of Workforce Investments • Office of Career & Technical Education (OCTE) • Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) • Division of Exceptional Children (DECS) • Special Education Cooperative Network (SECN) • Parent Resource Centers (PRC) • Division of Career and Technical Education (DCTE)

29. Identify Regional Counterparts of Stakeholders Identified • Each agency has own organizational structure…none of them match! • Core Team members responsible for identifying counterparts via their agency statewide structure • Kentucky Agency Alignment Map (KAAM) Developed

30. State Interagency Transition Council Role: State-level stake holders develop policy decisions Transition Summit Team Role: Developers and facilitators of system Role: keep abreast of issues, concerns and trends as identified by Regional Teams; provide support to regional teams; provide support/guidance to State Transition Coordinator & State Improvement Grant -Transition Director State Transition Core Team 11 Regional Interagency Transition Teams Based upon Special Education Cooperative Structure 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

31. Provide structured forums for participants to: • Meet representatives from each agency • Understand each agency’s role in transition of students with disabilities from school to community • Understand regional structure of participating agencies • Begin dialogue regarding working together to better facilitate youth transition • Develop formalized teams, working toward addressing transition issues specific to the respective region of our state

32. Provide training, technical assistance, and resources to support regional interagency collaboration • Quarterly meetings with Special Education Cooperative Transition Consultant/RITT Chair • Knowledge of each RITT’s area of concern and action plan • Provide technical assistance • Locate issue specific resources • Ongoing electronic communication • Transition-Inbox • Virtual Collaboration

33. Current Activities • Transition Consultants are providing training and technical assistance in implementing transition requirements (as monitored by the APR and Kentucky Continuous Monitoring Process) • Kentucky Interagency Transition Council is in process of strategic planning • RITTs are fully functioning and meeting quarterly • Amended Kentucky Transition Plan of Action • Transition Consultants to continue in all Special Education Cooperatives • Maintenance and Growth of RITTs • Data Collection and Analysis • Shared Projects

34. For more information: • Beth Harrison University of Kentucky Human Development Institute b.harrison@uky.edu • Kathy Eversole Kentucky Department of Education kathy.eversole@kedc.org