“How strange that the nature of life is change, yet the nature of human beings is to resist change. And how ironic that the difficult times we fear might ruin us are the very ones that can break us open and help us blossom into who we were meant to be.”
― Elizabeth Lesser, Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow
Transition Planning/Planning for Adulthood:
Transition, like a crossroad, involves change. Transition planning makes a bridge between life while you're in high school and life after school. Transition plans are part of the IEP. They help the student and family work toward the student’s dreams, wishes, choices, strengths, and needs for life after high school. The IEP/transition team wants to help the student and family learn to plan for the future. This includes the areas of education, training, work, daily living, spare-time activities, being part of the Genesee community, help for people older than 18 years, and having friends.
According to research, when students plan for transition and learn self-advocacy & self-determination skills, they do better after they graduate. It’s never too early to start planning. Activities and plans should begin no later than 7th grade at Genesee. They will continue until graduation.
Parents/Extended Family: As a parent, you are an important part of the transition team; nobody knows your young adult as well as you do. The transition team may also include agencies that will assist your son/daughter after graduation, teachers, school counselor, friends, and family members. You may want to get your whole family together for a family meeting. This would include all members of the family who have a close relationship to your young adult. As a family group you can focus on your child’s strengths and dreams, but also discuss his/her needs and what you think is important for the school to do to assist your young adult to be successful. We may ask you to complete a Parent Transition Survey to get your ideas and wishes. Students will complete a Student Transition Survey. This way we will get a more complete picture of your young adult's strengths, needs, dreams, and abilities.
Cultural Considerations: Some of the questions in a transition assessment or interview might not recognize the traditions of your family. "Person-centered" may appear to be too "individual-centered" if your culture places more value on the needs of the group before the needs of the individual. My hope is that when we do parent interviews we can discuss your family dynamics and figure out what your dreams, wishes, and expectations are for your son/daughter.
Family Business: Since Genesee is a farming community, the expectations in your family may be for your son/daughter to continue in the family business. In this case, we may focus on different transition skills rather than finding a job/profession.
Transition, like a crossroad, involves change. Transition planning makes a bridge between life while you're in high school and life after school. Transition plans are part of the IEP. They help the student and family work toward the student’s dreams, wishes, choices, strengths, and needs for life after high school. The IEP/transition team wants to help the student and family learn to plan for the future. This includes the areas of education, training, work, daily living, spare-time activities, being part of the Genesee community, help for people older than 18 years, and having friends.
According to research, when students plan for transition and learn self-advocacy & self-determination skills, they do better after they graduate. It’s never too early to start planning. Activities and plans should begin no later than 7th grade at Genesee. They will continue until graduation.
Parents/Extended Family: As a parent, you are an important part of the transition team; nobody knows your young adult as well as you do. The transition team may also include agencies that will assist your son/daughter after graduation, teachers, school counselor, friends, and family members. You may want to get your whole family together for a family meeting. This would include all members of the family who have a close relationship to your young adult. As a family group you can focus on your child’s strengths and dreams, but also discuss his/her needs and what you think is important for the school to do to assist your young adult to be successful. We may ask you to complete a Parent Transition Survey to get your ideas and wishes. Students will complete a Student Transition Survey. This way we will get a more complete picture of your young adult's strengths, needs, dreams, and abilities.
Cultural Considerations: Some of the questions in a transition assessment or interview might not recognize the traditions of your family. "Person-centered" may appear to be too "individual-centered" if your culture places more value on the needs of the group before the needs of the individual. My hope is that when we do parent interviews we can discuss your family dynamics and figure out what your dreams, wishes, and expectations are for your son/daughter.
Family Business: Since Genesee is a farming community, the expectations in your family may be for your son/daughter to continue in the family business. In this case, we may focus on different transition skills rather than finding a job/profession.
parent_transition_survey_genesee2014.pdf | |
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student_transition_survey_genesee2014.pdf | |
File Size: | 273 kb |
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Transition Planning, A Team Effort by NICHCY is an overview of transition services; what collaboration is; agencies and what type of services they offer; potential consultants for the transition team (pg 7); planning for education/independent living after high school; and a phone interview guide (pg. 16) to help guide your discussion when calling agencies for information. You can download this guide below.
transition_planning-__a_team_effort.pdf | |
File Size: | 261 kb |
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Transition Guide for Teachers/Parents from US Dept. of Education
www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/transition/products/postsecondary-transition-guide-may-2017.pdf
www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/transition/products/postsecondary-transition-guide-may-2017.pdf
Transition Resources: found by clicking on links in the Genesee Transition Toolbox above or Transition Favorites at the bottom of this page
Financial Supports and Services: This section of the resources will give you information about Supplemental Security Income, the PASS plan, budgeting, credit counseling agencies, social security, and earned income tax credit.
