California Health Incentives Improvement Project

California Health California Health Incentives Improvement Incentives Improvement

ProjectProject

Resources for Youth Resources for Youth Transitioning to Transitioning to Employment and Employment and

Independent LivingIndependent Living

Presenters: John Kerr and Rachel Stewart

People First 2010People First 2010

You Can Work!You Can Work!

Are you having a hard time surviving Are you having a hard time surviving on just your monthly benefit income?on just your monthly benefit income?

You can go to work and earn more You can go to work and earn more money!money!

There are many resources available to There are many resources available to help you outhelp you out

Advocate for YourselfAdvocate for Yourself

The first step to employment is The first step to employment is understanding how to go after what understanding how to go after what you wantyou want

– Work with your support team to help Work with your support team to help figure out what kind of work you would figure out what kind of work you would like to dolike to do

– Take advantage of resources and Take advantage of resources and services that are in place to assist youservices that are in place to assist you

Finding a JobFinding a Job Regional CentersRegional Centers

– Assistance in finding and using community and Assistance in finding and using community and other resourcesother resources

– Job coaching assistanceJob coaching assistance– Support services to go to work (transportation Support services to go to work (transportation

etc.)etc.)– Talk to your case worker about your interest in Talk to your case worker about your interest in

going to work and earning moneygoing to work and earning money

Department of Rehabilitation (DOR)Department of Rehabilitation (DOR)– Provides services and advocacy in employmentProvides services and advocacy in employment– They also assist with training, education, They also assist with training, education,

transportation and assistive technologytransportation and assistive technology www.DOR.ca.gov www.DOR.ca.gov

Finding a JobFinding a Job Talent Knows No LimitsTalent Knows No Limits

– Provides resources on career planning, job training, job Provides resources on career planning, job training, job hunting and workplace support for younger job seekershunting and workplace support for younger job seekers

– Highlights success stories of people with disabilities who Highlights success stories of people with disabilities who are workingare working

– www.talentknowsnolimits.infowww.talentknowsnolimits.info

Independent Living CentersIndependent Living Centers– Advocacy training, benefits planning and information to Advocacy training, benefits planning and information to

help you live independentlyhelp you live independently– Go to www.CFILC.org to find an independent living center Go to www.CFILC.org to find an independent living center

near younear you

One-Stop Career CentersOne-Stop Career Centers– Assess your skills to help you decide on the best careerAssess your skills to help you decide on the best career– Help you search for a jobHelp you search for a job– Offer you education and trainingOffer you education and training– www.careeronestop.org/Audience/Students/Students.aspxwww.careeronestop.org/Audience/Students/Students.aspx

Working & Your BenefitsWorking & Your Benefits

Understanding how going to work may affect Understanding how going to work may affect your Social Security and Medi-Cal benefits your Social Security and Medi-Cal benefits is an important first stepis an important first step

Disability Benefits 101: Disability Benefits 101: www.disabilitybenefits101.org www.disabilitybenefits101.org – Brings together all the rules for health Brings together all the rules for health

coverage, benefits and employment programscoverage, benefits and employment programs– Benefits planners are available to help you Benefits planners are available to help you

plan how your benefits might change when you plan how your benefits might change when you start workingstart working

Transition Toolkit: Things are Transition Toolkit: Things are About to ChangeAbout to Change

Things are About to Change: A guide for Things are About to Change: A guide for young people with disabilities young people with disabilities transitioning to adulthoodtransitioning to adulthood

Goal: To provide resources and Goal: To provide resources and information which can help with information which can help with transition transition

Topics covered: Education, Topics covered: Education, Employment, Healthcare, Independent Employment, Healthcare, Independent Living, Financial, Social/RecreationLiving, Financial, Social/Recreation


Education ChapterEducation Chapter

Transition planning, including Individualized Transition planning, including Individualized Education Program (IEP), Individualized Transition Education Program (IEP), Individualized Transition Plan (ITP) and Summary of PerformancePlan (ITP) and Summary of Performance

Agencies which can assist in the transition Agencies which can assist in the transition processprocess

Difference between a certificate of completion Difference between a certificate of completion and a diplomaand a diploma

Understanding the differences between high Understanding the differences between high school and collegeschool and college


Education Chapter cont.Education Chapter cont.

Alternatives to college, including Alternatives to college, including vocational training and regional vocational training and regional occupation programs occupation programs

Worksheets to assist in the Person-Worksheets to assist in the Person-Centered Planning and IEP processCentered Planning and IEP process

Tips for parents on how to prepare Tips for parents on how to prepare youth for education after high schoolyouth for education after high school


Independent Living ChapterIndependent Living Chapter Background on disability history, including Background on disability history, including

information on Ed Robertsinformation on Ed Roberts Worksheet on disability self-awareness and Worksheet on disability self-awareness and

setting goals for the futuresetting goals for the future Finding accessible housing, buying a home, Finding accessible housing, buying a home,

finding roommates and housing rightsfinding roommates and housing rights Checklists to ensure preparation for Checklists to ensure preparation for

independenceindependence Finding and paying for a personal assistant, Finding and paying for a personal assistant,

best methods of transportation and finding a best methods of transportation and finding a mentormentor

Transition Toolkit: Things are Transition Toolkit: Things are About to ChangeAbout to ChangeEmployment ChapterEmployment Chapter

Choosing a career that fits with their Choosing a career that fits with their interests and abilities interests and abilities

Resume writing and successful Resume writing and successful interviewing techniques and interviewing techniques and preparation preparation

Building work experience, including Building work experience, including volunteerism and internship programs volunteerism and internship programs

Job searchingJob searching


Employment Chapter cont.Employment Chapter cont.

