CILS, Secondary Transition, & LVCil’s holistic transition programming

1. CILS, Secondary Transition, & LVCil’s holistic transition programming Oklahoma Transition Institute 2013

2. What is a Center for Independent Living ? Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are consumer controlled, non-profit organizations that provide services and advocacy to persons with all types of disabilities. CILs work to ensure fair treatment and access for persons with disabilities in all areas, including housing, transportation, employment, social/recreational areas, health, and social services.

3. History • CILs emerged from the Civil Rights Movement in the 60s • Independent Living movement and CILs • CIL Berkley founded in 1972 • Ed Roberts • CILs became a support network to promote advocacy and civil rights • CILs are located all over the country • 18 in Pennsylvania • 5 in Oklahoma • Each county is served by a CIL • LVCIL founded in 1990 • LVCIL covers Lehigh/Northampton County • Funding?

4. 4 Core Services • Information and Referral • Peer Support • Individual & System Advocacy • Independent Living Skills

5. Different CILs do different things All CILs… Others… • Do the 4 core services • Attendant Care • Transition Services • Housing • Resource Centers • Community Education • Deaf/Hard of Hearing Outreach • etc…

6. Unique Services by LVCIL • Specialized housing search and support • Landlords for All • Veterans Services • Sign Language Interpretation Referral Service • Community Outreach • Common Playgrounds • LVCIL Freewheelers • CommUnity Club • Transition Services… Logo of LVCIL Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living

7. Why transition services? • Inundated with phone calls from parents… • “My child graduated and they are sitting at home!” • Parents feared their children would lose the skills they gained in school • “We don’t know where to begin!” • From young adults… • “Should I get a job or go to college?” • “How can I achieve my life goals?” • Why it made sense for the LVCIL • A perfect fit for our CIL! • Young adults are our future consumers and CIL leaders

8. The S2L Group • A yearlong program for young adults with disabilities ages 14-25 who have independent living, employment, advocacy and leadership goals • The group meets 2-3 times a month either at LVCIL or in the community • Seminars , team building , social opportunities, volunteering, community involvement • Parents meetings on a regular basis (guest speakers, information, support & advocacy) • http://www.lvcil.org/s2l/ Logo of S2L a program of LVCIL

9. S2L Group Activities • Bowling • Movie night • Parties • Volunteer opportunities • Flapjack fundraiser Young adults bowling Young adults with signs for a car wash Young adults volunteering

10. RWLV Summer program • A 6-week, 3 days-a-week program for young adults ages 14-25 • Held July-August • This past year focused on employment with various speakers, volunteer opportunities, and employment related activities that promote independent living, employment & leadership goals Graphic of The Real World Lehigh Valley

11. RWLV Activities Working on applications Cooking Skills Working on the computer Group in front of a fire truck Learning first aid skills Hanging out at a ball game

12. Show Case: “Nick” • Been with the program from the beginning • Because of Nick we have decreased our advertising budget • Nick has presented to more than a few hundred people • Penn State Conference – A success! • Has a girlfriend • Parents bought a house on a bus line and separate apartment for Nick • Parents. “We would have never would have considered independent living for Nick with out the program.’ • Nick is now spurring interest in IL with others! Nick and his girlfriend

13. Person-Centered Planning • Exploration, brainstorming and planning session • Young adult invites who they want - Stakeholders • All positive – different from IEP • Goals and actions • A living document with a clear vision • Meet regularly – Things may change! • “Person-Centered Planning has been the most important Transition related activity that my family has done.”

