Transition Planning
The Center for Infants and Children with Special Needs at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center helps patients and families with the difficult task of making transitions.
Explanation | Obstacles | Planning for Adulthood | Life Skills | Resources
Explanation
"Transition" is generally defined as the passage from child-centered activities to adult-oriented activities. It occurs in three main aspects of life:
- From pediatric health care to adult-oriented care
- From school to work
- From home to community
However, there are many other transitions that adolescents experience, including:
- Hospital to home
- Home to school
- School to work
- Adolescent to adulthood
As you prepare to make transitions, learn more about Vocational and Transition Programs, Postsecondary Education Options, Employment and Estate and Future Planning.
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Obstacles
There are many obstacles that make the transition process to adulthood difficult. Some examples include:
- Worsening disabilities with age
- Loss of support systems
- Aging caregivers
- Loss of insurance coverage
- Guardianship status
- Mental health issues for patient or family members
- School-provided support services are difficult to replace (occupation, physical and speech therapies, as well as nursing, transportation and school psychology services)
- Adult physicians' limited knowledge or comfort level with pediatric conditions
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Planning for Adulthood
Planning for the transition from adolescence to adulthood begins at age 14 years. Consideration should be given at that time to both career goals and life skills training, given the adolescents strengths, interests and challenges. This helps create a vision for adult life.
By age 16 years these elements should be included in the school Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and links to community resources / agencies should be facilitated.
Remember that public special education services are available until age 22 years; therefore, a decision about "deferred graduation" must be made at or prior to 18 years of age. Learn more about special education and postsecondary options.
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Life Skills
Life skills is a term that is used to describe tasks that are needed for an adult to be able to take care of themselves. When evaluating what type of support an adolescent may need, it can be helpful to categorize each task by:
- Can do by self
- Need help from family / friends
- Need help from community resources
Examples of life skills, include:
- Get and keep a job
- Have money to support self
- Budget money and pay bills
- Balance and use a checkbook
- Plan, shop and cook meals
- Clean house
- Read and follow bus schedule
- Participate in social activities
- Fill prescriptions and take medicine
- Make and keep appointments
- Manage a home emergency
- Maintain appropriate personal hygiene
Common Community Agencies
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Resources
The following list of resources are designed to aid in the transition planning process:
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's
- Transition Clinic, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's
- Adolescent Health Transition Project is designed to help smooth the transition from pediatric to adult health care for adolescents with special health care needs. This site is a resource for information, materials and links to national resources, as well as sites specifically designed for use by the teen with special health care needs.
- Center for Independent Living Options (CILO) is the oldest center for independent living in Ohio serving individuals with disabilities in Greater Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky. They can assist with affordable, accessible housing, emergency shelter, provide help for the homeless, teach independent living skils and link to personal assistance services.
- Checklists for health, independent living and leisure skills are available.
- Colleges with Programs for Learning Disabled Students provides information on resources and supports in higher education.
- Health Care Transitions has fact sheets and booklets on health care transition including "Envisioning My Future" and "Since You're Not a Kid Anymore."
- Health History Summary for Teens can be dowloaded to record important health and contact information.
- Healthy and Ready to Work initiative promotes a comprehensive system of care for children with special health care needs who are approaching adulthood who may need assistance in making the transition from pediatric care to adult health care and to postsecondary education and / or employment.
- Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI), based at the University of Massachusetts and Children's Hospital of Boston, promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life.
- National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs web site, managed in cooperation with the American Academy of Pediatrics, provides information about multiple transition-related issues.
- National Center on Secondary Education and Transition provides technical assistance and disseminates information focused on areas of national significance for youth with disabilities and their families. Includes publications to support parents in the role as mentor, advocate and guide to their student with a disability.
- NICHCY has a detailed section on transition and the IEP.
- Ohio Department of Education has information on writing an IEP and transition planning.
- Postsecondary Options for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
- Transition Planning for Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs: A Guide for Health Care Providers
- Transition Timelines for Children and Adults with Special Needs can be downloaded.
- The Transition Years is available through the online publication, Special Child.
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If your questions are not fully answered by our Special Needs Resource Directory and its links, please contact us via email.
Rev. 10/09