Fun Things to Do (Community Activities) in Genesee/Lewiston/Moscow: This section will give many indoor and outdoor activities to do solo or with others. It is important to balance work with relaxation with friends.
Health: This section will give you information on Medicaid, how to apply for Medicaid, various medical/mental health facilities, free clinics, and info about spinal cord or brain injuries.
Life Skills/Living Options: This section gives you information about finding housing, agencies that can help with learning life skills for living independently, and help with finances to find affordable housing.
Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy: We will work on this at the school, but try to find opportunities at home for your young adult to learn to speak up in a respectful way. Give your young adult choices. Help him/her to learn about strengths, needs, dreams, and wishes.
Transition Planning Timeline: This gives you an idea of what transition activities we try to do at each grade level before your young adult graduates.
Transportation: This section gives you some of the options (besides walking or riding your bike) for transportation in the Lewiston/Clarkston Valley and in Moscow.
Additional Resources: This section has information about assistive technology, child care, additional developmental disability resources, sign interpretive services, free meal sites/food banks, and other resources that didn't fit into the other categories listed above.
National Laws, State/District Policies: These sections have info about current laws, regulations, and policies.
Financial Supports and Services: This section of the resources will give you information about Supplemental Security Income, the PASS plan, budgeting, credit counseling agencies, social security, and earned income tax credit.
Fun Things to Do (Community Activities) in Genesee/Lewiston/Moscow: This section will give many indoor and outdoor activities to do solo or with others. It is important to balance work with relaxation with friends.
Health: This section will give you information on Medicaid, how to apply for Medicaid, various medical/mental health facilities, free clinics, and info about spinal cord or brain injuries.
Life Skills/Living Options: This section gives you information about finding housing, agencies that can help with learning life skills for living independently, and help with finances to find affordable housing.
Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy: We will work on this at the school, but try to find opportunities at home for your young adult to learn to speak up in a respectful way. Give your young adult choices. Help him/her to learn about strengths, needs, dreams, and wishes.
Transition Planning Timeline: This gives you an idea of what transition activities we try to do at each grade level before your young adult graduates.
Transportation: This section gives you some of the options (besides walking or riding your bike) for transportation in the Lewiston/Clarkston Valley and in Moscow.
Additional Resources: This section has information about assistive technology, child care, additional developmental disability resources, sign interpretive services, free meal sites/food banks, and other resources that didn't fit into the other categories listed above.
National Laws, State/District Policies: These sections have info about current laws, regulations, and policies.
TRANSITION TERMINOLOGY and ACRONYMS
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
ADA / Americans with Disabilities Act (1990): The civil rights act for persons with disabilities.
Addiction: Physical or psychological dependence on a substance, with lack of the substance causing withdrawal symptoms.
ADL / Activities of Daily Living: Basic skills such as housekeeping, meal planning and preparation, money management, arranging social activities, use of public transportation and self-medication.
Advocacy: Speaking up for others or for yourself, such as equal access to community services.
Aging Out: Term applying to a student who is nearing the end of his/her school career. It is generally used in regard to students who have severe disabilities and who will require programs and services into their adult years.
Assistive Technology Device: Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off-the-shelf, modified or customized, that increases, maintains, or improves functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
Career / Vocational Assessment: The systematic collection of information about the student’s vocational aptitudes, abilities, expressed interest, and occupational awareness used in planning his or her transition to competitive employment or postsecondary education.
Caregiver: One who looks after or takes charge of a person.
CBI: Community Based Instruction: Integrating students into their community as part of their education.
Community-Based: Services provided in a non-institutional setting, preferably in individual’s home community.
Community Residence: A facility in the community providing room, board, and clinical supervision and homelike environment. Two examples are group homes and halfway houses.
Competitive Employment: A job in the community in which the hiring, salary, and job description, and evaluations are handled equally for all employees.
Counseling: Advice or guidance provided by training, licensed professional such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or a social worker.
Crisis Intervention: Assisting individuals or their families in emergency situations, for example, housing, medical, and/or psychiatric needs.
Day Treatment: A planned combination of broad diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitated services provided during daytime hours while the person with a mental illness lives at home or in the community residence.
Detoxification: The process of restoring physiological functioning after it has been seriously disturbed by alcohol, drugs, or other addictive substances.
Diagnosis (Primary): The name of the major conditions (physical, developmental, or mental) for which a person is being treated. Note: This is different than the IEP "eligibility category" which is just used for school services.
