Working with Working with Core TeamsCore Teams

Transition SymposiumTransition Symposium

March 20, 2013March 20, 2013

LRS Mission StatementLRS Mission Statement

To assist persons with disabilities in To assist persons with disabilities in their desire to obtain or maintain their desire to obtain or maintain employment and/or to achieve employment and/or to achieve independence in their communities independence in their communities by providing rehabilitation services by providing rehabilitation services and working cooperatively with and working cooperatively with business and other community business and other community resources.resources.

Purpose of TransitionPurpose of Transition• starts the student/parent thinking about the futurestarts the student/parent thinking about the future• identifies current and future needs, interests and identifies current and future needs, interests and

preferencespreferences• plans a course of study, to reach dreams and goalsplans a course of study, to reach dreams and goals• identifies supports and services needed for identifies supports and services needed for

successsuccess• ensures learning to the maximum extent ensures learning to the maximum extent

appropriate within the general curriculum and appropriate within the general curriculum and environmentenvironment

Lafayette Parish Core Lafayette Parish Core TeamTeam

• Reorganized in 2008Reorganized in 2008• LRS staff met with LPSS staff to LRS staff met with LPSS staff to

discuss transition issuesdiscuss transition issues• Recruited agencies and vendors to Recruited agencies and vendors to

participate in discussionparticipate in discussion• Found a need to work together with Found a need to work together with

community partners to provide community partners to provide services to the students of Lafayette services to the students of Lafayette parish.parish.

PartnersPartners• Local School system (public and private)Local School system (public and private)• Louisiana Rehabilitation ServicesLouisiana Rehabilitation Services• Acadiana Area Human Services District (OCDD)Acadiana Area Human Services District (OCDD)• Families Helping FamiliesFamilies Helping Families• Community Rehab Providers Community Rehab Providers • Career Solutions Center / Workforce Investment Career Solutions Center / Workforce Investment

BoardBoard• Department of EducationDepartment of Education• Lafayette Consolidated Government – Lafayette Consolidated Government –

Therapeutic RecreationTherapeutic Recreation• College / University / Vocational school personnelCollege / University / Vocational school personnel• Other community partnersOther community partners

Transition Core TeamTransition Core Team

• Meets on a quarterly basisMeets on a quarterly basis• Networking and sharing information Networking and sharing information

about updates and changes in about updates and changes in servicesservices

• Facilitating referralsFacilitating referrals• Planning Senior Linkage meetings Planning Senior Linkage meetings

for studentsfor students• Sponsoring activities (Resource Fair)Sponsoring activities (Resource Fair)

Agency Resource FairAgency Resource Fair

• Providing resources to students and parents Providing resources to students and parents regarding post secondary servicesregarding post secondary services

• Held in the Spring semesterHeld in the Spring semester• Planning starts in August Planning starts in August • Target Group changes every other yearTarget Group changes every other year• Vendor booths, student workshops, parent Vendor booths, student workshops, parent

workshopsworkshops• Keynote speakerKeynote speaker• Bingo Card, Door prizes, UL Football team, Bingo Card, Door prizes, UL Football team,

MusicMusic• Lunch/Refreshments (Pro Start & CBT Class)Lunch/Refreshments (Pro Start & CBT Class)

Agency Resource FairAgency Resource Fair

Participants• Louisiana Rehabilitation ServicesLouisiana Rehabilitation Services• Lafayette Business & Career Solutions CenterLafayette Business & Career Solutions Center• Families Helping FamiliesFamilies Helping Families• Exiting Pathways Program (LPSS)Exiting Pathways Program (LPSS)• Supported Employment vendorsSupported Employment vendors• Southwestern Independent Living CenterSouthwestern Independent Living Center• Acadiana Area Human Service District (OCDD)Acadiana Area Human Service District (OCDD)• UL - Lafayette (Disability Services & Admissions)UL - Lafayette (Disability Services & Admissions)• ARC of AcadianaARC of Acadiana• LARCLARC• Lafayette Parks & Recreation – Therapeutic RecreationLafayette Parks & Recreation – Therapeutic Recreation• Affiliated Blind of LAAffiliated Blind of LA• Airway Home Medical EquipmentAirway Home Medical Equipment• DREAMS FoundationDREAMS Foundation• 232-HELP232-HELP• South Louisiana Community College (Disability Services & South Louisiana Community College (Disability Services &

