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Life Skills for Emerging Adults
Age 10-14:
- Order meals at restaurants independently
- Pay for items at the store independently
- Learn how to use a cell phone and carry one, if applicable
- Find adult mentor/role model with similar disability
- Talk about your dreams for the future with the people you care about and ask for their help
- Increase independence of Activities of Daily Living (ex: dressing, feeding, bathing, toileting, etc.)
Age 15-17:
- Arrive on time to appointments, work, & activities
- Carry state ID card or driver’s license and a copy of health insurance card
- Schedule your own appointments
- Think about future living arrangements
- Carry a cell phone, if applicable
- Work on self-advocacy in meetings and appointments
- Seek care from adults other than parents so that you learn to interact with new people and communicate needs to others
- Attend a sleep-away camp to foster independence
- Teach teen how to handle emergency vs. non-emergency medical situations
- Discuss vocational training vs. post-secondary education
- Special Needs Trust, if applicable
Age 18:
- Register to vote
- Males: Must register for draft
- Plan future living arrangements
- Carry a cell phone, if applicable
- Prepare your “elevator speech” about your diagnosis for providers, therapists, teachers, etc.
- Obtain a passport, if desired
- Work on self-advocacy in meetings and appointments
- Seek care from adults other than parents so that you learn to interact with new people and communicate needs to others
Age 19-21:
- Inform local fire department of necessary accommodations for emergency preparedness
- Carry a cell phone, if applicable
- Bring together people you care about to plan with you and help you reach your goals (Person-Centered Planning)
- Practice self-advocacy in interactions with doctors and professionals
- Seek care from adults other than parents so that you learn to interact with new people and communicate needs to others
- Talk about your dreams for the future with the people you care about and ask for their help
Age 22-26:
- Take on as many independent living responsibilities as able
- Maintain friendships & social life
- Inform local fire department of necessary accommodations for emergency preparedness
- Create list of necessities for emergency preparedness (medication, equipment, supplies, etc.)
- Carry a cell phone, if applicable
- Bring together people you care about to plan with you and help you reach your goals
- Practice self-advocacy in interactions with doctors and professionals
- Talk about your dreams for the future with the people you care about and ask for their help
Family Involvement
Age 10-14:
- Discuss child’s hopes & dreams
- Have child help with chores to teach living skills
- Discuss sexuality & family planning issues
- Open bank account for child and discuss money and budgeting
- Inform local fire department of necessary accommodations for emergency preparedness
- Develop family plan of what to do in case of emergency
- Set up a Special Needs Trust, if applicable
- Talk about end-of-life plans with family
- Facilitate opportunities for your child to make his or her own choices and decisions
- Find or create a safe place to talk about experiences with the disability (family discussions, support groups, counseling)
Age 15-17:
- Create opportunities to test independence of youth in a safe environment
- Explore public transportation together or use a community resource to learn about transportation to increase independence
- Find or create a safe place to talk about experiences with the disability (family discussions, support groups, counseling)
- Assist youth in connecting with an adult mentor/role model with a similar disability
Age 18:
- Discuss representative payee & guardianship
- Assist teen with living options
- Discuss vocational training vs. post-secondary education
- Inform local fire department of necessary accommodations for emergency preparedness
- Determine guardianship, Medical Durable Power of Attorney, or conservatorship
- Explore Special Needs Trust, if applicable
- Facilitate opportunities for your child to make his or her own choices and decisions
- Find or create a safe place to talk about experiences with the disability (family discussions, support groups, counseling)
- Assist youth in connecting with an adult mentor/role model with a similar disability
Age 19-21:
- Plan future living arrangements
- Develop a long-term financial plan
- Discuss vocational training vs. post-secondary education
- Determine guardianship, Medical Durable Power of Attorney, or conservatorship
- Explore/set up Special Needs Trust, if applicable
- Support independent choices
- Find or create a safe place to talk about experiences with the disability (family discussions, support groups, counseling)
Age 22-26:
- Determine guardianship, Medical Durable Power of Attorney, or conservatorship
- Establish Special Needs Trust, if applicable
- Encourage increased & ongoing independence
- Discuss “End of Life” planning for all family members
- Find or create a safe place to talk about experiences with the disability (family discussions, support groups, counseling)
School
Age 10-14:
- Incorporate transition planning into last middle school IEP because it will follow student to high school
- Update IEP as often as necessary, at least once per school year