Diagnosis (Secondary): The name of an additional or secondary condition (physical, developmental, or mental) for which a person is being treated. Note: This is different than the IEP "eligibility category."
DSS: Department of Social Services: This department provides a wide array of services for people who are economically and socially disadvantaged. The department also supervises residential facilities to protect the rights of clients and ensure adequate levels of care.
Dual Diagnosis: A term referring to individuals having diagnoses in one (or more) of the following: mental illness, cognitive impairment or developmental disabilities, or substance abuse.
Dysfunctional: The inability or impaired ability of a body part or system to function as expected.
Educational Surrogate Parent: A person who is appointed to serve as a parent representative to the school, for a student receiving special education services, when parental rights have been terminated or the parents/guardians are unknown or cannot be located.
Emotionally Disabled Diagnosis: Unable to function in a variety of settings due to significant social/emotional or behavioral challenges. This is a clinical diagnosis that refers to separate and specific mental health disorders that might include, but isn't limited to: depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and schizophrenia See SIED.
Emotional or Behavioral Disability: A term and eligibility category that refers to students who have difficulties in school that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
Family Care: A program in which persons with a mental illness are placed in approved private homes for room, board, care and supervision.
Family Directed Planning: A planning process in which the student and the student’s family are the team leaders.
Family Support Groups: Self-help groups for family members who have a relative with a disability.
Functional Disability: A diminished ability to perform independently in specific areas of living. This conclusion is based on a functional assessment.
Group Home: See Community Residence
Guardianship: A court proceeding that grants decision-making authority for an adult with a significant cognitive disability to a third party (e.g., parent is granted decision-making power over their child's finances.)
Halfway House: A supervised community residence or group home for individuals recovering from mental illness after they have been discharged from the hospital and before they are able to live independently.
Home-based Care: Care provided in the home in which an individual usually lives.
Hospitalization: Placement into a large residential facility, generally operated by a government agency. Usually refers to a developmental center or psychiatric center.
Housing and Shelter Allowances: Cash grants or vouchers to help people provide for housing needs.
IDEA: Individuals With Disabilities Education Act: Reauthorization of PL 94-192. These are federal regulations that govern special education, IEP, and transition services.
IDT: Intensive Day Treatment: An educational program designed to support children and adolescents who are not currently dangerous and who are experiencing a crisis at home and / or school. The program provides short-term, intensive intervention, treatment, and educational support. The goal of the IDT program is to return the student to the home school within 30 days.
IEP: Individualized Education Program: The written plan designed to help develop specific educational goals for the child with disabilities. It identifies the disability; describes the child's strengths and areas of need; lists goals that the child should reach in a years time; includes short-term instructional objectives that represent a series of skills to master or goals to accomplish; and, identifies programs and services, including regular education, that the child will receive. The IEP is reviewed each year. From age 14 on, the IEP will also address transition needs and services.
IEP Team: A multi-disciplinary team including the student and parents that reviews evaluations and recommends special educational programs and services for children with disabilities.
In-Home Respite / Respite Care: Services in the home of the disabled individual to relieve the usual caregiver (parent, spouse, sibling, etc.) of the care of the individual for period of time.
Independent Living: Living in a house or apartment alone or with others, but not with a family member or professional staff.
Independent Living Center (ILC): Community-based programs that provide assistance to persons with disabilities to insure full participation in community life.
Intensive Case Management (ICM): Intensive community support for individuals recovering with mental illness.
Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation: A time-limited, ONH-licensed program for treatment--staff and client develop a mutually-agreed-on plan that outlines specific goals, methods, and a timetable to help the client acquire the skills and support to live, work, learn, and participate in social relationships in the community.
Intensive Supportive Community Residence: A community residence program for persons recovering from mental illness that provides support through daily staff visits. Skills to be learned include meal preparation, hopping, laundry, and cleaning.
Invisible Disability: A disability with no visible or obvious physical manifestation. A visible disability could include a missing limb or Down's Syndrome. An invisible disability could include Schizophrenia or Dyslexia.
Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE): A training plan written by a DVR counselor that leads to employment. Replaces the term IWRP.
IWRP: Individualized Written Rehabilitation Plan -replaced by IPE.
Job: An immediate task, paid or unpaid.
Job Coach: A person who provides assistance to an individual with a disability to learn or maintain a job. This can include training and support at the job site. See supported employment.
Job Training: Program that prepares people for job opportunities.
Learning Disability or Specific Learning Disability (LD or SLD): A processing disorder that causes students to have a problem listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, or doing arithmetic. A learning disability is not primarily due to the physical, mental, or emotional disability or to environmental, cultural or economic factors. Specific Learning Disability is an eligibility category for an IEP in Idaho.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): A work, school, or living situation that allows individuals as much freedom of choice and independence as possible without endangering their health or physical safety.
