Home > For Parents & Families > Navigating Transitions With Your Child > Transition to Adulthood

Transition to Adulthood

From Entitlement to Eligibility

For an individual with special needs, transitions are dynamic processes that begin in childhood and continue through adulthood. The goal of transition planning is to maximize a child’s independence as he reaches young adulthood.
Transition planning includes:
  • Shifting from pediatric to adult healthcare with adequate insurance;
  • Leaving school for work or alternative meaningful experiences;
  • Moving from home to an inclusive, supportive community; and
  • Minimizing dependence on family as one grows into a greater degree of self-sufficiency and self-determination.
One key to successful navigation of adulthood is for your child to gain self-knowledge. By learning more about her diagnosis and medication management, and discovering her educational and vocational interests, your child will gain independence, and be better able to make informed decisions about the future.
Some young adults will continue to need assistance from their parents or legal guardian to communicate with various agencies and fill out the necessary paperwork to qualify for the adult service systems. Whether a young adult is making his own decisions or relying on the assistance of a guardian, he’ll find it helpful to prepare an accessible, portable, and up-to-date medical summary.
At 18, your child is legally an adult—a title that comes with new independence, new responsibilities, and a new system of services, resources, and support systems. As a student, your child was entitled to an education and may have received services from special education and/or a 504 plan. Some students remain in school beyond the 12th grade, and some are eligible for student services until the age of 22. Regardless of whether your young adult exits from high school after the 12th grade, or at the age of 22, when education services for individuals with disabilities end, beginning with her 18th birthday she will need to be determined eligible for services. Because this process involves various programs with different funding sources and eligibility requirements, it can be confusing and time consuming. It often includes the completion of many forms, but if you and your child begin this process ahead of time, you’ll learn what you need to know to make this transition as smoothly as possible.
One example of the type of change your child will face once he is considered an adult (age 18) is that he will now need to apply for Medicaid and SSI based on his own income and assets, instead of based on yours. Adult Medicaid may not provide all the same services that your young adult received when younger. The federal Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit provides medically necessary services to children on Medicaid until the age of 21; after that, young adults are no longer protected by EPSDT federal law. As a young person approaches his 21st birthday, he should apply for adult Medicaid to ensure he receives ongoing care.
Whenever possible, youth and young adults with special needs should be the leading voices in providing essential information and insights when planning for their own transitions, applying for programs that meet their needs, and finding ways to incorporate their strengths, hopes, and dreams into their future lives. Parents, with their unique expertise and knowledge of their children, are essential partners in the planning of transition programs. Also, professionals with knowledge of and interest in the youth may be helpful in transition planning and processes.
The Utah Parent Center has put together a useful handbook about this particular transition. Along with more detailed guidance about how to help your child discover her strengths and interests, the handbook presents six key areas to help your family plan for a smooth transition from the entitlement system of schools, to the adult eligibility system:
  1. Learn and understand the laws that govern the rights of adults with disabilities.
  2. Understand the planning process so you can help your young adult make informed choices about his future.
  3. Gather the information, documentation, and assessments your young adult will need when he applies for adult services.
  4. Explore the services and programs available to your young adult.
  5. Understand how the adult system of services works.
  6. Learn about the appeal process and legal requirements of the various agencies with whom your young adult may work.
To learn more about each of these items, you can download the handbook, “From No Where to Know Where,” on the Utah Parent Center website.
The National Center for Transition, “Got Transition,” has many tools and resources geared toward youth and young adults with special needs and their families. You may find their website helpful as you plan for a successful transition into adulthood and adult service systems. See Got Transition?

Resources

Information & Support

For Professionals

American Academy of Pediatrics Transition Website
This website offers information on transitions from pediatric to adult health care for adolescents with special health care needs.

Respecting the Young Adult Patient Video
The Young Adult Advisory Committee (YAC) for the Utah Medical Home - Integrated Services Project (UISP) provides these tips for doctors helping youth with disabilities transition to adult care services at the 2007 UISP/UPIQ Learning Session.

DSCC Transition Resources for Providers
Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC), from the University of Illinois at Chicago, provides transition information from childhood to adulthood including fact sheets, tools, transition timelines, and other materials for providers.

Adolescent Health Transition Project
A resource for adolescents with special health care needs, chronic illnesses, physical or developmental disabilities.

Social Security Work Site
Promotes the employment of Social Security beneficiaries.

Kentucky Transition Resources
From the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs, downloadable printable teaching sheets for your patients on topics such as staying healthy, managing their own healthcare, future planning, working, and more.

Planning for Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs: A Guide for Health Care Providers
From the Institute for Community Inclusion, this manual provides information for providers to help youth transition to adulthood and includes the topics of health care, education, employment, recreation, and more. The site provides a companion manual for families and teens.

