|
Parents' Guide to Transition: |
|
|---|---|
 |
Katharin A. Kelker, Ed.D. Roger Holt Published by: © PLUK, September 1997 |
|
|
|
Introduction
When your child is a teenager and nearing the point when he or she will leave high school, you have reached a period of transition. Transition refers to the time when a student leaves school and enters the adult community. This change presents important challenges for both you and your child.
As they leave high school, all young people face a number of choices about careers, postsecondary education, living arrangements, and social life. For individuals with disabilities, these decisions are complicated by the need to compensate for or accommodate their learning problems or their emotional, physical or mental impairments. For some young people, transition also means becoming involved with an unfamiliar array of adult services.
As a parent of a child with special needs, you have probably become familiar with the school system and your rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Now as your child prepares to leave school, you will begin the process of entering a different phase in your relationship with your child. No longer will you be the sole decision-maker. Your child will be making many decisions alone. Your child may also be involved in the adult service system which does not have the set of guarantees that are part of IDEA. For adult services, the client is the person with the disability and not that person's parents. Thus, with adult services, parents take a more secondary role and are no longer "in the driver's seat." Unlike school services, adult programs may have waiting lists. Also, adult services may have different entrance requirements and methods of operation from school services.
To help you understand what transition is all about, this guide provides answers to questions that parents frequently ask. Knowing what to expect during transition will help you and your child to adjust as smoothly as possible to the changes that adult living will bring.
What Roles Do Parents Play in Transition?
Parental involvement is key in the transition process. Though there are no specific guidelines for parents to follow, there are several roles for them to play, including (a) members of the IEP Team, (b) providers of information, (c) sources of values, (d) determiners of priorities, (e) case managers, (f) advocates, (g) role models, and (h) most importantly risk takers.
The most important role that parents have in transition is the gradual process of letting go. When a child has disabilities and has required a great deal of extra care and concern from parents, it is sometimes difficult for parents to let go of their children and allow them to grow up. There is, however, danger in restricting and protecting children with disabilities unnecessarily. Children with disabilities need experience just as other children do. Parents have to be willing to take some risks and allow their children to experience frustration and failure so that they also have the chance to learn from their mistakes and become more competent adults.
Generally speaking, parents have to jump start the transition process and plan ahead so that their children have the training and background they need to take over responsibility for themselves. Parents need to help with daily living skills, sex education, social skills development, and acquisition of good work habits. In order to be effective in planning for their children's transition, parents need to become familiar with the supports and services that adults with disabilities use to assist them in living and working in the community. As with any child, children with disabilities benefit from having parents who assume they will grow up and be on their own some day.
Are There Aspects of Transition Planning Which Only the Family Can Do?As high school graduation approaches, there are a number of decisions which only families and students can make about aspects of adult living. Educators and social agency personnel can be helpful in informing parents about these issues, but parents and students themselves must be the ones to make the final decisions. It is helpful for families to face these issues head-on and take action, so that plans for transition into adult living can proceed in an orderly way. The following are areas of decision-making which have to be addressed by parents and children together:
Independence. As students with disabilities approach graduation from school, it is important for them and their families to consider how much independence is realistic to expect that the students will be able to achieve. Sometimes parents of children with disabilities fall into the trap of being more protective of their children and doing more for them than is really necessary. After all, each task that young adults with disabilities can perform for themselves is one less task that someone else may have to be paid one day to do.
School personnel can help parents teach their son or daughter skills that lead to independence, but ultimately parents have to decide how much they are willing and able to let go of their parental role and allow their children to be on their own.
Guardianship. It sometimes comes as a stunning surprise to parents when they learn that under Montana law they have no legal responsibility or control over their child after he or she reaches age 18, unless they apply for guardianship through the District Court. Not having power to act for an incapacitated child can be a problem for a variety of reasons, especially should the occasion arise that the incapacitated individual needs medical treatment and cannot sign the medical release forms.
The guardianship issue should be considered carefully by families in light of a specific child's needs. Guardianships may only be appointed to meet the actual mental and physical limitations of incapacitated persons. The guardianship must be designed to encourage the development of maximum independence of the ward and may be used only to promote and protect the well-being of the incapacitated person.
In Montana, there are three levels of guardianship: full, limited and conservatorship. Full guardianship carries with it the full rights and responsibilities of parenthood. Limited guardianship allows guardians only those powers and duties specified by the court's order. Conservatorships allow for the management of property or financial benefits on behalf of the incapacitated person.
Sex Education. A young adult who is headed for a more independent life after high school graduation certainly will need the information and skills to deal with sexual maturity. Very few disabilities impair sexual function so parents must assume that their children with disabilities will mature sexually and need help with understanding and managing their sexual functions. Families should consider how much and what kind of sex education would be useful and may also need to deal with issues of birth control or sterilization.
