In California and Maryland a Transition Service Integration Model is being piloted for students which blends funds from schools, Vocational Rehabilitation and Developmental Disabilities agencies to support employment for students during their last year of high school.(Certa, N., Sax, C., Pumpian, I., Mautz, D., Smalley, A., Wade, H., and Noyes, D., 2002). In Montana, our projects share the same end goals: placement into paid employment, with necessary supports in place prior to graduation. However, in Montana we have some additional challenges. Not all schools in Montana provide special education services to students through age 21, so there is less time to adequately prepare students for life as adults and to connect them with necessary services. Also, waiting lists for Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health services are growing and not all agencies are equipped to provide supported employment services to students with severe disabilities. Below are some examples of what we have been able to coordinate for students through a model of collaborative funding within rural state having limited resources.

Carley's Story

Maclaen's Story

Mission Valley Transition Poster

Steps to Accessing Vocational Rehabilitation

Support Costs Form (to print set the printer page setup to landscape)

Support Costs Form Sample (to print set the printer page setup to landscape)

Rural Resourcse: Montana's Developmental Disabilities Program: Services for Children and Families (Adobe pdf file)

Rural Resourcse: Montana's Developmental Disabilities Program: Services for Adults (Adobe pdf file)