The University of Montana Rural Institute has been a leader in the area of transition planning for youth with disabilities since 1995. Activities have included:
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Provision of education and training to schools, families, students and agencies;
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Development of innovative strategies and transition models;
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Demonstration, outreach and technical assistance, both on-site and long distance;
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Promotion of systems changes to support effective transition for youth from school to adult life; and
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Information dissemination.
Since 2000, we’ve focused several of our projects on customized community employment for youth with significant disabilities. We have developed and implemented unique models of transition planning that continue to evolve as we learn more from the youth and families with whom we work.
Our transition activities are unique in that they promote:
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Customized Employment strategies for youth with disabilities;
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The use of Social Security work incentives for students;
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Transition planning for middle school students;
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Collaborative funding across agencies to create individually-driven employment supports;
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Self-employment as vocational experience or as a post-school outcome; and
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Self-determination for youth as we empower them to identify strengths, skills, and needs for transition planning.
Visit our link to “Articles and Products”
for information and tools you can
use in your own programs.
Looking for Nominations for Emerging Leaders
We are looking for examples of Montanans age 34 or younger who have a developmental disability to expand the vision of what is possible for youth and young adults with developmental disabilities to learn, live, work and play in their communities. In collaboration with Youth Advisory Board members, project staff creates monthly Transition Listserv announcements and an annual publication to highlight and share innovative examples and stories of young adults with developmental disabilities being active, participating members of their communities. Information is shared about how the supports necessary to help them realize these possibilities were identified and funded or provided.
More information on nominating Emerging Leaders....
T-Shirts for Sale, Get One Before They're Gone!
The MT-TIRC Advisory Board is selling T-shirts to raise money so the board can continue to function after the MT-TIRC grant ends on September 30, 2010. The T-shirts share information about the Emerging Leader project, which is one of the MT-TIRC activities. Shirts sell for $15 each and are available in sizes small (S) through extra-extra large (XXL). Youth from the board and students working with the MT-TIRC project are selling the shirts, overseeing their packaging and shipping, and handling the accounting responsibilities for the sales.
More information and the order form...
Projects
Mission: The Montana Transition Training, Information and Resource Center (MT-TIRC) provides access to timely, high quality transition information, training and resources for young people with developmental disabilities, their families, teachers, professionals, and other community members. MT-TIRC was originally funded through a three-year grant awarded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities that ended on September 30, 2010. The Youth Advisory Board, Emerging Leader Project portions and technical assistance and training continues with support of several partners: MCDD, The Rural Institute on Disabilities, and the Montana Deaf-Blind Project.
Transition and Employment Consultation and Technical Assistance
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If you need information from this website in a different format, please contact
Ellen Condon at 406-243-4134
These Transition Projects are a part of the Rural Institute Center for Excellence in Disability Education, Research, and Service at The University of Montana. MT-TIRC #90DN0223/01 was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Developmental Disabilities. Partnerships for Transition is funded by the Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities. (Opinions expressed are those of the Transition and Employment Projects staff and not those of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities.)
The Rural Institute has not verified and does not endorse the links or the content of the links that are found on this Web site. These links are provided to assist the site visitor in their search for information. The Rural Institute assumes no responsibility for the validity of information provided on the links and as in all Internet use, the user should verify all information. The information on this Web site is current and accurate to the best of our knowledge. Please Contact Us to share additional resource information. 
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