Leisure-Time Skills: Generally refers to skills such as developing hobbies, making choices about what recreational or social activities to attend, deciding how to spend free time, and putting the ideas into action.
Medicaid: An Idaho program of monetary assistance for people who cannot afford to pay for medical care. Transportation and medical services are some of the activities that can be funded by Medicaid.
Medicare: A federal health insurance program mainly for persons aged 65 or older, with some limited benefits for younger persons who have been eligible for Social Security disability benefits for more than two years.
Mental Illness: A general term denoting disorders that affect feelings, thoughts, or behavior characterized by distressing symptoms or impaired functioning over a period of time.
Multi-Disciplinary Team: A group of professional and non-professional staff, such as teachers, nurses, social workers, doctors, speech therapist, physical therapists, etc. This team usually includes family members and the student in the planning and decision-making process.
Multiply Disabled: Students who have two or more disabilities that result in multiple sensory or motor deficiencies and developmental lags in the cognitive, affective, or cycle motor areas.
Networking: Sharing information or services among individuals, groups, or agencies.
Occupational Therapy: Planned activity for persons with disabilities to help them gain greater independence in living and work environments and prevent further disabilities.
Ombudsman: A person who investigates and mediates a client's problems and complaints in relation to an agency's services.
Personal Adjustment Training: A DVR-sponsored training period to determine an individual's readiness to work.
Peer Counseling: A type of guidance in which persons of the same age, disability, or other similar interest are trained to help or guide others.
PL 94-142: Public Law 94-142: Federal law signed in 1975 that mandates that students with disabilities have the right to a free and appropriate public education, instruction in the least restrictive environment, with equal access and due process. Reauthorized as IDEA.
Pre-Vocational: The term referring to activities designed to prepare an individual for a job and teach job-related behaviors.
Primary Caregiver: The person who spends the most time in caring for someone who is unable to be independent.
Psychological Evaluation: An assessment of performance and capabilities which uses psychological tests to guide the establishment of appropriate interventions.
Psycho-Social Evaluation: An assessment of an individual's thoughts, emotions, and interactions with people.
Recreational Therapy: A structured plan to develop a healthy body and mind through fun and relaxation.
Referral: Sending a client to another source or provider to get advice or treatment.
Rehabilitation: The process of regaining lost functions and skills
Rehabilitation Act of 1973: The federal act that makes provisions for training, equipment, and other services that people with disabilities may need in order to work and live independently in their communities.
Residential Care/Treatment: Programs providing therapeutic living environments in Community-based facilities such as community residences.
Respite: Time away from the responsibilities of caring for someone who cannot care for him/herself.
School to Work Opportunities Act: The federal act that provides funding for systemic change that includes work-based, school-based and connecting activities to create quality opportunities for all students.
Screen: To test for signs of the disorder that might require further investigation.
Section 504 (Sec. 504): The anti-discrimination sections of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 revised 2008 that affects all programs receiving federal funding.
Self-Advocacy: The process of obtaining needed services for oneself.
Self-Determination: A process in which the individual’s preferences, interest, abilities, and wishes are the focus of planning and implementing activities.
Self-Help: Assisting oneself. Refers also to groups who meet to help one another.
Service Coordinator: An advocate chosen by the consumer to assist in assessing health and social service systems and to assure that all required services are obtained.
Sheltered Workshop: A place where individuals with disabilities work for pay (usually below minimum wage), while they learn additional skills.
Sliding Scale Fee: Amount of money charged for professional services based on a client's ability to pay.
Social Security: Federal government income plan payable to retired workers, survivors, and individuals with disabilities, who qualify.
Special Education: Specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of the child with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom, homes, hospitals and institutions, and in other settings.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Basic monthly financial assistance for people with disabilities who are not gainfully employed and for the elderly.
Social Security Disability Income (SSDI): Provides benefits to workers or certain members of a worker’s family who may qualify, based on an impairment severe enough to prevent working for a year or more, or which is expected to result in death. The definition requires total disability. Benefits will continue as long as the person is medically disabled and not engaged in substantial gainful employment.
Support Groups: Groups of people with similar needs and concerns who meet together to support each other and the share information.
Supported Apartment: An apartment where a person with disability gets help in order to live as independently as possible.
Supported Employment: A program for persons with substantial disabilities designed to assist integration into competitive employment.
