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September 22, 2021
The E1 mail list from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is intended for professionals who support youth with disabilities to engage with, plan for, find, and keep competitive integrated employment. If you or your staff are interested in joining this mail list, subscribe on the GovDelivery website. Below is the most recent E1 email.
Welcome to the New School Year
MDE, DEED and DHS are looking forward to another year of supporting school, Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS), State Services for the Blind (SSB), county/tribal agencies, and other community partners that serve transition-aged youth with disabilities.
As a reminder, it is important that we all work together to ensure that students with disabilities ages 14-21 have access to Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) as needed. Schools are the primary provider of Pre-ETS and VRS and SSB can fill in any needed gaps.
The five Pre-ETS services are:
- Job exploration counseling
- Work-based learning experiences
- Postsecondary education counseling
- Workplace readiness training
- Instruction in self-advocacy
Resources for collaboration:
Invitation: Join the Employment Capacity-Building Cohort (ECBC)
The Employment Capacity-Building Cohort (ECBC) is an initiative supported by MDE, DEED and DHS aimed at increasing competitive integrated employment outcomes for students in 18-21 transition programming. Community teams comprised of school, VRS/SSB and county waiver case management staff come together to learn, build capacity, set goals and have fun.
By joining, your team would participate in five state-level ECBC meetings as follows (first Wednesday of month, 1-3 p.m.):
- October 6, 2021
- November 3, 2021
- January 5, 2022
- March 2, 2022
- May 4, 2022
If you have a community team that is interested in joining, register on the GoogleDocs website. If you have questions, contact Lindsey Horowitz, MDE Postsecondary Transition Specialist.
New Issue of SSB's The Spectacle
We are excited to share the September issue of “The Spectacle” with you. “The Spectacle” is State Services for the Blind’s (SSB) newsletter for students, parents/guardians, teachers, and other professionals. In this issue you’ll find:
- A list of fun back-to-school movies
- Advice from our summer students
- Information about upcoming activities
- Tech and educational resources
- And much more
Please share with students, families/guardians, and anyone else who might be interested.
Minnesota Microgrant Partnership Opportunity for Students Ages 16+
The Minnesota Microgrant Partnership gives grants to Minnesotans with disabilities. Grant seekers have until December 31, 2021, to apply for funds to help them reach their goals. Goals must focus on competitive, integrated employment; independent, accessible housing; or community inclusion.
Eligible applicants may be 16+ with an individualized education program (IEP) learning in a level 3 or 4 setting or 18+ receiving waiver or personal care assistant (PCA) services. Applicants may receive one grant per calendar year. Anyone who has already received a microgrant in 2021 is not eligible to receive another grant this year.
Microgrants are not available for camps, conferences, travel, or replacement furniture.
Find more information about microgrants and apply on The Arc website.
Have questions? Email microgrants@arcminnesota.org or call 651-604-8056 for more information.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services funds the Minnesota Microgrant Partnership.
Panel for Transition-Aged Youth with Autism
The Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) team at DHS is seeking youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ages 16-24 to join a panel that will begin November 4, 2021, at noon for one hour. It is an opportunity for professionals to hear from youth about their journey into adulthood.
If you know a youth with ASD who might be interested in joining this panel, we would love to hear from them! If the youth is under 18, we will need parental consent. Interested youth can reach out to us at: asd.dhs@state.mn.us or call/text 651-364-1684.
Free PACER Center Event for Families/Guardians and Professionals
Inspiring Possibilities Part One: Living, Learning, and Working After High School
Date/time: Friday, October 8, 2021, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. CST
Location: Online web streaming
Join us for part one of our free transition-to-adulthood mini-conference series for Minnesota parents/guardians. Hear from community experts and PACER transition specialists on a variety of topics. Ask questions and connect virtually with other parents/guardians. Register on the gotowebinar website.
Your single registration for our Friday, October 8 conference allows you to join any or all the sessions below. We have chosen to run separate sessions, allowing our participants to have a break and lunch between topics, and allowing us to focus on individual topics. We will end each session to move to the next. The single webinar link you received in a separate email is your ticket to all sessions.
Schedule for the day
9:30 to 10:30 a.m.: Opening Session: What Happens When Minnesota Youth with Disabilities Turn 18?
The road to adulthood for youth with disabilities is filled with opportunity, and parents play a key role. Your teen can play an active role in the transition journey, and in determining their own life, if you provide encouragement and guidance along the way. This fast-paced session will cover the essentials of what families/guardians need to know and do before their teen turns 18 and/or receives their diploma or ages out of public education.
Presenter: Barb Ziemke, PACER parent advocate and co-director of PACER’s National Parent Center on Transition and Employment
10:45 to 11:45 a.m.: Off to College: What You Need to Know Before They Go
Essential information for families/guardians of youth with disabilities who will attend two- or four-year college programs about changing rights, roles, and responsibilities, along with practical tips for student success.
Topics will include: key laws to know and understand; the role of parents and students; disability disclosure; the ins and outs of accessing accommodations in college.
Presenter: Kayla Allen, Accessibility Specialist from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) at Normandale Community College
12:15 to 1:15 p.m.: Rethinking Guardianship for Transition Age Youth: The Promise of Supported Decision Making
Commonly, parents of children with developmental disabilities are encouraged to seek guardianship when their child is approaching age 18. But that may be an overly restrictive intervention. Learn how Supported Decision Making, a nationally recognized option, can maximize self-determination while acknowledging concerns related to vulnerability for people with disabilities.
Presenters: Anita Raymond, Program Director and Kathleen Carlson, Lead Social Worker, from Volunteers of America-Minnesota’s Center for Excellence in Supported Decision Making
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Career Counseling and Supports: How Schools and Minnesota VRS Work Together to Help Students Prepare for Employment Success
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) now require high schools and VRS to plan and coordinate career supports and services for high school students with disabilities. Learn how VRS Student Career Services can help your student discover their strengths and interests; career and postsecondary education possibilities; how to gain work skills and experiences; and what they’ll need to make their plan happen.
Presenters: Alyssa Klein, Transition and Pre-Employment Transition Services Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) and Lindsey Horowitz, Postsecondary Transition Specialist, Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)
This event is made possible with funding from the Richard M. Schulze foundation.
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