Physicians and hospitals generally refuse to do sterilization surgery without a court order which authorizes the surgery. The courts, for their part, are uncertain whether they have the jurisdiction to order a sterilization. If a family is considering sterilization of a child with a disability, the family will definitely need to consult legal counsel for help with this issue.
Young adults, whether they are disabled or not, are free to marry when they have reached the legal age (18) and have complied with state requirements (e.g., physical examination).
Driving. Whether or not a teenager with disabilities can get a driver's license depends upon the instruction the student receives and the student's level of skill and judgment. In planning the transition from high school, it is important to discuss the realistic possibilities for a student to benefit from driving instruction and pass the driver's test. If drivers' training is offered in the student's high school, students with disabilities are certainly eligible for such instruction and must be accommodated if they have potential for learning to drive.
If a student is unlikely to be able to drive or to pass a driving test, then plans should be made to assist the student in learning to use alternative means of transportation like public buses or a bicycle. Staff at the Independent Living Centers (ILCs) can be helpful in assisting young adults with accessing public transportation. (see page 18 for a list of ILCs)
Young adults with physical disabilities can learn to drive with appropriate mechanical modifications of their automobiles. The local vocational rehabilitation office can supply information about hand controls and other such devices. (see page 16 for a list of VR offices)
Young people with print impairments (e.g., learning disabilities) can request accommodations for taking the written driver's test. The questions can be read aloud to the applicant.
What Should Parents Do When a Child Cannot Get a Driver's License and Has No Form of Personal Identification?
Individuals may apply for a State Identification Card at any Driver's Licensing Bureau. There is no age requirement. At present the cost is $8.00. When your child applies for an Identification Card, bring a birth certificate or any legal document that has the child's name and date of birth on it.
Do Young Men with Disabilities Have to Sign Up for Selective Service?
All males are required to register for selective service within 30 days of their 18th birthday unless they are institutionalized or hospitalized. Registration can be accomplished by obtaining a registration form at a local post office. For more information, call the Selective Service Administration at 847-688-6888.
How Can Parents Provide Financially for Their Son or Daughter with a Disability?
Planning for the economic well-being of a child with special needs is a complex issue for parents. During transition planning, financial issues surface that parents must address with the assistance of a lawyer, accountant or banker. It is helpful for overall planning if parents have made a will. Most financial planners advise parents to avoid leaving money or assets (e.g., home, car, business) to their children with disabilities. Any legacy that a child might receive would have to be spent completely before that individual would be eligible for certain government benefits. This can be a serious problem, particularly if the individual needs regular or expensive medical treatment.
To avoid such problems and allow parents to participate in supporting the long-term care of their children, the State of Montana created the Montana Self Sufficiency Trust. The Trust operates as a nonprofit corporation with a volunteer Board of Directors.
The Montana Self Sufficiency Trust (MSST) allows families to set aside funds for a family member with disabilities without fear of rendering that individual ineligible for government benefits that provide long term support. Currently the government benefits available to support an individual with disabilities who needs lifelong care include Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. Both of these programs are means-tested; that is, eligibility for receiving benefits is determined on the basis of the individual's income and assets as well as on the basis of disability. SSI and Medicaid are available only to those individuals who have disabilities and have very limited assets (e.g., one house, one car, and $2,000 or less in cash) in their own names. Generally, these government benefits provide greater support over an individual's lifetime than the typical parent could supply in a legacy. It makes sense, therefore, to create a Self Sufficiency Trust and make some family assets available to the child with a disability without jeopardizing the child's eligibility for government benefits.
Donors to MSST set up individual accounts which are pooled for investment purposes. The trust income can then be used either to expand services or to supplement existing services for their family members who need life long care.
While there are many financial vehicles available to individuals who wish to provide for a loved one with disabilities, in the past families with modest financial means have been limited in what they could do financially for a family member needing long term care and support. Most private trusts require substantial funding in order to make them successful. Families with less resources often find that private trusts are beyond what they can manage.
The process of creating an individual trust account in MSST is relatively simple, but families do need legal assistance in executing a Transfer Document which names the trust beneficiary and transfers funds or assets into MSST. MSST accounts may be funded through life insurance, cash payments, stocks and bonds, or bequests. MSST does not accept donations of property. (for information on the MSST, contact the PLUK office at 800-222-7585)
What Government Financial Benefits Are Available for Adults with Disabilities?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Supplemental Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are federal programs that provide financial benefits to adults with disabilities who cannot fully support themselves financially. Individuals who are eligible for SSI are also eligible for medical benefits under Medicaid, and individuals receiving SSDI are eligible for Medicare. SSI benefits are paid to economically disadvantaged people who have a disability or are 65 or older. Children with disabilities under 18 are more likely to qualify for benefits under SSI than for SSDI benefits. People over 18 may receive SSI disability payments as adults, or SSDI payments on a parent's record as an "adult child" who has been disabled since childhood.