Therapeutic Recreation: See Recreational Therapy
Transition: The passing from one condition, activity or place to another. The movement from school to adult life and the world of work. The transition is complex and involves decisions about career, living arrangements, social and financial goals.
Transition Services: A coordinated set of activities for students as part of the IEP, designed to promote movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, training, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, related services, independent living, or community participation. Transition planning becomes a part of the IEP process for students beginning at age 16. (although at Genesee we start in the 7th grade)
Triennial Review: A complete review of the student’s special education eligibility status conducted every three years by the IEP team.
Vocational (Career) Assessment: The systematic collection of information about the student’s vocational aptitudes, abilities, expressed interests, and occupational awareness used in planning a transition to competitive employment or post secondary education.
Wechlser Adult Intelligence Scale – Revised (WAIS-R): A test of mental ability for those over age 16.
Work Adjustment Training (WAT): A DVR sponsored training period to determine an individual's readiness to work.
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (3rd Edition): WISC III A test of mental ability for children 6 to 16 years at age.
Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI): A test of mental ability for children under six years of age.
Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Ability: a test of cognitive strengths and weaknesses. (WJ-IV has just been released 4/2014)
Woodcock-Johnson III NU Tests of Academic Achievement: tests to assess reading, writing, mathematic broad scores and related subtests. (WJ-IV has just been released 4/2014)
Transition Acronyms
ADA American’s with Disabilities Act
ADD Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder
AFDC Aid to Families with Dependent Children
AT Assistive Technology
CMHC Community Mental Health Center
CP Cerebral Palsy
DD Developmentally Disabled; Developmentally Delayed
DDS Developmental Disabilities Services
DHS Department of Human Services
DPH Department of Public Health
DSS Department of Social Services
DVR Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
EBD Emotional / Behavioral Disorder or Emotional-Behavioral Disability
ED Emotional Disturbance; Emotionally Disabled
ESY Extended School Year
FAPE Free Appropriate Public Education
GT Gifted / Talented
HCFA Health Care Finance Administration
HCPF Health Care Policy and Financing
HMO Health Maintenance Organization
I and R Information and Referral
IATP Idaho Assistive Technology Project
IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDOL Idaho Department of Labor
IEP Individual Education Program
ILC Independent Living Center
IRWE Impairment Related Work Expense
ITP Individual Transition Plan
JTPA Job Training Partnership Act
K-12 Kindergarten through 12th Grade
LD or SLD Learning Disability or Specific Learning Disability
LEA Local Education Agency
LRE Least Restrictive Environment
LCSW Licensed Certified Social Worker
MD Muscular Dystrophy
MR Mental Retardation (Cognitive Disability)
MS Multiple Sclerosis
MSW Masters of Social Work
O and M Orientation and Mobility
OJT On-the-Job Training
OT Occupational Therapy (Therapist)
OTR Registered Occupational Therapist
PASS Plan for Achieving Self-Support
PCD Perceptual Communicative Disorder
PE Physical Education
PT Physical Therapy (Therapist)
SGA Substantial Gainful Activity
SIED Seriously Emotionally Disturbed, Severely Emotionally Disturbed
SLD Specific Learning Disability
SLS Supported Living Services
SLIC Significantly Limited Intellectual Capacity
SPED Special Education
SSA Social Security Administration
SSI Supplemental Security Income
SSDI Social Security Disability Insurance
STW School-to-Work; School-to-Career
SWAAAC State Wide Alternative Augmentative Assistive Communication
TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
TBI Traumatic Brain Injury
TWP Trial Work Period
VH Visually Handicapped
VI Visually Impaired
VR Vocational Rehabilitation
WFDC Workforce Development Center
WIA Workforce Investment Act
WOTC Work Opportunities Tax Credit
WtW Welfare-to-Work
ADA / Americans with Disabilities Act (1990): The civil rights act for persons with disabilities.
Addiction: Physical or psychological dependence on a substance, with lack of the substance causing withdrawal symptoms.
ADL / Activities of Daily Living: Basic skills such as housekeeping, meal planning and preparation, money management, arranging social activities, use of public transportation and self-medication.
Advocacy: Speaking up for others or for yourself, such as equal access to community services.
Aging Out: Term applying to a student who is nearing the end of his/her school career. It is generally used in regard to students who have severe disabilities and who will require programs and services into their adult years.
Assistive Technology Device: Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off-the-shelf, modified or customized, that increases, maintains, or improves functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
Career / Vocational Assessment: The systematic collection of information about the student’s vocational aptitudes, abilities, expressed interest, and occupational awareness used in planning his or her transition to competitive employment or postsecondary education.
Caregiver: One who looks after or takes charge of a person.
CBI: Community Based Instruction: Integrating students into their community as part of their education.