- All IEP requests should be in writing to the school district and special educationdepartment
- Support student to engage in middle school and high school classes and extra-curricular activities related to their interests and strengths
- If assistive technology (AT) device is needed at school, make sure it is written into IEP
- Parents: get involved in child’s school to create partnerships and build relationships
Age 15-17:
- At 15, incorporate first transition goal into IEP
- Update IEP/ transition goals as often as necessary, at least once per school year
- Student attends own IEP meeting to work on self-advocacy
- Transition goals should be individualized to student’s interests
- Decide on transition program with vocational training vs. graduation and higher education
- Support student to engage in classes and extra-curricular activities related to their interests and strengths
Age 18:
- Update IEP/ transition goals as often as necessary, at least once per school year
- Attend your own IEP and work on self-advocacy
- All IEP requests should be in writing to the school district and special education department
- Transition goals should be individualized to student’s interests
- Can walk at graduation with high school class if graduating or if utilizing school transition services
Age 19-21:
- Update IEP/ transition goals as often as necessary, at least once per school year
- Attend your own IEP and work on self-advocacy
- Transition goals should be individualized to student’s interests
- At 21, complete school transition services
- Begin post-secondary education, if desired
- Utilize 504 Plan (ADA) to receive accommodations in college and work
Age 22-26:
- Continue in post-secondary school, if desired
- 504 Plan can be utilized in college to receive accommodations
- Stay involved with continuing education or certificate programs, if applicable to career path
Career Planning
Age 10-14:
- Start thinking about & researching possible career interests: take advantage of career fairs, job shadowing opportunities
- Volunteer in a variety of environments
Age 15-17:
- Begin job shadowing
- Practice completing job applications
- Develop a résumé or video résumé
- Work summer job, if applicable
- Volunteer in a variety of environments
- Learn about a variety of career opportunities based on your interests and strengths
- Remember to think outside the box!
Age 18:
- Continue job exploration/ job training
- Work summer job, if applicable
- Volunteer in a variety of environments
- Complete résumé and/or video résumé
- Find opportunities to connect with career interests
Age 19-21:
- Determine vocational direction & apply to job postings
- Continue volunteering to learn about opportunities and to network
- Learn to self-advocate for accommodations in the work environment
- Look into work incentive programs through SSA
Age 22-26:
- Continue work or apply for jobs matching interests & skills
- Volunteer, if time permits
- Learn to self-advocate for accommodations in the work environment
- Apply for jobs
- If not able to work, make plans for daily activities & community involvement
Health/Health Coverage
Age 10-14:
- Ask questions at doctor appointments
- Obtain EPSDT services from Healthy Communities, if on Medicaid
- Build relationships with your medical providers
- Create a list of contacts for doctors, therapists, equipment vendors, etc., in case of emergency
- Ask for care coordinator through insurance to help with services and needs
- Learn more about your health & health care needs
- Develop a portable medical summary including medications
- Develop a family medical history
Age 15-17:
- Establish plan for adult medical services & obtain referrals
- Update list of contacts for doctors, therapists, equipment vendors, etc., in case of emergency
- Obtain a Letter of Medical Necessity for use with insurance, therapies, SSA, and other systems
- Learn more about your medical background
- Schedule medical appointments independently
- Learn to refill prescriptions independently
Age 18:
- Switch to adult medical providers
- Obtain EPSDT services through age 20, if on Medicaid
- Apply for adult SSI in order to keep Medicaid, if applicable
- Update list of contacts for doctors, therapists, equipment vendors, etc., in case of emergency
- Have an understanding of medical background & needs
- Update Letter of Medical Necessity with current abilities and needs
- Update portable medical summary
Age 19-21:
- Build relationships with adult medical providers
- EPSDT services through age 20 (dental & vision coverage ends at 18 if on Medicaid)
- Dental and vision care can be written into DD service plans
- Update list of contacts for doctors, therapists, equipment vendors, etc., in case of emergency
- Assume responsibility for health care needs (make appointments, fill prescriptions, manage medication)
- Update Letter of Medical Necessity with current abilities and needs
Age 22-26:
- At 26 yrs old, adult is no longer eligible for parent’s health insurance (unless negotiated with private carrier)
- Build relationships with adult medical providers
- Update list of contacts for doctors, therapists, equipment vendors, etc., in case of emergency
- Obtain updated Letter of Medical Necessity with current abilities and needs, as needed
View the Transition Guide by Age
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