What Is SSDI and Who Gets It?The SSDI program is simply an insurance program providing coverage for individuals in case they should become disabled. In order to receive SSDI payments, individuals must have a continuing disabling condition and be earning less than $500 per month at the time of application. The funding for SSDI payments comes from tax withholdings from a person's earnings. Therefore, only people who have worked and paid taxes into the social security system are eligible for this program. In some cases, a person with a disability may be entitled to this benefit as a result of the work history of a deceased or retired parent. In general, however, persons must have worked approximately half of the months since turning twenty-one (21) years of age. The FICA taxes that were withheld from their paychecks during these months are considered "premium" payments toward SSDI insurance coverage. With SSDI, there is no partial or graduating payment. Individuals who are eligible either receive a full payment or none at all. If individuals are deemed no longer disabled or have reached the point that they are earning $500 or more per month, they lose all of their SSDI benefits. Once dropped from SSDI, individuals may keep their Medicare coverage (usually up to 12 months) provided they pay their own Medicare premium.
What Is SSI and Who Is Eligible for SSI?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is quite different from SSDI. SSI is a federal income maintenance program that pays monthly stipends to individuals who are aged or disabled and to blind adults and children.
To be eligible for SSI based on a medical condition, a person must:
- have little or no income or resources, but may have one house, one automobile, and $2,000 or less cash
- be considered medically disabled
- initially not be working or working but earning less than the substantial gainful activity level (around $500 per month).
Once on the rolls, work activity does not affect a person's continuing eligibility. Work activity does not affect initial or continuing eligibility for a person who is blind.
Can a Person Work and Still Receive SSI or SSDI?
Even though SSI and SSDI were originally provided by the government as support for individuals who would never be able to support themselves, the law was revised in the 1980s to encourage people with disabilities to go to work while still retaining part or all of their SSI benefits and remaining eligible for Medicaid or Medicare.
SSI. An individual may work and still receive SSI benefits, but the benefits will be reduced in relationship to the amount of money earned. SSI payments decrease by $1 for every $2 earned over $85 per month.
Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS). Normally, to be eligible for SSI, an individual cannot accumulate a savings or checking account with $2,000 or more. But there is a way to save money for work related expenses in a special account. The individual develops a plan for achieving self-support (known as a PASS Plan) which allows a person with a disability to set aside income for a specified period of time for a work goal. For example, a person could set aside money for an education, vocational training, paying for a job coach, or starting a business.
The PASS Plan can help a person establish or maintain SSI eligibility and can also increase the person's SSI payment amount. PASS accounts can be started for a child at any age but generally are not held longer than 48 months. It is possible, also, to write a PASS for a child 14-18, sheltering parents' income and thereby qualifying the family for SSI.
A PASS Plan must be in writing and approved by Social Security. The plan must include a work goal, how long it will take to reach the goal, and what things the individual will need to reach the goal. In addition, the plan must include the cost of things the individual needs to reach the goal, and how much money he or she will need to set aside each month to pay for them.
Anyone can help set up a PASS Plan, a vocational rehabilitation counselor, an employer, a friend or relative, or the people at the Social Security office. A plan may be changed after it is approved, but the individual must tell the Social Security office what changes were made and the changes must be approved in advance.
For more information on work incentives, contact:
Graduating to Independence Social Security Administration Office of Disability Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Programs Room 545 Altmeyer Building 6401 Security Boulevard Baltimore MD 21235 410-965-5419 or 410-965-9214 410-966-8597 (Fax).Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE). Because having a disability results in additional expenses to the worker in order to go to work, the government allows impairment-related expenses to be deducted from earnings. Only after these expenses are deducted is a determination made as to whether earnings are such that the individual's SSI payments will be reduced. In other words, impairment-related work expenses can reduce earnings below the level where SSI (or SSDI) payments must be reduced.
SSDI. SSDI eligibility is determined by whether or not the individual meets the statutory definition of disability:
- be considered medically disabled
- initially not be working or working but earning less than the substantial gainful activity level (around $500 per month).
If recipients of SSDI payments decide to enter or reenter the work force and expect to earn more than $500 per month, these individuals can test their ability to work during a Trial Work Period when they can continue to receive SSDI benefits and not be declared ineligible.
Trial Work Period. Many people with disabilities would like to work but are afraid to try because of concern that their benefits might stop. The trial work period lets people test their ability to work or run a business for at least 9 months without affecting their disability benefits. They continue to get full benefits during the trial work period no matter how much they earn.