Community-Based: Services provided in a non-institutional setting, preferably in individual’s home community.
Community Residence: A facility in the community providing room, board, and clinical supervision and homelike environment. Two examples are group homes and halfway houses.
Competitive Employment: A job in the community in which the hiring, salary, and job description, and evaluations are handled equally for all employees.
Counseling: Advice or guidance provided by training, licensed professional such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or a social worker.
Crisis Intervention: Assisting individuals or their families in emergency situations, for example, housing, medical, and/or psychiatric needs.
Day Treatment: A planned combination of broad diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitated services provided during daytime hours while the person with a mental illness lives at home or in the community residence.
Detoxification: The process of restoring physiological functioning after it has been seriously disturbed by alcohol, drugs, or other addictive substances.
Diagnosis (Primary): The name of the major conditions (physical, developmental, or mental) for which a person is being treated. Note: This is different than the IEP "eligibility category" which is just used for school services.
Diagnosis (Secondary): The name of an additional or secondary condition (physical, developmental, or mental) for which a person is being treated. Note: This is different than the IEP "eligibility category."
DSS: Department of Social Services: This department provides a wide array of services for people who are economically and socially disadvantaged. The department also supervises residential facilities to protect the rights of clients and ensure adequate levels of care.
Dual Diagnosis: A term referring to individuals having diagnoses in one (or more) of the following: mental illness, cognitive impairment or developmental disabilities, or substance abuse.
Dysfunctional: The inability or impaired ability of a body part or system to function as expected.
Educational Surrogate Parent: A person who is appointed to serve as a parent representative to the school, for a student receiving special education services, when parental rights have been terminated or the parents/guardians are unknown or cannot be located.
Emotionally Disabled Diagnosis: Unable to function in a variety of settings due to significant social/emotional or behavioral challenges. This is a clinical diagnosis that refers to separate and specific mental health disorders that might include, but isn't limited to: depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and schizophrenia See SIED.
Emotional or Behavioral Disability: A term and eligibility category that refers to students who have difficulties in school that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
Family Care: A program in which persons with a mental illness are placed in approved private homes for room, board, care and supervision.
Family Directed Planning: A planning process in which the student and the student’s family are the team leaders.
Family Support Groups: Self-help groups for family members who have a relative with a disability.
Functional Disability: A diminished ability to perform independently in specific areas of living. This conclusion is based on a functional assessment.
Group Home: See Community Residence
Guardianship: A court proceeding that grants decision-making authority for an adult with a significant cognitive disability to a third party (e.g., parent is granted decision-making power over their child's finances.)
Halfway House: A supervised community residence or group home for individuals recovering from mental illness after they have been discharged from the hospital and before they are able to live independently.
Home-based Care: Care provided in the home in which an individual usually lives.
Hospitalization: Placement into a large residential facility, generally operated by a government agency. Usually refers to a developmental center or psychiatric center.
Housing and Shelter Allowances: Cash grants or vouchers to help people provide for housing needs.
IDEA: Individuals With Disabilities Education Act: Reauthorization of PL 94-192. These are federal regulations that govern special education, IEP, and transition services.
IDT: Intensive Day Treatment: An educational program designed to support children and adolescents who are not currently dangerous and who are experiencing a crisis at home and / or school. The program provides short-term, intensive intervention, treatment, and educational support. The goal of the IDT program is to return the student to the home school within 30 days.
IEP: Individualized Education Program: The written plan designed to help develop specific educational goals for the child with disabilities. It identifies the disability; describes the child's strengths and areas of need; lists goals that the child should reach in a years time; includes short-term instructional objectives that represent a series of skills to master or goals to accomplish; and, identifies programs and services, including regular education, that the child will receive. The IEP is reviewed each year. From age 14 on, the IEP will also address transition needs and services.
IEP Team: A multi-disciplinary team including the student and parents that reviews evaluations and recommends special educational programs and services for children with disabilities.
In-Home Respite / Respite Care: Services in the home of the disabled individual to relieve the usual caregiver (parent, spouse, sibling, etc.) of the care of the individual for period of time.
Independent Living: Living in a house or apartment alone or with others, but not with a family member or professional staff.
Independent Living Center (ILC): Community-based programs that provide assistance to persons with disabilities to insure full participation in community life.
Intensive Case Management (ICM): Intensive community support for individuals recovering with mental illness.
Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation: A time-limited, ONH-licensed program for treatment--staff and client develop a mutually-agreed-on plan that outlines specific goals, methods, and a timetable to help the client acquire the skills and support to live, work, learn, and participate in social relationships in the community.
