Preparing Young Adults for Independence: Transition and Moving Out

1. Preparing Young Adults for Independence: Transition and Moving Out Mary Scott Transition Resource Teacher Baltimore County Public Schools & Annie’s mom Diane Dressler Program Director for Adult Training and Services Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute

2. We believe that… People control where and with whom they live. People live in inclusive communities. People choose who will best support them to meet their goals and needs. Environments support the person.

3. Act as if it will happen or it will never happen!

4. Steps towards the vision Step #1: Apply for SSI upon young adult’s 18th birthday • www.ssa.gov • Include copies of all evaluations, assessments, school records related to disability. Make sure that the diagnosis is clear. • Describe the young adults needs based on his or her WORST day. Benefits Information/Counseling: • Local Center for Independent Living (CIL) • Maryland Department of Disabilities www.mdod.maryland.gov/Disability%20Benefits%20Home.aspx

5. Steps towards the vision Step #2: Apply for Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) when young adult is 18. • Apply at the public housing agency where the young adult lives and/or works: www.huduser.org/portal/datasets/fmr.html • Provide a secondary contact: family member, resource coordinator. • Identify applicant as a person with a disability. • Notify the housing office of any change in address!

6. Credit Establish credit • Open a checking/savings account • Not reported to credit bureaus • Vital for lender and rental consideration

7. Credit • Apply for credit card, personal loan • Apply for unsecured credit first • If denied, apply for secured credit • Parents/guardian can designate young adult as authorized user on their accounts

8. Credit • Open a cell phone account • Pay for room and board with a check, obtain a receipt and track payments

9. Credit Helpful websites for learning to establish credit: • www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/ccc/establish.html • www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/best-ways-to-establish-credit.aspx

10. Budgeting Make a budget - List all income • List all expenses • Include savings • Do not exceed the SSI asset and resource limit ($2,000)

11. Steps towards the vision Step #5: Determine your housing strategy • Family home • Group home • Individual family care • Rented room, apartment or house • Purchase home

12. Steps toward the vision Step #5: Determine your housing strategy • Shared home • Informal arrangement with family or friends • Residential supports through MHA

13. Steps towards the vision Step #6: Determine your in-home supports strategy • Natural supports (family, friends, neighbors) • Paid supports • Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA): www.ddamaryland.org • Medicaid Personal Care Program: www.dhmh.state.md.us.mma/longtermcare/html/medicaidpersonalcare • MD Dept. of Disabilities Attendant Care Program: www.mdod.state.md.us

14. Housing Strategies

15. Family home • In-home supports • Natural • Paid • Environmental modifications • MD Technical Assistance Program www.mdtap.org • Dept. of Rehabilitation Services: www.dors.state.md.us • Dept. of Housing and Community Development: www.mdhousing.org • Local governments

16. Group home • Available through DDA • Also called Alternative Living Unit (3 or fewer unrelated persons). • Services are funded by DDA – housing is NOT. • Must be “DD Eligible”. • Controlled by service provider (owned or leased). • Choice limitations • Where to live • With whom to live.

17. Individual Family Care (IFC) • Available through DDA. • Must be “DD Eligible”. • Person lives with a caregiver in the caregiver’s home. • Caregiver is trained to provide supports. • Similar to adult foster care.

18. Renting • Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) • HUD Rental assistance program administered by local public housing agencies (PHA) • Find your local PHA here: www.hud.gov/offices/pih/pha/contacts/states/md.cfm • Will provide an extra bedroom (no additional rent) for a live-in care giver if medical documentation supports the need. • Section 8 Made Simple: www.tacinc.org/downloads/Sect8_2ndEd.pdf

19. Renting • Public Housing • Through local public housing agency. • Some counties have this, some don’t. The HUD website provides information about PHA programs • Project-based rental assistance • Resources vary by local area • Listed on www.mdhousingsearch.org • PRA (Project Rental Assistance) • New program – may be available 2013

20. Reasonable accommodation “A change in rules, policies, practices, or services so that a person with a disability will have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling unit or common space.” • Section 504 of Rehab Act • Fair Housing Act • Americans with Disabilities Act

