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May 2009Vol. 10, No. 4Guidebook for Youth With Disabilities Aging Out of Foster Care

A partnership between the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities and Florida’s Children First, Inc., has produced a guide to services and information for Florida youth with disabilities who are transitioning from foster care to independent living. Passage From Youth to Adulthood provides practical information on the legal rights of students with disabilities as they transition to adulthood. While the guide is geared toward Florida students, much of the planning and information (especially about Federal laws) is applicable to youth in other States.

The guide reviews the necessary components of a transition plan, including goals related to education, work, and community integration. Some of the specific components of the transition plan include:

  • Student's desired postsecondary school outcome
  • Adult living arrangement
  • Training and services needed to achieve the outcome
  • Practical life skills that have yet to be mastered
  • Guardianship options for adults who cannot manage their own affairs
  • Specific technological devices (supplied by agencies)

The guide also highlights the role of the State's vocational rehabilitation program in providing job training, assistive technology (if needed), and employment-related assistance. The report includes a glossary and a list of State and national transition resources.

Passage From Youth to Adulthood is available for download on the Florida's Children First website:

http://floridaschildrenfirst.org/pdf/Foster_Final_Proof.pdf (5,719 KB)