Coming of Age

Are you turning 18 or a young adult and wondering what to do next?

The disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV) invites you to explore your options as adults!

• Graduation and Beyond
• Supported Decision Making (help when making decisions)
• Social Security and Employment
• Your Legal Rights
• Helpful Links
• and much more!

Resources

We have a host of fact sheets and other issue-related resources that can be found below.

Life After High School—I Have A Choice!

• What are Transition Services?
• Pre-Employment Transition Services
• Education Accommodations after High School
• I Don’t Feel Ready To Go To College or Get a Job
• I am Thinking about Going to College!
• Introduction to Assistive Technology for Adult

Making My Choices Known—I Have A Voice!

• Decisions, Decisions, Decisions…What if I Need Help?
• Tips for Youth Turning 18 and Their Parents

I’ll Need Money!

• Applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disabled Adult Child (DAC) as an Adult
• SSI At-a-Glance: What Happens When I Turn 18?
• When SSI Age-18 Redetermination is Denied–Use the “Section 301” Rule to Continue SSI Benefits
• How to avoid the “One-Third Reduction” to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – Pay your Way!
• SSI’s Resource Limits & How to Protect Your Savings

Legal Stuff

• Overview of Disability Laws
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Your Employment Rights Under the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Your Right to Privacy
• Community Services Board
• Your Right to Vote

Helpful Resources

• Contacting dLCV for Help and Information
• Other Helpful Agencies, Organizations and Websites to Help with Your Transition

Helpful Coming of Age Links

Advance Directives

• Make an Advance Directive – You can write it yourself using sample forms. dLCV has forms and detailed instructions on its Supported Decision Making Resource Page.
• Register your Advance Directive online – You can also register your Advance Directive online.  If you have any questions about registering your Advance Directive, you can call the registry’s Help Line at 800-224-0791.
  Individuals who believe they may be victims of housing discrimination should contact the Virginia Fair Housing Office toll-free at 1-888-551-FAIR (3247).
• Supported Decision Making – If you need help making decisions about school, you can choose someone to help you with those decisions.  dLCV has information and a form you can use in this situation:
• Representative Payee – If you get checks from Social Security, you can ask Social Security for a Representative Payee to receive the checks for you and help you pay your bills and budget your money on your behalf.  Check out the Representative Payee website for more information.

Community Services Boards

• Find your Community Service Board (CSB) – You can this directory to find the CSB for your locality.
• 2-1-1 – Virginia’s community services helpline.  2-1-1 VIRGINIA provides access to services in your community and statewide. All referrals are confidential and you can search for these same services on this 2-1-1 VIRGINIA Web site.  You may reach them by dialing 211 from any phone.

I am Thinking about Going to College!

General Information about Education after High School

• Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) – Virginia Department of Education offers a College Planning Resource Center.
• Think College – Think College provides information on colleges that provide programs for individuals with disabilities.
• Greater Richmond Aspirations College Program (GRASP) – Greater Richmond Aspirations College Program is a non-profit organization that assists students and families in obtaining funding for post-secondary education. This service is not geared specifically to students with disabilities. This service is offered at no cost to the family.
• Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities  – a guide by the U.S. Department of Education.
• VCU Center on Transition Innovations  – a wealth of information on many topics relevant to individuals transitioning into adulthood.
• Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) and Department for Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) – Vocational Rehabilitation Services Departments that assist students in getting needed accommodations and support. For more information.

Information for Students with Disabilities

• Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center (WWRC) – provides training for people with disabilities to assist them in obtaining employment and to live more independently. They have two programs, Pre-employment Readiness and Education Program (PREP) and Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition (PERT), specifically for students transitioning from high school.
• Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired (VRCBVI) –  offers training in the skills of blindness to blind and vision-impaired Virginians and encourages people to develop positive attitudes about blindness.
• Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind & Vision Impaired (VRCBVI) – collaborates with the University of Richmond to provide a two-week course called STEPS to Success (Strategies & Techniques for Enhancing Performance & Skills). This program introduces valuable skills, techniques, and strategies to help maximize success in preparing for college or a career.
• George Mason University – Learning into Future Environments (LIFE) program that offers a supportive academic university experience for individuals with ID and DD seeking a four-year curriculum.
• Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) – ACE-IT in College program, an inclusive, on-campus college experience for young adults with intellectual disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, or autism.
• Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) – partners with the national organization College Steps to provide individualized college support for students with social, communication, or learning challenges.
• J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College – offers a two-year vocational training program called Program for Adults in Vocational Education (PAVE).
• United Methodist Family Services – offers a program called Courage to Succeed. This program is specifically for individuals with autism and other neurological differences, including learning disabilities, ADHD and traumatic brain injury.