21. Reasonable accommodation • Examples • Extra bedroom if medical documentation supports need • Live-in care giver • Medical equipment • Additional time to transition & find unit • Adjustment to rent payment standard • Up to 120% FMR without special HUD permission

22. Renter’s insurance • Most landlords require renter’s insurance for tenant’s and landlord’s protection. • Covers household contents. • Typical cost is $5-40 per month depending on coverage amount, deductible and location. • Ask family and friends for recommendations. Explanation of renter’s insurance: www.mdinsurance.state.md.us/sa/docs/documents/consumer/publications/rentersinsurance.pdf

23. Homeownership • Owning a home does not affect Medicaid, SSI or SSDI benefits!! • Paying roommate is allowable – roommate contribution cannot be more than an equal share of expenses (mortgage, utilities and food). • Homeownership for Individuals with Disabilities Program www.dhcd.maryland.gov/Website/programs/hidp/Default.aspx

24. Shared living • Paying roommate • Supports in lieu of rent • Live-in caregiver • Section 8 • Medicaid Waiver - funding for additional rent for care giver bedroom

25. Informal arrangements • Some families create their own in-home support system using family and community resources. • Use personal resources, friends, faith-based community – whatever it takes.

26. Residential supports through Mental Hygiene Administration • Anyone accessing MHA resources needs to have Medical Assistance. • Each county has a Core Service Agency that helps people find resources. • MHA Website: www.dhmh.maryland.gov/mha “Navigating the Transition Years” Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health www.mdtransition.org/uploadedfiles/MHNavigation

27. Finding affordable housing • Go Section 8 www.gosection8.com • MD Housing Search www.mdhousingsearch.org • Realtors, newspapers, Craig’s List • PHA office (if person has a voucher)

28. If you find a good solution and become attached to it, the solution may become your next problem. Dr. Robert Anthony

29. Finding support staff • Write a job description • Information re: person’s interests & activities • Specific to support needs • Require criminal background check; drug test; good driving record if driving is included in the job • Ask for personal references

30. Finding support staff • Send job description to everyone you know! • Look in local community (colleges – friends – schools – churches - social groups) before advertising on the Internet or in the paper A word about care.com www.care.com

31. Finding support staff • Have a trusted person screen calls • Interview in a public place • Invite person’s friend or family member to join the interview • Have job applicant spend time with person before hiring

32. Form a circle of support • Meet with family, roommate, support staff and friends regularly to talk about how things are going • Use circle to problem solve • Keep notes about decisions and check with circle to make sure tasks are accomplished

33. And now the fun part! • If you receive DDA-funded services, ask about start-up funds for furnishing your home. • Ask family and friends to help you gather furniture, kitchen items, linens and accessories. • Check thrift stores, consignment shops and auctions for great deals.

34. Making home beautiful! • Reflect the person’s personality • Choose favorite colors, hang favorite pictures, enjoy the process! • Furnishing a home: www.ehow.com/info_8167451_list-essential-household-items.html • Supplying a kitchen: http://housewares.about.com/od/homeessentials/u/housewares.htm

35. A furniture and life lesson… Arrange whatever pieces come your way! Virginia Woolf

36. Additional information… • Creative Housing Solutions, LLC http://gbcchs.com • Kennedy Krieger Resource Finder http://resourcefinder.kennedykrieger.org • Technical Assistance Collaborative www.tacinc.org

37. Additional information… • National Low Income Housing Coalition http://nlihc.org • National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modifications www.usc.edu/dept/gero/nrcshhm

38. Additional information… • Assistive Technology www.mdod.maryland.gov/MTAPHome.aspx • Maryland Housing and Disability Services Resource Guide www.kennedykrieger.org/sites/kki2.com/file/housing_resource_2011update.pdf • Maryland Community Services Locator www.mdcsl.org

39. Additional information… • Baltimore Area Center for Independent Living (CIL) www.image.org • Maryland transitioning youth website www.mdtransition.org

40. At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope that it can be done, then they see it can be done – then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago. Frances Hodgson Burnett

41. Contact Information Mary E. Scott Diane Dressler Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute 443-923-9555 dressler@kennedykrieger.org Baltimore County Public Schools 410-821-1082 mscott3@bcps.org