Admissions)Admissions)• Autism Society of AcadianaAutism Society of Acadiana• Medicaid Purchase PlanMedicaid Purchase Plan• Acadiana Therapeutic Riding OrganizationAcadiana Therapeutic Riding Organization

Agency Resource FairAgency Resource Fair

Agency Resource FairAgency Resource Fair

Student WorkshopsStudent Workshops

• Work Readiness Work Readiness • Mock InterviewMock Interview• Recreation / LeisureRecreation / Leisure• AttitudeAttitude• How to Dress for SuccessHow to Dress for Success• UL and SLCC informationUL and SLCC information

Agency Resource FairAgency Resource Fair

Parent WorkshopsParent Workshops

• Benefits Planning (Social Benefits Planning (Social Security)Security)

• AAHSD/OCDD servicesAAHSD/OCDD services• Wills and Special Needs TrustsWills and Special Needs Trusts• Job Placement servicesJob Placement services

Lafayette TransitionLafayette Transition• 7 public high schools, 1 private7 public high schools, 1 private• Spoke to staff regarding eligibility criteria and Spoke to staff regarding eligibility criteria and

looking for information in school records (IEP, looking for information in school records (IEP, counselor) regarding hidden disabilitiescounselor) regarding hidden disabilities

• Fall – coordinate with LPSS transition team to review Fall – coordinate with LPSS transition team to review Senior class listSenior class list

• Schedule time to coordinate linkage meetingsSchedule time to coordinate linkage meetings• LPSS staff contacts teachers and parentsLPSS staff contacts teachers and parents• Fall - IEP meetings held at schools for exiting seniorsFall - IEP meetings held at schools for exiting seniors• Spring – IEP meetings held for students waiting for Spring – IEP meetings held for students waiting for

testing scorestesting scores• Referral is taken if appropriate; appointment will be Referral is taken if appropriate; appointment will be

scheduled. scheduled. • Appointments can take place at LRS office and/or Appointments can take place at LRS office and/or

schoolschool• Contact with guidance counselorsContact with guidance counselors

LRS SERVICESLRS SERVICES• Career guidance and counselingCareer guidance and counseling• Job placementJob placement• Supported EmploymentSupported Employment• On-The-Job Training (OJT)On-The-Job Training (OJT)• Work readiness TrainingWork readiness Training• Vo-Tech trainingVo-Tech training• Community College / UniversityCommunity College / University• Books/SuppliesBooks/Supplies• TransportationTransportation• MaintenanceMaintenance• Equipment/Occupational ToolsEquipment/Occupational Tools• Assistive TechnologyAssistive Technology• Mental/Physical RestorationMental/Physical Restoration

Business & Career Business & Career Solutions CenterSolutions Center

• Virtual One StopVirtual One Stop• Transition staff assist teachers and Transition staff assist teachers and

students to register for accountstudents to register for account• Teachers allow classroom time for Teachers allow classroom time for

career explorationcareer exploration• Field trip to centerField trip to center• Services: Career exploration, research Services: Career exploration, research

employers, work readiness skills, job employers, work readiness skills, job listingslistings

Future GoalsFuture Goals

• Disability Job Fair workshopsDisability Job Fair workshops• Teacher & Guidance Counselor Teacher & Guidance Counselor

resource fairresource fair• Connect with Career Exploration day Connect with Career Exploration day

with school systemwith school system

Through the collaborations of the core Through the collaborations of the core team meetings, we have been able to team meetings, we have been able to

develop partnerships with other develop partnerships with other agencies to establish a common goal agencies to establish a common goal for our students of Lafayette Parish. for our students of Lafayette Parish.

Contact InformationContact Information

• Sherry Moore, LRS Counselor (Lafayette) 337-262-5353

smoore1@lwc.la.gov• Deborah Aymond, Regional Manager

(Lafayette) 337-262-5353daymond@lwc.la.gov• Catherine Venable, LPSS Program

Supervisor / Transition: 337-521-7222

cbvenable@lpssonline.com

QuestionsQuestions