Transition Coalition
From the University of Kansas, Department of Special Education, this site provides information, resources, and training for providers to help them help youth transition to adulthood. Training includes best practices, cultural diversity, assessment, working with families and more.

Kids as Self Advocates
KASA is a national, grassroots network of youth with special needs and our friends, speaking on behalf of ourselves. We are leaders in our communities, and we help spread helpful, positive information among our peers to increase knowledge around various issues. Those issues include: living with special health care needs, health care transition issues, education, employment, and many more. We also help health care professionals, policymakers and other adults in our communities understand what it's like to live with special health care needs and we participate in discussions about how to help each other succeed.

Internet Resource for Special Children
Directory of information for parents and medical providers caring for children with disabilities.

Independent Living Institute
This non-profit organization in Europe provides information, educational materials and an on-line library on disability rights and independent living issues.

Shriners Intermountain Transition Resource Guide 2003 (Word Document 290 KB)
Resources for transition services in Utah.

Transition-Screening Tool (Word Document 39 KB)
Sample screening tool that addresses various transition topics including health, transportation, psychosocial, legal rights, employment, and more. From the Utah Collaborative Medical Home Project.

Transition-Screening Tool (PDF Document 20 KB)
Sample screening tool that addresses various transition topics including health, transportation, psychosocial, legal rights, employment, and more. From the Utah Collaborative Medical Home Project.

Transition Action Care Plan (Word Document 42 KB)
Sample action plan for youth and young adults. From the Collaborative Medical Home Project.

Transition Action Care Plan (PDF Document 14 KB)
Sample action plan for youth and young adults. From the Collaborative Medical Home Project.

Transition Referral Form (Word Document 37 KB)
Sample form to track referrals to other agencies providing transition services. From the Utah Collaborative Medical Home Project.

Transition Referral Form (PDF Document 22 KB)
Sample form to track referrals to other agencies providing transition services. From the Utah Collaborative Medical Home Project.

For Parents and Patients

Got Transition?
Home of the National Health Care Transition Center, a national resource for health care professionals, families, youth, and state policy makers focusing on a young adult's transition from pediatric to adult health care.

Healthy and Ready to Work
Information and connections to health and transition expertise nationwide, for families and providers from those in the know, doing the work and living it. This site focuses on understanding systems, access to quality health care, and increasing the involvement of youth. It also includes provider preparation plus tools and resources needed to make more informed choices.

Transition Services, Utah Bureau of CSHCN
Information about transition in Utah, links to local transition specialists (English and Spanish-speaking), and information about other resources, from the Utah Department of Health.

Bureau of Children with Special Health Care Needs, Utah Department of Health
Utah Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) is a bureau within the Utah Department of Health, Division of Community and Family Health Services that provides services for children who "have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally".

Utah Statewide Independent Living Council (USILC)
Non-profit organization that promotes full inclusion, independence, and empowerment of people with disabilities through advocacy/systems change, planning/organization, education, networking, resource development and independent living service enhancement.

Disability Law Center
A private non-profit organization designated by the Governor to protect the rights of people with disabilities in Utah. Mission: To enforce and strengthen laws that protect the opportunities, choices and legal rights of people with disabilities in Utah.

Utah State Office of Education
This site provides information about Utah schools, the school board, rules, regulations, and more.

Utah School for the Deaf and the Blind
Information about programs including programs for infants and toddlers, school-age students, and residential services. Information about the Braille Literacy Advisory Committee, school calendar, newsletters and more.

State Education Contacts and Information
From the U.S. Department of Education, links to each state's education agency.

Vocational Rehabilitation
Assists and empowers eligible individuals with disabilities to achieve and maintain meaningful employment.

Utah Department of Human Services- Division of Services for People with Disabilities
Provides programs and services for people with disabilities. Important for all families of children with special needs to be aware of this service- the sooner, the better due to the waiting list.

Utah Center for Assistive Technology
Non-profit organization at the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation that assists individuals with disabilities.

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
Provides information about transition during high school and to opportunities after high school including jobs, vocational education, and college. Provides links to contacts in each state for 1) State Transition Contact, 2) Regional Resource Center Contact, 3) State Director of Special Education, 4) Part B Contact, and 5) State Director or Vocational Rehabilitation.

Utah Parent Center
This statewide non-profit organization, founded in 1984, provides training, information, referral and assistance to parents of children and youth with all disabilities, including physical, mental, hearing, vision, learning, behavioral, and emotional. Staff consists primarily of parents of children and youth with disabilities. The Center provides information on support and advocacy for families of children with special health care needs.