Introduction to Assistive Technology for Adults

• Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) may be able to assist you if you need AT in order to get or keep a job.
• Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI)
• Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH)
• Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA) makes low-interest loans and loan guarantees to people with disabilities for equipment and technology that promote independence, quality of life and employment opportunities.

Tips for Youth Turning 18 and Their Parents

• Apply for Medicaid at your local Department of Social Services office. Medicaid is a program, funded by federal and state government, which pays for medical care for those who can’t afford it. Eligibility for SSI usually qualifies you for Medicaid, but applications for both must be completed.
• Apply for the appropriate Medicaid Waiver to get your name on the waiting list. Virginia has several Medicaid Waivers that provide services and supports to assist individuals with disabilities with their needs in the community. Each Waiver has a specific process for entering the system, eligibility, and the variety of services available. Individuals can be on one waiting list while receiving services from another waiver. Some waiting lists are very long so it is best to apply as soon as possible.
• Set up an ABLEnow account. This allows you to save and invest excess money over the resource limit for programs like SSI, Medicaid, or SNAP benefits. The account will not affect your eligibility for these programs. In fact, you can place up to $100,000 in the account without it counting as a resource for SSI. Medicaid has no limit on the account. To qualify for an ABLEnow account your disability must have begun before the age of 26.
• Discuss your family’s current estate plan to determine if changes need to be made to protect benefits. If you believe that you will require Medicaid, SSI, or other governmental subsidies, discuss a Special Needs Trust (SNT). A SNT allows you to plan for your financial future and prevent being disqualified for benefits due to having too much money or property. Ask other family members if their estate plans include the possibility of you receiving any money or property. Financial gifts from well-meaning family members, upon their death or before, can jeopardize your eligibility for necessary governmental benefits. Further information about Special Needs Trusts can be found at The Commonwealth Community Trust’s or The Arc of Northern Virginia’s website.

Great Public Resources to Help with Your Transition……

• Department of Education (DOE) – If you have an IEP, know your rights while you are in school beyond age 18.
• Department of Aging and Rehabilitation Services (DARS) –  A DARS counselor should be a part of your school transition team starting at age 14. Get them involved as early as possible to help with your work goals.
• Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBVI) –  If you are blind or have a vision impairment a DBVI counselor should be part of your school transition team starting at age 14.
• DBVI’s Programs (on the Richmond campus that support transition) – LEAP (Learning Excellence and Academics Programs) and LIFE (Learning Independence, Feeling Empowered)
• Community Service Boards (CSB) –  A CSB is the point of entry into the publicly-funded system of services for mental health, intellectual disability, and substance abuse. They offer many services.
• Centers for Independent Living (CILs) –  Centers for Independent Living provide services to individuals with significant disabilities CIL’s core services include advocacy, information and referral, peer counseling, independent living skills training, and transition services for youth.

Great Websites to Help with Your Transition and Beyond

• Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center on Transition Innovation – (804) 828-1851 (Voice) (804) 828-2494 (TTY) The Center on Transition Innovation provides information, resources, and demonstration projects that support youth with disabilities to gain access to integrated competitive employment to the fullest extent possible. Their website includes fact sheets on important transition topics, webcasts from state and national experts in the field, informational videos, and a Facebook page with the latest news about transition.
• College Guide for Students with Learning Disabilities
• College Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN) – (800) 526-7234 (Voice) (877) 781-9403 (TTY) The Job Accommodation Network is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues. Working toward practical solutions that benefit both employer and employee, JAN helps people with disabilities improve their employability and shows employers how to capitalize on the value and talent that people with disabilities add to the workplace.
• Disability*Gov – This government site connects people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers to helpful resources on topics such as how to apply for disability benefits, find a job, get health care or pay for accessible housing.
• ADA National Network: “Questions about the ADA?” – 800-949-4232 V/TTY Information, Guidance and Training on the Americans with Disabilities Act.