Each month in which earnings are more than $200 is counted as a month of the trial work period. When the beneficiary has accumulated 9 such months (not necessarily consecutively), the trial work period is completed.
After the trial work period, the Social Security Administration reviews the work. Substantial gainful earnings during or after the trial work period normally indicate that the beneficiary is able to work in spite of a disabling impairment.
- If the work is not substantial gainful activity, SSDI benefits continue.
- If the work is substantial gainful activity, cash benefits continue for 3 more months; then they stop.
Our Child Has Been Ineligible for SSI While Living at Home. Now that our Child is Graduating from High School, When Should I Sign My Child Up for SSI?
As part of the transition process your child may need to sign up for SSI for the first time. If your child has a lifelong disability and will need ongoing financial support as an adult, you should apply for SSI just shortly before the child reaches his or her 18th birthday. At the time when you make the child's initial application, he or she cannot have any financial assets beyond the allowable (a house, an automobile, and $2,000 or less). When your child applies for SSI as an eighteen year-old, your family income will not be a consideration. He or she will be evaluated for eligibility on the basis of level of disability and personal financial assets.
Where Do I Apply for SSI on Behalf of My Adult Child?
You can apply for Social Security or SSI benefits for your child by calling your local Social Security office and setting up a telephone appointment with a case worker. You should have the child's Social Security number and birth certificate available when you apply. You also will need to provide records that show your child's income and assets.
In order to prove that your child has a lifelong disability, you will need thorough and detailed medical records. When you file, you will be asked to provide names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all doctors, hospitals, clinics, and other specialists your child sees. Many initial applications for SSI are denied because documentation is incomplete, so be sure to include all the relevant information to support your child's application.
To reach Social Security, you can call toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. You can speak to a representative between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. each business day. The lines are busiest early in the week and early in the month so it is best to call at other times. When you call, have your child's Social Security number handy.
If you have a touch-tone phone, recorded information and services are available on the toll-free line 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778 between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on business days.
Copies of Social Security publications are available on the internet at URL: http://www.ssa.gov.
What About Health Insurance for Adult Children with Disabilities?
For young adults with disabilities who are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare, obtaining private health insurance can be very difficult, especially for those who take psychotropic medications or who have psychiatric diagnoses. Parents should check their family health insurance policies and determine whether or not it is possible to continue to cover the adult child with a disability. Some policies will allow a continuation for as long as the child is in school (e.g., college).
It is very important to explore every possible avenue for health insurance before the child turns 18. Basic coverage of catastrophic illness is usually obtainable. Additional coverage can be problematic. If you are having difficulty finding health insurance for your child, contact the State Commissioner of Insurance at 406-444-2040. For adults with mental retardation, the ARC has a health insurance policy. For more information, call 800-433-5255.
What Is Medicaid?Medicaid is a health care program for people with low income and limited assets. In Montana, individuals with disabilities who qualify for SSI automatically qualify for Medicaid.
What Is Medicare?
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65 or older, and for people who have been getting social security disability benefits for two years. Because children, even those with disabilities, do not get Social Security disability benefits until they turn 18, no child can get Medicare coverage until he or she is 20 years old.
The only exception to this rule is for children with chronic renal disease who need a kidney transplant or maintenance dialysis. Children in such a situation can get Medicare if a parent is getting Social Security or has worked enough to be covered by Social Security.
When Should We Begin Planning for Transition?
Preparing for transition should begin very early in children's lives and continue until they are able to be on their own. The parents' role is to help their children gradually to achieve mastery of the skills necessary for functioning independently. Here is a suggested timeline for transition activities.
Transition Timeline
Age Transition Activity 0-2 Begin Financial Planning Encourage Language & Communication 3-5 Involve Your Child in Social Activities 5-6 Seek Inclusion 6-11 Expect Your Child to Participate Teach Your Child Life Skills Begin Sex Education Make Your Child Aware of Safety Issues Teach Your Child About His/Her Disability 12-14 Functional Skills vs. Academic Skills Encourage Your Child to Work 14-18 Teach Your Child to Use Public Transportation Consider the Type of High School Program Your Child
Will Pursue Begin Formal Transition Planning at School 18-21 Encourage Steps Toward Independence
Return to beginning
___ Next
___
Previous
Set aside money to assist your child when he or she
makes the transition to adult living. Have a will written
and revise it as necessary.
Assist your child in learning some means of
communication&endash;the more vocabulary that is understood
and expressed, the better.
Enroll your child in preschool, religious education,
cooperative play groups, and/or day care so that the child
gets experience socializing with others.
