Transition services prepare students with disabilities for independent living, vocational training, competitive employment, higher education, and other post secondary opportunities once they leave school.  Only the most meaningful planning for transition services by secondary schools and adult services agencies will ensure that student with disabilities will be able to lead fulfilling and productive lives.  

Please take a moment to learn about the bill below and call and email your legislators to encourage their support! Find out who your elected officials are at:

http://malegislature.gov/People/FindMyLegislator

Purpose of H. 985:     To strengthen the bridge to integrated employment and postsecondary education, this bill expands services and supports to students with disabilities “without adult service agency ties” in the chapter 688 transition process, in the following ways:

• The bill modifies the prior definition of disability under M.G.L. c. 71B s. 12A (c. 688), that was based in large part on the Social Security eligibility standard, and excluded large numbers of student in need of transition services.   
• It updates and expands the types of “habilitative services” which must be provided under the 688 process, subject to appropriation.
• Through amendments to chapter 766, the bill strengthens the integration of the special education IEP process in the secondary schools and the chapter 688 ITP process for providing adult services, and adopts provisions under federal special education law for schools to provide summaries of student performance to assist in meeting the child’s postsecondary goals.
• It assigns to EOHHS the obligation to monitor and collect data on the extent to which needed chapter 688 adult services are not being provided, because of shortfalls in appropriations.

Impact of H. 985:  When Congress first decided to include transition services within the IDEA in 1990, it noted that when individuals are not prepared to make the transition into the post-school environment

…[y]ears of special education will be wasted while these individuals languish at home, their ability to become independent and self-sufficient (therefore making a positive contribution to society) placed at significant risk.”¹

With appropriate transition services and planning, young adults with disabilities are more likely to go onto higher education, be gainfully employed, be less likely to stay at home, and more likely to realize their potential to live independently.  Failing to provide the appropriate services, lead students to become at significant risk of becoming dependent on welfare and social service systems.  A relatively small investment up front in appropriate transition services will result in substantial long-term benefits for youth with disabilities.

Additional information:

• Bill summary
• Full bill text

¹ H.R.Rep. No. 101-544, 101st Cong., 2d Sess. 9, reprinted in 1990 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin. News 1723, 1732-33, quoted in Todd D. by Robert D. v. Andrews, 933 F.2d 1576, n.2 (11th Cir. 1991), as cited in In Re: Dracut Public Schools, BSEA # 08-5330, 15 MSER 78, 52 IDELR 85, 109 LRP 19689 (SEA MA 2009).