Intensive Supportive Community Residence: A community residence program for persons recovering from mental illness that provides support through daily staff visits. Skills to be learned include meal preparation, hopping, laundry, and cleaning.
Invisible Disability: A disability with no visible or obvious physical manifestation. A visible disability could include a missing limb or Down's Syndrome. An invisible disability could include Schizophrenia or Dyslexia.
Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE): A training plan written by a DVR counselor that leads to employment. Replaces the term IWRP.
IWRP: Individualized Written Rehabilitation Plan -replaced by IPE.
Job: An immediate task, paid or unpaid.
Job Coach: A person who provides assistance to an individual with a disability to learn or maintain a job. This can include training and support at the job site. See supported employment.
Job Training: Program that prepares people for job opportunities.
Learning Disability or Specific Learning Disability (LD or SLD): A processing disorder that causes students to have a problem listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, or doing arithmetic. A learning disability is not primarily due to the physical, mental, or emotional disability or to environmental, cultural or economic factors. Specific Learning Disability is an eligibility category for an IEP in Idaho.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): A work, school, or living situation that allows individuals as much freedom of choice and independence as possible without endangering their health or physical safety.
Leisure-Time Skills: Generally refers to skills such as developing hobbies, making choices about what recreational or social activities to attend, deciding how to spend free time, and putting the ideas into action.
Medicaid: An Idaho program of monetary assistance for people who cannot afford to pay for medical care. Transportation and medical services are some of the activities that can be funded by Medicaid.
Medicare: A federal health insurance program mainly for persons aged 65 or older, with some limited benefits for younger persons who have been eligible for Social Security disability benefits for more than two years.
Mental Illness: A general term denoting disorders that affect feelings, thoughts, or behavior characterized by distressing symptoms or impaired functioning over a period of time.
Multi-Disciplinary Team: A group of professional and non-professional staff, such as teachers, nurses, social workers, doctors, speech therapist, physical therapists, etc. This team usually includes family members and the student in the planning and decision-making process.
Multiply Disabled: Students who have two or more disabilities that result in multiple sensory or motor deficiencies and developmental lags in the cognitive, affective, or cycle motor areas.
Networking: Sharing information or services among individuals, groups, or agencies.
Occupational Therapy: Planned activity for persons with disabilities to help them gain greater independence in living and work environments and prevent further disabilities.
Ombudsman: A person who investigates and mediates a client's problems and complaints in relation to an agency's services.
Personal Adjustment Training: A DVR-sponsored training period to determine an individual's readiness to work.
Peer Counseling: A type of guidance in which persons of the same age, disability, or other similar interest are trained to help or guide others.
PL 94-142: Public Law 94-142: Federal law signed in 1975 that mandates that students with disabilities have the right to a free and appropriate public education, instruction in the least restrictive environment, with equal access and due process. Reauthorized as IDEA.
Pre-Vocational: The term referring to activities designed to prepare an individual for a job and teach job-related behaviors.
Primary Caregiver: The person who spends the most time in caring for someone who is unable to be independent.
Psychological Evaluation: An assessment of performance and capabilities which uses psychological tests to guide the establishment of appropriate interventions.
Psycho-Social Evaluation: An assessment of an individual's thoughts, emotions, and interactions with people.
Recreational Therapy: A structured plan to develop a healthy body and mind through fun and relaxation.
Referral: Sending a client to another source or provider to get advice or treatment.
Rehabilitation: The process of regaining lost functions and skills
Rehabilitation Act of 1973: The federal act that makes provisions for training, equipment, and other services that people with disabilities may need in order to work and live independently in their communities.
Residential Care/Treatment: Programs providing therapeutic living environments in Community-based facilities such as community residences.
Respite: Time away from the responsibilities of caring for someone who cannot care for him/herself.
School to Work Opportunities Act: The federal act that provides funding for systemic change that includes work-based, school-based and connecting activities to create quality opportunities for all students.
Screen: To test for signs of the disorder that might require further investigation.
Section 504 (Sec. 504): The anti-discrimination sections of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 revised 2008 that affects all programs receiving federal funding.
Self-Advocacy: The process of obtaining needed services for oneself.
Self-Determination: A process in which the individual’s preferences, interest, abilities, and wishes are the focus of planning and implementing activities.
Self-Help: Assisting oneself. Refers also to groups who meet to help one another.
Service Coordinator: An advocate chosen by the consumer to assist in assessing health and social service systems and to assure that all required services are obtained.
Sheltered Workshop: A place where individuals with disabilities work for pay (usually below minimum wage), while they learn additional skills.
Sliding Scale Fee: Amount of money charged for professional services based on a client's ability to pay.