Consider very carefully what type of schooling your
child will receive. Make sure that he or she is included as
much as possible in the typical school program. Regular
kindergarten in your neighborhood school should be the first
option to explore.
Have your child do regular chores as part of the
family's activities. Involve your child in neighborhood and
community activities, including such things as scouts,
swimming lessons, story hour at the library and so forth.
Invite children to your home and make it a pleasant place
for all types of children to visit.
Assist your child in learning money management and
shopping skills. Make your child responsible for good
grooming and selection of clothing to wear. Teach your child
to make simple meals and wash clothes.
As your child grows and matures, help him or her to
understand human reproduction and sexual development as a
normal part of growing up.
Some children with disabilities are vulnerable to
exploitation because they do not have the ability to sense
danger or predict consequences. It is important to teach
your child how to protect himself or herself from harm.
Begin early to teach your child how to avoid dangerous
situations, what to do in emergencies, and who to call on
for help.
As soon as your child is ready, provide information
about his/her disability. Encourage your child to "take
ownership" of the disability and begin to advocate for
himself or herself. Include your child in the IEP process as
early as possible.
As your child enters middle school, give some thought to
how much time in school should be spent on academic skills
and how much on functional life skills. Some children will
need to have emphasis in their schooling shift to functional
skills that prepare them for the adult world.
Have your child do volunteer or paid work in the home,
neighborhood or community. Assist your child in developing
good work habits.
If your community has public transportation, teach your
child to use it. Encourage your child to get to places in
the community on his/her own.
Consider carefully your child's options for high school
education. Decide at the outset what type of diploma your
child will earn and when he or she is likely to graduate
(e.g., at 18 or later). Encourage community based job
training and life skills if these are appropriate activities
for your child. Involve your child in all
decision-making.
Be sure that your child has a Transition IEP that
addresses academics, vocational and living skills-whatever
your child needs to make a successful transition. Begin to
involve adult service agencies if your child will need these
kinds of supports either short or long term.
As appropriate, encourage gradual moves toward greater
personal independence and self care. Encourage your child to
find a job in the community or to pursue postsecondary
education or training. Support your child in establishing an
appropriate living arrangement and becoming involved in
leisure activities in the community. Take on the role of
coach on the sidelines and let your child become the
decision-maker.
How Can We Foster Independence in Our Child with Special Needs?
Prepare your child at home for the new challenges he or she will face in adult living. Above all, foster as much independence as your child is capable of achieving. Here are some suggestions for helping your child to become as independent as possible.
Independence Day Exercise
Directions: Mark two areas with an X where you think your child is or could be the most independent and mark two areas with a à where your child will need the most work to become independent. Put a star by the area where you will have the most trouble letting go.
_____ Personal safety_____ Community mobility
_____ Recreation/leisure activities
_____ Dressing and personal appearance
_____ Health and hygiene
_____ Sexual maturity
_____ Social maturity
_____ Emotional maturity
_____ Household skills
_____ Meal preparation
_____ Money management and budgeting
_____ Employability
_____ Work habits
How Long Does Transition Take?
The only answer to this question is: it depends. Obviously, the amount of time required varies by individual and by circumstances. However, as a rule of thumb, parents should expect that it may take longer for a child with disabilities to make the transition than for typically developing children. For example, it is common for young people with disabilities to take one transition step at a time&endash;first venturing out to take a job, but still living at home. In phase two, the child may then move out of the family home after becoming well established on the job. This step-by-step process may take several years longer than it would for a nondisabled young adult.
Practically Speaking, How Does Transition Occur?
There are basically three ways that transition occurs: (1) using personal and family connections and no public services, (2) using time-limited public services, or (3) utilizing lifelong supports.
Transition without Services
Many young people, including those with disabilities, make the transition from school to work and adult living without using any assistance from public or private agencies. Some individuals obtain employment at the end of high school programs using contacts gained through previous work experience. Others attend postsecondary educational institutions and gain skills that lead to employment. Still others locate their own jobs through family contacts, neighborhood networks, or short-term volunteer work.
Time-Limited Services
Other young people make the transition through the use of time-limited services. Time-limited services are those which last for a particular amount of time, usually long enough to help the individual gain employment, further education, or greater independence. Examples of time-limited services are vocational rehabilitation, job training programs, and postsecondary student support services. The presence of a disability often qualifies an individual for time-limited services or creates special support for participation in job-related training.
Vocational Aptitude. Vocational interests begin to stabilize during the middle teen years so it is helpful for students to take general aptitudes that will assist them in defining broad career areas which have potential for them. Vocational interests are often assessed using group-administered verbal interest inventories such as the Occupational Interest Survey Form DD (Kuder & Diamond, 1985) and the Self-Directed Search (Holland, 1985). Be sure that your child has an opportunity while still in high school to take an aptitude test and that the results of the test are explained to you and your child.
