Introduction to Transition Service
When your child turns 14
As stated by the Boston Disability Law Center, in preparing for their lives as Adults, students in special education have the right to learn more than traditional classroom subjects at school. They have the right to study social skills, job skills, and independent-living skills. U.S. and Massachusetts law mandates these “transition services” to students between the ages of 14 and 22. Transition services are part of, and not separate from, a school district’s responsibility to provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Transition goals and services should be in the student’s Individual Education Program (IEP) beginning in the year the student turns 14. Transition planning should occur each year thereafter either prior to or at the annual development of the IEP. Click A Family Guide to Transition Services in Massachusetts to view the Transition Services family Guide by the Federation for Children with Special Needs.
When your child turns 18
Legal Guardianship
At age 18, your child has nearly all the legal rights and responsibilities of an adult. Among their new rights are the right to vote and serve on a jury, to marry, to enlist in the military or get medical treatment without their parents’ consent. Where the child is sufficiently disabled, obtaining medical treatment, and State and Federally funded services requires that a parent or guardian has legal guardianship of the child. Guardianship is obtained through the Massachusetts Court System by filling out the form called "Petition for guardianship of an incapacitated adult", which can be found at: www.mass.gov/courts. The process goes through the family and probate court.
The office of the registrar of probate is generally very helpful in filling out the paperwork. For families in Middlesex County the courthouse is in Cambridge and the phone number is 617-768-5858. Comprehensive evaluations of your child's disability level by a team (including clinical psychologist, LICSW etc.) are required, and must have taken place within 3 months of processing by the court. Interested families should check with their DDS area office to see if comprehensive evaluations can be scheduled (in the DDS office) in one meeting. For further information or to speak to a parent who completed the process feel free to contact info@wraparoundfamily.org.
Applying for Social Security
Children from birth to age 18 can get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if they meet Social Security’s definition of disability for children and if they have little or no income and resources. The family’s household income, resources and other personal information are also considered. For more information go to "Apply for disability Benefits for child under 18"
Disabled children who turn 18 are considered adults and thus will be able to get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), regardless of their family’s household income or resources. More information can be found at the Supplemental Security Income web page.
Additionally, when a parent reaches retirement age, their children can begin receiving Social Security payments, even if the parent defers receiving social security payments until after retirement age.
A list of advisers who can help with the needs of special-needs adults.
List of Lawyers who serve Special-needs families
List of Financial Advisers who serve Special-needs families
Resources about transition
What can parents do to prepare for their child’s transition from age 13 to 18 ? Federal and state laws regarding transition:
Transition Timelines --------- from The Arc of Massachusetts:
DDS Secondary transition website:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/secondary-transition/
Tools for success: ----- from Federation for Children with Special Needs
FCSN provides The LINK Center Connecting to Your Future assists families, professionals and individuals with disabilities who are transition age (14-26) to access information, supports and services to achieve their future vision.
National Gateway to Self-Determination What is self determination
Autism Speaks: Transition Plan
Wrightslaw: http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/trans.index.htm
Disability Law Center: “Planning for Life After Special Education”: A Transition Services Online Manual"
Autism Housing Pathways: http://autismhousingpathways.net/
Autism Consortium: Transition Manual
Mobile Transition Apps: The path to Independence
Communicating with an Autistic Child: A Parent’s Guide
Communicating with an autistic child has very few “one size fits all” solutions and, in many cases, it will take a lot of trial and error and patience in order to find successful strategies for communicating. However, the trials and patience that go into finding a way to communicate will only make a communication breakthrough more rewarding.
There is a very good resource link at Wise Old Saying covering:
General Resources about Autism, Parenting a Child with Autism, Communicating with Autistic Children
When your child turns 14
As stated by the Boston Disability Law Center, in preparing for their lives as Adults, students in special education have the right to learn more than traditional classroom subjects at school. They have the right to study social skills, job skills, and independent-living skills. U.S. and Massachusetts law mandates these “transition services” to students between the ages of 14 and 22. Transition services are part of, and not separate from, a school district’s responsibility to provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Transition goals and services should be in the student’s Individual Education Program (IEP) beginning in the year the student turns 14. Transition planning should occur each year thereafter either prior to or at the annual development of the IEP. Click A Family Guide to Transition Services in Massachusetts to view the Transition Services family Guide by the Federation for Children with Special Needs.
When your child turns 18
Legal Guardianship
At age 18, your child has nearly all the legal rights and responsibilities of an adult. Among their new rights are the right to vote and serve on a jury, to marry, to enlist in the military or get medical treatment without their parents’ consent. Where the child is sufficiently disabled, obtaining medical treatment, and State and Federally funded services requires that a parent or guardian has legal guardianship of the child. Guardianship is obtained through the Massachusetts Court System by filling out the form called "Petition for guardianship of an incapacitated adult", which can be found at: www.mass.gov/courts. The process goes through the family and probate court.
The office of the registrar of probate is generally very helpful in filling out the paperwork. For families in Middlesex County the courthouse is in Cambridge and the phone number is 617-768-5858. Comprehensive evaluations of your child's disability level by a team (including clinical psychologist, LICSW etc.) are required, and must have taken place within 3 months of processing by the court. Interested families should check with their DDS area office to see if comprehensive evaluations can be scheduled (in the DDS office) in one meeting. For further information or to speak to a parent who completed the process feel free to contact info@wraparoundfamily.org.
Applying for Social Security
Children from birth to age 18 can get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if they meet Social Security’s definition of disability for children and if they have little or no income and resources. The family’s household income, resources and other personal information are also considered. For more information go to "Apply for disability Benefits for child under 18"
Disabled children who turn 18 are considered adults and thus will be able to get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), regardless of their family’s household income or resources. More information can be found at the Supplemental Security Income web page.
Additionally, when a parent reaches retirement age, their children can begin receiving Social Security payments, even if the parent defers receiving social security payments until after retirement age.
A list of advisers who can help with the needs of special-needs adults.
List of Lawyers who serve Special-needs families
List of Financial Advisers who serve Special-needs families
Resources about transition
What can parents do to prepare for their child’s transition from age 13 to 18 ? Federal and state laws regarding transition:
Transition Timelines --------- from The Arc of Massachusetts:
DDS Secondary transition website:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/secondary-transition/
Tools for success: ----- from Federation for Children with Special Needs
FCSN provides The LINK Center Connecting to Your Future assists families, professionals and individuals with disabilities who are transition age (14-26) to access information, supports and services to achieve their future vision.
National Gateway to Self-Determination What is self determination
Autism Speaks: Transition Plan
Wrightslaw: http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/trans.index.htm
Disability Law Center: “Planning for Life After Special Education”: A Transition Services Online Manual"
Autism Housing Pathways: http://autismhousingpathways.net/
Autism Consortium: Transition Manual
Mobile Transition Apps: The path to Independence
Communicating with an Autistic Child: A Parent’s Guide
Communicating with an autistic child has very few “one size fits all” solutions and, in many cases, it will take a lot of trial and error and patience in order to find successful strategies for communicating. However, the trials and patience that go into finding a way to communicate will only make a communication breakthrough more rewarding.
There is a very good resource link at Wise Old Saying covering:
General Resources about Autism, Parenting a Child with Autism, Communicating with Autistic Children
Helping families to support and enhance the lives of special needs children and adults.
Copyright © 2020 Wraparound Family Services, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Wraparound Family Services, Inc.