Social Security: Federal government income plan payable to retired workers, survivors, and individuals with disabilities, who qualify.
Special Education: Specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of the child with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom, homes, hospitals and institutions, and in other settings.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Basic monthly financial assistance for people with disabilities who are not gainfully employed and for the elderly.
Social Security Disability Income (SSDI): Provides benefits to workers or certain members of a worker’s family who may qualify, based on an impairment severe enough to prevent working for a year or more, or which is expected to result in death. The definition requires total disability. Benefits will continue as long as the person is medically disabled and not engaged in substantial gainful employment.
Support Groups: Groups of people with similar needs and concerns who meet together to support each other and the share information.
Supported Apartment: An apartment where a person with disability gets help in order to live as independently as possible.
Supported Employment: A program for persons with substantial disabilities designed to assist integration into competitive employment.
Therapeutic Recreation: See Recreational Therapy
Transition: The passing from one condition, activity or place to another. The movement from school to adult life and the world of work. The transition is complex and involves decisions about career, living arrangements, social and financial goals.
Transition Services: A coordinated set of activities for students as part of the IEP, designed to promote movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, training, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, related services, independent living, or community participation. Transition planning becomes a part of the IEP process for students beginning at age 16. (although at Genesee we start in the 7th grade)
Triennial Review: A complete review of the student’s special education eligibility status conducted every three years by the IEP team.
Vocational (Career) Assessment: The systematic collection of information about the student’s vocational aptitudes, abilities, expressed interests, and occupational awareness used in planning a transition to competitive employment or post secondary education.
Wechlser Adult Intelligence Scale – Revised (WAIS-R): A test of mental ability for those over age 16.
Work Adjustment Training (WAT): A DVR sponsored training period to determine an individual's readiness to work.
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (3rd Edition): WISC III A test of mental ability for children 6 to 16 years at age.
Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI): A test of mental ability for children under six years of age.
Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Ability: a test of cognitive strengths and weaknesses. (WJ-IV has just been released 4/2014)
Woodcock-Johnson III NU Tests of Academic Achievement: tests to assess reading, writing, mathematic broad scores and related subtests. (WJ-IV has just been released 4/2014)
Transition Acronyms
ADA American’s with Disabilities Act
ADD Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder
AFDC Aid to Families with Dependent Children
AT Assistive Technology
CMHC Community Mental Health Center
CP Cerebral Palsy
DD Developmentally Disabled; Developmentally Delayed
DDS Developmental Disabilities Services
DHS Department of Human Services
DPH Department of Public Health
DSS Department of Social Services
DVR Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
EBD Emotional / Behavioral Disorder or Emotional-Behavioral Disability
ED Emotional Disturbance; Emotionally Disabled
ESY Extended School Year
FAPE Free Appropriate Public Education
GT Gifted / Talented
HCFA Health Care Finance Administration
HCPF Health Care Policy and Financing
HMO Health Maintenance Organization
I and R Information and Referral
IATP Idaho Assistive Technology Project
IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDOL Idaho Department of Labor
IEP Individual Education Program
ILC Independent Living Center
IRWE Impairment Related Work Expense
ITP Individual Transition Plan
JTPA Job Training Partnership Act
K-12 Kindergarten through 12th Grade
LD or SLD Learning Disability or Specific Learning Disability
LEA Local Education Agency
LRE Least Restrictive Environment
LCSW Licensed Certified Social Worker
MD Muscular Dystrophy
MR Mental Retardation (Cognitive Disability)
MS Multiple Sclerosis
MSW Masters of Social Work
O and M Orientation and Mobility
OJT On-the-Job Training
OT Occupational Therapy (Therapist)
OTR Registered Occupational Therapist
PASS Plan for Achieving Self-Support
PCD Perceptual Communicative Disorder
PE Physical Education
PT Physical Therapy (Therapist)
SGA Substantial Gainful Activity
SIED Seriously Emotionally Disturbed, Severely Emotionally Disturbed
SLD Specific Learning Disability
SLS Supported Living Services
SLIC Significantly Limited Intellectual Capacity
SPED Special Education
SSA Social Security Administration
SSI Supplemental Security Income
SSDI Social Security Disability Insurance
STW School-to-Work; School-to-Career
SWAAAC State Wide Alternative Augmentative Assistive Communication
TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
TBI Traumatic Brain Injury
TWP Trial Work Period
VH Visually Handicapped
VI Visually Impaired
VR Vocational Rehabilitation
WFDC Workforce Development Center
WIA Workforce Investment Act
WOTC Work Opportunities Tax Credit
WtW Welfare-to-Work