Vocational Rehabilitation. Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services are a publicly supported, time-limited program designed to help people with disabilities find work. VR counselors typically begin working with their clients during the student's senior year in high school. Once an individual has been found eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, VR will provide support and training until the person gets a job and then the VR services will be ended.
In addition to job training and placement services, VR may also fund the purchase of equipment, tools, clothing or uniforms that are necessary for employment, and may also pay for transportation costs, medications, eyeglasses and other similar items needed to make employment possible.
VR services are limited by the amount of funding provided by federal and state governments. Individuals may be eligible for services but may have to wait for services until funding is available.
Besides the public Vocational Rehabilitation services, there are also some private rehabilitation businesses that assist with job training and placement for people with disabilities. Cost of these services is born by the individual or the family.
Contacts for Vocational Rehabilitation and Visual ServicesBillings
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
1211 Grand Ave
Billings MT 59102; 406-248-4801 (voice/TDD); 888-279-7532 (toll free)Bozeman
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
202 S Black Ave
Bozeman MT 59715; 406-587-0601Butte
Vocational Rehabilitation
700 Casey St Suite A
Butte MT 59701; 406-496-4925 (voice/TDD); 888-279-7531 (toll free)Great Falls
Vocational Rehabilitation
1818 10th Ave S Suite 5
Great Falls MT 59401; 406-454-6060; 454-6080 (TDD); 888-279-7527 (toll free)Havre
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
135 3rd Ave Suite D
Havre MT 59601; 406-265-6933Helena
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
3075 N Montana Ave Room 106
Helena MT 59601; 406-444-1710 (voice/TDD)Kalispell
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
2282 Highway 93 S
PO Box 2357
Kalispell MT 59901; 406-755-5940Miles City
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
708 Palmer St
PO Box 880
Miles City MT 59301: 406-232-0583 (voice/TDD)Missoula
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
1610 S 3rd W Suite 110
Missoula MT 59801; 406-329-5400 (voice/TDD); 888-279-7528 (toll free)Warm Springs
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Drawer O
Warm Springs MT 59756: 406-693-7158Who Is Eligible for Short-Term Vocational Services?
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) serves individuals who have disabilities that constitute substantial barriers to employment. VR services are available for individuals with a wide range of disabilities, including persons with cognitive delays, physical disabilities, and learning disabilities. VR may not turn down a client because the individual is considered to be "too disabled." VR is supposed to assume that a client is potentially employable, no matter how severe the disability.
Visual Rehabilitation Services provides time-limited job training and placement services for individuals whose vision presents a substantial barrier to employment.
Job Corps. Job Corps is another federally-funded program which provides job training for disadvantaged youth. Young people with disabilities can receive job training through this program if they have the physical and mental capacities to meet the minimum standards for the training. Individuals with learning disabilities or emotional disorders who are reasonably independent for their ages and physically healthy can be good candidates for Job Corps training. Job Corps may be contacted by calling 406-259-2322.
Military services. Military services can be selective about the individuals they recruit. Students with disabilities who wish to enter one of the branches of the military have to be able to meet the minimum mental and physical requirements of the service. For example, the military services have had a long-standing policy of not accepting individuals who must take medication on a regular basis. This policy would apply to someone who takes asthma medication regularly as well as to someone who takes a stimulant medication like Ritalin.
Military recruiters use scores from the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) to assess the qualifications of candidates for military service. Any student interested in going on to the military should take this examination while still in high school.
Daily Living Assistance
Independent Living Centers (ILCs) are another source of time-limited transition support. ILCs assist persons with disabilities by providing training on the specifics of living independently; including advocating for services, seeking physical access, acquiring adapted equipment, locating housing, or using public transportation. ILCs also have peer mentoring programs which link successful adults with disabilities to young people who are just making the transition to adult living. These adult mentors can show their proteges how to "navigate" in the community and take care of daily activities. Independent Living can begin working with an individual while that person is still in high school and may provide follow-up services when the individual begins to live in the community as an adult. ILCs can also assist with referrals to other adult service agencies.
Independent Living Centers in Montana
North Central Independent Living Services, Inc.
1120 25th Ave NE
Black Eagle MT 59414; 406-452-9834; 800-823-6245 (voice/TDD, MT only)Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT)
929 Broadwater Square
Billings MT 59101; 406-259-5181; 800-669-6319Montana Independent Living Project (MILP)
1900 N Main
PO Box 5415
Helena MT 59604; 406-442-5755; 800-735-6457Summit Independent Living Center Inc.
700 SW Higgins #101
Missoula MT 59803; 406-728-1630; 800-398-9002Are There Adult Services for Individuals with Learning Disabilities?