14. S2L: Career Path • Developed in partnership with OVR • A program for young adults with disabilities, ages 18-25, who have the goal to get a job • Intensive ‘Skills Training’ • Job Shadowing • One-on-one support • Person-Centered Planning • Career Exploration • Job Development / Job Coaching • Extended Services Logo of S2L Career Path

15. Skills Training • An intensive 8-week program to help prepare young adults for the transition from school to the work world • Includes group activities, seminars, trainings and community work experiences focused on advancing work essential skills • Young adults attend the program at the LVCIL every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30am to 3:15pm. • One-on-one services are also available • Person-Centered Planning • Benefits

16. Career Exploration (i.e. Assessments) • Planned one-on-one work experiences in which a young adult goes to a work site and explores a job for a few hours. • Young adults complete 2-4 assessments, which are determined by their interests/skills during their Person-Centered Plans. • The goal is to complete the assessments within 2 months • Benefits

17. Job Development • Develop a plan based on interests/skills as determined during assessments • Staff work one-on-one with the young adults to pursue competitive employment opportunities • There is no standard for the length of time it takes to find a job • Benefits Young adults working on applications

18. Job Coaching & Follow Along • Support on the job on an as-needed basis for the first 90 days of employment • Fading • Follow Along (a.k.a Extended Services) Working on a farm Serving food Greeting customers

19. Project SEARCH • Chosen provider of assessment services and job coaching for High School students who are participants in Project SEARCH, a nationally recognized program for students in their final year of high school • Program provides internships for students to explore their vocational interests and improve their work skills

20. Career Path Club • Some fun amidst all the hard work! • Events include: • Pot luck brunch • Movie night at a park • Bowling • Laser Tag Young adults sharing a meal • All events include opportunities to network and a learning moment

21. Have you thought about…LIFE? (An Interactive Workshop) A Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, “S2L” Production ! Picture of the Game of LIFE wheel

22. “Have You thought about …Life?”Lehigh Valley Transition Conference • Occurred in 2011 & 2012 • Great turn out for a first time • 75+ young adults • Started the “LTOT” • Transition Chili Cook-off Logo of Have you thought about LIFE? Transition Conference 2012

23. School-Based Services • Since Spring Semester 2012 • Recent developments • Based off of Person-Centered Planning • A la carte Menu of Services including: Skills training, job development, job coaching , transition house skills , life coaching , travel training, etc. • Individual and group Logo of LIFE—living independently for everyone

24. Leadership in Schools • Looking at the current academic standards to see how leadership can be better integrated into a school’s curriculum • The development of lesson plans, worksheets, videos, etc. that can be integrated into an educator’s current lesson plans • The development of a website that will include toolkits, curriculum material , and other resources that educators can easily access • In-service trainings for educators on how to integrate leadership components into their lessons and how to promote disability awareness • Assemblies for students to promote leadership • A statewide campaign to promote leadership for all Logo for I’m a Leader

25. Other Transition Services @ LVCIL • S2L: R2G (Road 2 Graduation) • S2L: Transition House • Research • Consultation • Lehigh Valley Transition Options Team • General I&R

26. Other Transition Doings! • Transition Councils IU 20 and IU 21 • Employment Coalition • PYLN • Adaptations • Autism Waiver Supports Coordination • Medical Home Project • Groups, trainings, outreach, boards, etc. • Oh, the things we want to do!

27. Where we see things going! • Young adult on LVCIL’s board • Transition programming • A new building - Our team has doubled since services began • A sustainable business for vocational skills training • Partnerships: schools , colleges , agencies • A youth transition center in the Lehigh Valley

28. Some cool things going on in PA • Pennsylvania Secondary Transition guide http://www.secondarytransition.org/ • Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network – PYLN http://www.pyln.org/ • Youth State Initiative / OVR http://www.abilitiesinmotion.org/youth_statewide_initiative.html • PA Community On Transition Conference

29. What is going on in Oklahoma? • Please share with us some of the great things that are going on in the great state of Oklahoma!

30. CILs in Oklahoma • Green Country Independent Living Resource Center Bartlesville, OK • Oklahomans for Independent Living McAlester, OK • Ability Resources Tulsa, OK • Sandra Beasley Independent Living Center Enid, OK • Progressive Independence Norman, OK

31. Question & Answer Time