Technical Assistance Alliance for Parent Centers
This site includes links to local Parent Centers which serve as resources for education and training for parents of children with disabilities, as well as listing local conferences, support groups, autism information, advocacy tips, and suggestions for finding school and other local services. Funded by OSEP.

Center for Persons with Disabilities, Utah State University
A University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD) that strengthens families and individuals across the lifespan through education, policy, and services.

Becoming Leaders for Tomorrow
This Project, from the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University, provides transition and leadership training information for youth and young adults with disabilities.

Utah 2-1-1
A free information and referral line for health, human and community services. 2-1-1 provides information and referral on topics such as emergency food pantries, rental assistance, public health clinics, child care resources, support groups, legal aid, and a variety of non-profit and governmental agencies. The online directory provides anytime access to the same information.

DSCC Transition Resources for Families
Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC), from the University of Illinois at Chicago, provides transition information from childhood to adulthood including fact sheets, tools, transition timelines, and other materials for families.

Where Did the Time Go? Transition to Adult Life Pocket Guide
From the Training Resource Network, this 22-page pocket guide responds to the many teachers, families and students who requested a straightforward resource that was readable and covered the basics of transition, including the planning process, finding a job, furthering your education and housing and community life.

Transition Handbook: From 'No' Where to 'Know' Where (PDF Document 1.1 MB)
This handbook, from the Utah Parent Center, is designed for parents of children with disabilities to help them be active participants in developing transition goals and activities as their children transition to adulthood and includes information about steps to transition, graduation, laws, roles of players, transition planning, employment, training, independent living, timelines, advocacy, SSI, health care, guardianship, estate planning, and a directory of related Utah organizations.

Full Life Ahead Foundation
Provides the "Full Life Ahead: A Workbook and Guide to Adult Life for Students and Families of Students with Disabilities." This guide was created to offer parents and students the tools and information necessary to plan for their future. Developed and written by parents and students for other parents and students, this guide can help families successfully work through the transition process.

P.R.O. Filer Personal Portfolio & Filing System (PDF Document 160 KB)
P.R.O. filer - Personal Portfolio and Filing System (2000), an innovative tool designed by students for students that provides a way to organize important documents, keep records of school and community learning opportunities, and create a personal portfolio to showcase their accomplishments. Published by the Institute on Community Integration. See the companion Personal Portfolio Manual. For more tools, see the All Means All School-to-Work web site at http://ici.umn.edu/all/.

Personal Portfolio Manual (PDF Document 151 KB)
P.R.O. filer - Personal Portfolio and Filing System (2000), an innovative tool designed by students for students that provides a way to organize important documents, keep records of school and community learning opportunities, and create a personal portfolio to showcase their accomplishments. Published by the Institute on Community Integration. See the companion P.R.O. Filer Personal Portfolio & Filing System.

Keeping It Real: How to Get the Supports You Need for the Life You Want
This curriculum supports students as the transition from high school to adulthood and provides information and tools relating to transition; self-assessment; supports; employment and careers; education and training; living arrangements, recreation and leisure; and resources; from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

All Means All School-to-Work
Provides transition information, tools, and more for students and parents.

Transition Worksheet (PDF Document 94 KB)
A worksheet to help consider options during transition to adulthood including living arrangements, transportation, employment, education, and more.

Transition Referral Form (Word Document 37 KB)
Sample form to track referrals to other agencies providing transition services. From the Utah Collaborative Medical Home Project.

Checklist for Transition (PDF Document 85 KB)
From Healthy and Ready to Work, this checklist is for medical practices to dtermine their knowledge and skills for supporting youth transitioning to adulthood in areas including policy, medical home, family/youth involvement, insurance and screening.

Transition Action Care Plan (Word Document 42 KB)
Sample action plan for youth and young adults. From the Collaborative Medical Home Project.

Plan Your Health, Live Your Life (PDF Document 8.1 MB)
Transitions are for everyone. This 6-page planning document has information for teens as they become adults including career goals, health, pregnancy planning, immunizations, STIs, personal safety, emotional health, finances, and more; developed by the Utah Department of Health and collaborative partners.

Authors

Contributing Authors: Robin Pratt, 12/2005
Barbara Ward RN BS, 12/2005
Gina Pola-Money, 12/2005
Joyce Dolcourt, 12/2005
Kristine Ferguson, 12/2005
Teresa Such-Neibar DO, 12/2005
Lynn Foxx Pease, 12/2005
Helen Post, 12/2005
Roz Welch, 12/2005
Reviewing Author: Alfred Romeo RN, PhD, 7/2008
Content Last Updated: 6/2013

Funding/Support

Thank you to the Utah Medical Home Young Adult Advisory Committee for reviewing this section.