The only publicly funded services for adults with learning disabilities are short-term services like Vocational Rehabilitation and Student Support Services at the college level.
What Should I Do If My Child with Disabilities Wants to Go to College?
Many students who have been served in special education decide to continue their education past high school. For a student to become successful in postsecondary settings, the high school program can contribute valuable opportunities, such as the following:
Are Modifications Available for the College Entrance Tests?
Modifications are available for both the two major college entrance tests, the Scholastic Assessment Tests (SATs) and the American College Testing (ACTs).
What Is the SAT Like?
If you took the SAT as a teenager, it might look different to you now. In 1994 the SAT changed both its name and format. The new test is the SAT I: Reasoning Test, and it is usually offered nationwide in March, May and June. The new test is fundamentally the same as the earlier version, but it features some changes that reflect recommendations from educators throughout the United States.
The new SAT is a three-hour test, primarily multiple-choice, that measures verbal and mathematical abilities; however, the composition of the new test differs in some ways.
The SAT I: Reasoning Test consists of:
No Test of Standard Written English (TSWE)
In older versions of the SAT, there was a written essay portion, but the Test of Standard Written English is not part of the SAT I.
Changes to the verbal section include the following:
Changes in the mathematical sections include the following:
How Can I Find Out About Accommodations on the SAT I?
For information regarding special SAT accommodations, contact a school guidance counselor or write to:
SAT Services for Students with Disabilities PO Box 6226 Princeton NJ 08541-6226
The following accommodations may be requested: large type test booklets; a reader; use of a magnifying glass; an audio cassette version of the test; a person to record answers; extended time.
In order for a student to receive SAT accommodations, the student's guidance counselor or other designated professional must certify that the student meets the eligibility requirements as set forth by the Admissions Testing Program (ATP). Requests for special accommodations must be submitted at least six weeks earlier than a regular request for SAT testing. Please note that the SAT test with accommodations may be given at a different time from the usual SAT testing dates.
What Is the Format of the ACT? What Accommodations Are Available for the ACT?
The ACT is similar to the SAT with both verbal and mathematical sections. Requests for special accommodations on the ACT must be made four to six weeks prior to the test date, and a Request for ACT Assessment Special Testing form must be completed and sent with the request.
To be eligible for test accommodations on the ACT, the student must submit a copy of the current IEP and a statement that the student cannot test under standard conditions. There must be a re-diagnosis or reconfirmation of the disability within the last three years that the disability still exists, and it must be done by a qualified professional whose credentials are appropriate to the disability. An IEP on file at the school within the last three years is generally acceptable reconfirmation. The following accommodations may be requested: extended time; alternate test form; audio cassette edition with regular type copy; four function calculator; a reader; a person to record answers.
For more information, contact the school counselor or write:
Special Testing-61, ACT Universal Testing PO Box 4028 Iowa City IA 52243-4028.What Colleges Are Available in Montana?
Montana University System
The University of Montana
Missoula MT 59812; 406-243-0211
Disability Services for Students; 406-243-2243
Western Montana College of The University of Montana
710 S Atlantic
Dillon MT 59725; 406-683-7011
Learning Center; 406-683-7330
Support Services; 406-683-7170
Montana State University
Bozeman MT 59717; 406-994-0211
Resource Center; 406-994-2824
Montana State University-Billings
1500 N 30th St
Billings MT 59101; 406-657-2011
Student Opportunity Services; 406-657-2162
Montana State University-Northern
PO Box 7751
Havre MT 59501; 406-265-3700
Montana Tech of The University of Montana
1300 W Park St
Butte MT 59701; 406-496-4101
Learning Resource Center; 406-496-4125
Public Community Colleges
Dawson Community College
300 College Drive
Glendive MT 59330; 406-365-3396
Special Services; 406-365-5928
Flathead Valley Community College
777 Grandview Drive
Kalispell MT 59901; 406-756-3822
Miles Community College
2715 Dickinson Street
Miles City MT 59301; 406-232-3031
Private Colleges
Carroll College
1601 N Benton Ave
Helena MT 59625; 406-447-4300
University of Great Falls
1301 20th St S
Great Falls MT 59405; 406-791-5280
Rocky Mountain College
1511 Poly Drive
Billings MT 59102-1796; 406-657-1000
Tribal Colleges
Blackfeet Community College
PO Box 819
Browning MT 59417; 406-338-5441
Dull Knife Memorial College
PO Box 98
Lame Deer MT 59043; 406-477-6215
Fort Belknap College
PO Box 159
Harlem MT 59526-0159; 406-353-2607
Fort Peck Community College
PO Box 398
Poplar MT 59255; 406-768-5551
Little Big Horn Community College
PO Box 370
Crow Agency MT 59022; 406-638-2228
Salish-Kootenai Community College
PO Box 117
Pablo MT 59855; 406-675-4800
Stone Child College
PO Box 1082
Box Elder MT 59521; 406-395-4313
Are There Other Types of Postsecondary Education Besides Attending College?
