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County/Region Level Resources

Agency Navigation Tool

Youth, families, and transition teams will explore a variety of partner agencies to determine which agencies can offer support, services, and resources to assist the youth along the path to employment. This exploration can be overwhelming. To assist the navigation of these agencies, this multi-agency overview can assist team members with a place to start and a way to organize the information.

Download Agency Navigation Tool (PDF)

Community Investment in Transition Youth with Disabilities Tool

The Community Investment in Transition Youth with Disabilities Tool was developed to assist agencies (including schools) and organizations that teach and support transition age youth with disabilities to prepare for adulthood. The tool is a self-assessment process that will guide the agency to examine their readiness and capacity to serve the transition needs of youth in community employment. The tool assists in the identification of areas for improvement and supports the development of a plan for improvement.

Download Investment Tool (PDF)

Download Investment Tool Guidance Document (PDF)

Evidence Based Practices and Evidence Based Predictors for Adult Success

Evidence Based Practices and Predictors are research-based strategies that focus on transition youth. These Practices and Predictors provide guidance to develop and improve youth skills for community employment and participation. The Practice and Predictors are useful to transition professionals across systems and in multiple environments.

Practices and Predictors: Similar Terms but Different Uses

Evidence Based Practices are instructional methods and strategies proven through research to be effective to teach youth specific transition-related skills. The Practices can be used in a variety of settings, such as, classrooms, work sites, community environments, social settings, etc.   The Practices are useful to teach a variety of skills, such as those associated with employment, daily living, communication, academics, job-routines and tasks, independence, and workplace behavior.  

Evidence Based Predictors are activities, services and supports that occur during the school years that have been identified through research as being associated with higher rates of success as youth enter adulthood. The Evidence Based Predictors provide regional teams with ideas for programs and services to build community capacity and investment in serving transition youth.

The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) identified these sets of Evidence Based Practices and Predictors based on high quality research. The NSTTAC website (www.nsttac.org) provides the supporting literature, research methodology, tools, and links about the Practices and Predictors.

Employment First Evidence Based Practices and Predictors Tools

The Ohio Employment First Transition Framework includes tools to assist individuals and teams across agencies to understand, learn more about, and use Evidence Based Practices and Predictors. These tools provide a brief introduction to the practices and predictors and links to more information (including the NSTTAC website). Each document provides a review tool to help individuals and teams identify areas of strength and to prioritize need. Individual youth teams can use the tools to review the IEP and other agency documents to ensure that Evidence Based Practices are individualized and included. District or regional teams can also use the tools to help plan access to Evidence Based Predictors to improve post school outcomes.

Download Evidence Based Practices

Download Evidence Based Predictors

Local Interagency Agreements

Multiple agencies, schools and providers in many counties have come together to work as a local interagency group to support youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to access community member and employment. Many county teams developed and signed local interagency agreements that outline common goals and priorities to guide practice and collaborative work. 

Examples:

Path to Community Employment Case Studies

While each youth’s path to community employment and community membership is unique, it is often helpful to reflect on the steps, supports and strategies that lead to his or her successful outcomes. Learning about others’ journeys can be helpful to multi-agency teams as a way to frame thinking that is Person-Centered, Agency-Neutral and Outcome-Focused. To assist in learning about these journeys, case study examples of a variety of youth with differing profiles are available.

The case studies include:

  • Brief background information about the youth
  • Summary of transition assessment tools and data leading to adult life goals
  • A graphic overview of the youth’s pathway to employment from early education years to young adulthood, including various agency involvement and services
  • A narrative description of the graphic information

These example case studies may be used for personal reflection on how to create a meaningful path from school to adulthood. Or they can be used to create professional development experiences and discussions. In any case, the user should be aware that these case studies are examples and are not intended to be replicated, directive or used as the standard. Each person’s journey is unique and must be based on their own individual preferences, interests, needs and skills/strengths. The examples below are offered as a tool for multi-agency teams as they work together to create high expectations for all youth as they become young adults.

 

Kesha’s Path to Community Employment

Case Study of Student Identified with an Intellectual Disability

 

Craig’s Path to Community Employment

Case Study of a Student with a Serious Emotional Disturbance

 

Sarah’s Path to Community Employment

Case Study of Student Identified with Multiple Disabilities

 

Caleb’s Path to Community Employment

Case Study of Student Identified with a Learning Disability

 

Coming Soon

  • Anthony’s Path to Community Employment
  • Case Study of Student Identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Tasha’s Path to Community Employment
  • Case Study of Student with a Hearing Impairment
  • Mike’s Path to Community Employment
  • Case Study of Student with a Visual Impairment

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Pre-employment Transition Services

Pre-Employment Transition Services are offered to students through Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities and are introductory services that are intended to help students with disabilities get an early start in identifying career interests. Pre-Employment Transition Services are for students with disabilities who need these services and have been determined eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services or are potentially eligible but have not applied for VR services.  To learn more about Pre-Employment Transition Services please visit the following link:

http://ood.ohio.gov/Transition-Students/Pre-Employment-Transition-Services

Quick Guide - Guiding Questions for Employment First Transition Team Development

Getting started with a local Employment First Transition Youth Team? Use these 10 guiding questions to help you get started with the development of a local or county Employment First Team for Transition Youth. This tool could also be used to double-check your plans to implement the Employment First Transition Framework for youth with disabilities in your school district or county.

Download Quick Guide

Team MAP Showcase

Team MAP (Multi Agency Planning) has been a 2-year effort. 11 counties formed multi agency Teams for the purpose of crafting a strategic plan. All of the strategic plans focused on improving the capacity of the county to serve transition age youth across systems.

On May 8, 2019, all the Teams came together to Showcase a ‘product’ developed as a result of goals in their plan. The videos below give an overview of the product.

Vocabulary Crosswalk

Transition teams consistently identify poor communication as a barrier to collaboration and successful transition planning among multi-agency teams. Agency words and terms can lead to misunderstanding, limit discussions, and prevent collaboration. The Vocabulary Crosswalk is a reference tool that can be consulted to clarify confusing vocabulary.

Download Vocabulary Crosswalk (PDF)