"Supporting High School Students with Developmental Disabilities Transitioning from School to Adulthood."

Since its inception four years ago, SCARC's Transition Services Department is currently serving 50 high school students who are in the process of transitioning from school to adulthood. 

Transition planning is a collaborative effort between a student’s school district and support services in the community to help the student transition from school into adulthood.  The most common transition model is for a student to transition from school to work, but for some students, a work alternative becomes the goal.  Transition services are a coordinated set of activities for students with educational disabilities resulting in an outcome oriented process that promotes movement from school to post-school activities including employment, adult services, independent living, or community participation.

SCARC’s Transition Services are designed to assist students, families and schools to work together in a team atmosphere to implement strategies for a successful transition from school to adulthood.  These services begin with the development of a Individualized Transition Plan developed in conjunction with the student’s Individual Education Plan.  The Plan’s development will include the collaboration of school personnel, family members, transition staff, and the student.   SCARC’s Transition Services staff are available for consultation, evaluation, assessment, community coaching, and support to make the linkages between school, work and adulthood.

SCARC’s Transition Services program provides resources, information, and technical assistance to develop appropriate transition plans for each student.  A comprehensive assessment, called Community Based Vocational Assessment, evaluates student skills, abilities, interests, and preferences so that transition services can be successfully developed.  Community exposure is a key component in the development of the Community Based Vocational Assessment.

Our four Transition Services staff assist students to learn the skills nedessary to succeed in adulthood including employment skills, community navigation skills, transportation skills, and other life skills.  Our staff are intricately involved in each student's Individual Education Plan so that there is the appropriate emphasis on the development of adult life skills. 

SCARC’s Transition Services uses multiple strategies including job shadowing, job sampling, job placement, and community navigation.   SCARC’s Transition Services works closely with SCARC’s Employment Connections and the NJ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services to provide pre-placement, intensive coaching, and follow along services.

SCARC utilizes a number of Sussex County businesses as an environment for job sampling and job placement.  One local business owner says, “SCARC Transition program is a great way to introduce students to the world of work.”

For more information on SCARC's Transition program, please contact us at SCARC's administrative headquarters in Augusta, NJ.