PreVocational Services
Mark Faulkner, Instructor
Focus of program | Transition | Timeline
The students work in an environment where they are exposed to activities and materials similar to those that they might encounter in future placements. The policies and practices that might be found in a workshop are duplicated as much as is possible. The students work to complete a variety of tasks in an environment unlike their classroom with different sounds and among different students. Workshop participants are paid for their work that they do. The local Lions Club sponsors the student’s pay.
Transition
The intent of the IDEA transition requirements for students who are age 14 or older is to provide individualized instruction and experiences to prepare all students for successful adult life opportunities in the community. The MDT must assure that the secondary educational program will incrementally prepare every student with a disability to live, learn and work upon exiting school. The provision of instruction and experiences, for example—participation in a work experience with a job coach, must be integral components of the student’s secondary educational program. The alternate performance indicators, especially those for Career Development and Occupational Studies, provide the means to assess how individuals with severe disabilities demonstrate knowledge, skills, and understandings as a consequence of their instruction and experience. Accomplishment of Alternate Performance Indicators by these students will help to ensure successful transitions to adult experiences.
Transition Timeline
At age 12: A Level 1 Pre-voc. Evaluation is completed by our Vocational Instructor and added to the IEP process.
At age 14: Your child should attend yearly MDT meetings along with you. Every year on the IEP the Course of Study section of the IEP should be completed with future plans incorporated into it. You should begin to explore various agencies in your local community to see what services are available to adults with disabilities. You should have your child enrolled with the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disability (OMRDD). This agency controls all adult services for people with disabilities. Getting your child registered with them early allows them to financially plan on your child's transitioning. Also, OMRDD has an excellent program called the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Medicaid Waiver. This program is available to our day and five day children and will give you a Service Coordinator who will assist you locally with your plans, as well as assist you with other needs. It is never too early to start completing referrals to agencies to get your child on waiting lists for services.
At age 18: You need to establish Legal Guardianship for your child. You will need to consider registering your child to vote. If you have a son, you need to register him for the draft. You should stop into your local Dept. of Motor Vehicles and get a non-driver Identification card for your child.
Ages 19-21: You should be doing site visits to local agencies. You should be advocating with agencies about the applications you sent to them a few years back. Make sure that you are aware of all the services that agencies such as OMRDD, CBVH, Medicaid can provide you.
Throughout all of this time NYSSB will be assisting you. Our Social Worker can guide you through some of these steps and offer assistance.