The impact of employment on benefitsThe impact of employment on benefits Their rights related to job accommodationsTheir rights related to job accommodations Disability disclosure, and how to decide Disability disclosure, and how to decide

when (and whether) to disclose their when (and whether) to disclose their disabilitydisability

Personal assistant services at work Personal assistant services at work Finding transportation to and from workFinding transportation to and from work


Financial ChapterFinancial Chapter

Basic budgeting: how to balance a Basic budgeting: how to balance a checkbook, pay bills, etc.checkbook, pay bills, etc.

Credit cards and how to avoid getting Credit cards and how to avoid getting into debtinto debt

Employee benefits and tax withholdingsEmployee benefits and tax withholdings Investments, such as mutual funds, Investments, such as mutual funds,

stocks, bonds and retirement accountsstocks, bonds and retirement accounts


Financial Chapter cont.Financial Chapter cont.

Worksheets on financial planning and Worksheets on financial planning and budgetingbudgeting

Real-life stories about credit cards Real-life stories about credit cards and car loansand car loans

Tips for parents on teaching their Tips for parents on teaching their child to start managing their own child to start managing their own financesfinances

Transition Toolkit: Things are Transition Toolkit: Things are About to ChangeAbout to ChangeHealthcare ChapterHealthcare Chapter

Worksheets on handling their own Worksheets on handling their own healthcare needshealthcare needs

Keeping track of medications, Keeping track of medications, making doctors appointments and making doctors appointments and communicating with their doctorcommunicating with their doctor

Best ways to keep track of vital Best ways to keep track of vital healthcare informationhealthcare information


Healthcare Chapter cont.Healthcare Chapter cont.

Insurance information, including Insurance information, including Medi-Cal, healthcare through Medi-Cal, healthcare through employment and continuance of employment and continuance of coverage under the family’s plancoverage under the family’s plan

Tips for parents on helping their child Tips for parents on helping their child transition into independently transition into independently handling their own healthcare needshandling their own healthcare needs


Social Recreation ChapterSocial Recreation Chapter

Clubs which are designed specifically for youth Clubs which are designed specifically for youth with disabilitieswith disabilities

Available adaptive sports programsAvailable adaptive sports programs Ways to become involved in the disability Ways to become involved in the disability

communitycommunity How to become a disability activistHow to become a disability activist Best ways to travel with a disabilityBest ways to travel with a disability Parent section prods parents to encourage their Parent section prods parents to encourage their

child to become more involved in their child to become more involved in their communitycommunity


The transition toolkit will be The transition toolkit will be completed very soon. It will be completed very soon. It will be primarily available onlineprimarily available online

Please sign up on our contact list to Please sign up on our contact list to be notified of when the transition be notified of when the transition toolkit is available and so you can toolkit is available and so you can keep up with some of our other keep up with some of our other upcoming eventsupcoming events

Get ConnectedGet Connected

YO! Youth Organizing Disabled & Proud YO! Youth Organizing Disabled & Proud – Provides information, resources and Provides information, resources and

opportunities for YOUTH with DISABILITESopportunities for YOUTH with DISABILITES IHSSIHSS Education (Pre-K to Post Secondary)Education (Pre-K to Post Secondary) Self EsteemSelf Esteem JobsJobs Disability HistoryDisability History Disability RightsDisability Rights Leadership Opportunities throughout the StateLeadership Opportunities throughout the State

– www.YOdiabledproud.orgwww.YOdiabledproud.org– 866-296-9753 (voice) 800-900-0706 (TTD)866-296-9753 (voice) 800-900-0706 (TTD)

Getting to WorkGetting to Work

ParatransitParatransit– Door to door serviceDoor to door service– Mobility trainingMobility training– www.paratransit.org www.paratransit.org – To apply, call: 916-557-4685To apply, call: 916-557-4685

Public transportation (buses & rail Public transportation (buses & rail systems)systems)– www.publictransportation.org/systems www.publictransportation.org/systems

Getting the Assistance You Getting the Assistance You Need at WorkNeed at Work

In-Home Supportive Services In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)(IHSS)– Provides personal assistance services Provides personal assistance services

At home At home And at workAnd at work

– www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/PG139.htm or 916-874-9471PG139.htm or 916-874-9471

Follow Your Dreams Follow Your Dreams

Self advocacy is the keySelf advocacy is the key Know what you want and go after itKnow what you want and go after it Make use of the resources available Make use of the resources available

to youto you Do not let anything hold you back Do not let anything hold you back

from doing what you want to dofrom doing what you want to do

Contact InformationContact Information

John KerrJohn Kerr916-319-9563916-319-9563

oror

[email protected]@dhcs.ca.gov

Rachel StewartRachel Stewart916-319-8519916-319-8519

oror

[email protected]@dhcs.ca.gov

Documents

California Health Incentives Improvement Project