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Partnerships for Youth Transition
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is difficult for many young people.
Youth with serious emotional disturbances and serious mental illnesses are
particularly at high risk during the transition to adulthood. These young
people have the highest dropout rate among all youth with a disability, have
more confrontations with the juvenile justice system, often fail to live
independently – resulting in homelessness – and are more prone to unplanned
pregnancy than youth in other disability groups.
Often, system-generated plans for transition services under the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are weak and not followed effectively, or
children’s services are often withdrawn abruptly, based on age, not the need
for services. In addition, the criteria for service eligibility are
inconsistent, and youth may not be eligible for services and supports in
another location. Adequate assessment is frequently not conducted.
Five 4-year cooperative agreements were awarded in 2003 to plan, design, and
implement youth transition programs for children with serious emotional
disturbances and their families.
The Office of Special Education, U.S. Department of Education, is a contributor
to this program. Technical assistance is provided by the University of South
Florida, Department of Child and Family Studies through a grant from the Jim
Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, Annie E. Casey Foundation.
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