Adult Basic Education. Montana has many locations where adults who have not completed their high school education may return to school and study for their General Education Development (GED) tests.
Adult Education Center
415 N 30th St
Billings MT 59101; 406-247-3701
Bozeman Public Schools
PO Box 520
Bozeman MT 59715; 406-585-1522
Blackfeet Community College
PO Box 819
Browning MT 59417; 406-338-5441
Butte Public Schools
1050 S Montana
Butte MT 59701; 406-496-2150
Corvallis Public Schools
1045 Main St
Corvallis MT 59828; 406-961-4211
Montana State Prison
500 Conley Lake Rd
Deer Lodge MT 59722; 406-846-1320
Western Montana College
710 S Atlantic
Dillon MT 59725; 406-683-7537
ABE Program
PO Box 1053
Forsyth MT 59327; 406-356-3396
Dawson Community College
PO Box 421
Glendive MT 59330; 406-365-3396
Adult Education Center
915 First Ave S
Great Falls MT 59401; 406-791-2140
Hamilton Public Schools
PO Box 980
Hamilton MT 59840; 406-363-2021
Hardin Public Schools
Rt 1 Box 1001
Hardin MT 59034; 406-665-1444
Havre Public Schools
PO Box 7791
Havre MT 59501; 406-265-4356
Adult Learning Center
815 Front St
Helena MT 59601; 406-447-8876
Flathead Valley Community College
777 Grandview Dr
Kalispell MT 59901; 406-756-3884
Laurel Public Schools
410 Colorado Ave
Laurel MT 59044; 406-628-7630
Community Education Office
215 7th Ave S
Lewistown MT 59457; 406-538-9022
Lincoln County Campus
101 E Lincoln Blvd
Libby MT 59923; 406-293-2721
Livingston Public Schools
132 South B St
Livingston MT 59047; 406-222-2550
Malta
PO Box 518
Malta MT 59538; 406-654-2370
Miles Community College
2715 Dickinson
Miles City MT 59301; 406-232-3031
Montana State Hospital
Warm Springs MT 59756; 406-693-7184
Willard Adult Learning Center
901 S 6th St W
Missoula MT 59801; 406-549-8765
Salish Kootenai College
PO Box 177
Pablo MT 59855; 406-675-4800 ext 235
Swan River ABE Program
PO Box 99
Swan Lake MT 59911; 406-754-2292
Women's Correctional Center
701 S 27th St
Billings MT 59101 ; 406-247-5100
Vocational Education. Montana has five postsecondary vocational-technical centers which are units of the publicly supported university system. Students with disabilities can receive accommodations and adaptations which make it possible for them to participate in vocational education. Credits earned at the vocational technical centers can be transferred to any of the colleges in the university system if a student wants to complete a four year college degree after receiving technical training. The vocational centers may be contacted at:
Division of Technology, Montana Tech of the University of
Montana
25 Basin Creek Rd
Butte MT 59701; 406-496-3701
Helena College of Technology of the University of Montana
1115 N Roberts St
Helena MT 59601; 406-444-6800
College of Technology of the University of Montana-Missoula
909 South Ave W
Missoula MT 59801; 406-243-7811
MSU College of Technology-Billings
3803 Central Ave
Billings MT 59102; 406-656-4445
MSU College of Technology-Great Falls
2100 16th Ave S
Great Falls MT 59405; 406-771-4300
Long-Term Support
Another way that some young people move into the world of work and adult living is through programs which provide on-going support throughout the individual's life. In the past these ongoing support services have been limited to group homes, sheltered workshops, and work activity centers. Now there are also less segregated, more community-based options for long-term support in employment and in living arrangements.
For example, supported work programs provide training and support for disabled individuals working at regular jobs in the community. A job coach may accompany the individual to the job, teach the individual job tasks, and continue to check back on the individual's progress over an extended period of time.
Besides long-term services which deal with employment, there are also programs that provide housing for individuals with developmental disabilities. These housing opportunities range from supported living in apartments, to supervised living in foster care, or to congregate living in adult group homes.
Supported living is a residential option which allows a program of supports to be developed around the individual needs of the client. Supported living programs assist individuals living in apartments or houses, sometimes with roommates or sometimes living alone. Assistance in supported living may include help with budgeting and money management; assistance with time management; or with daily living skills like cleaning, cooking, and doing laundry.
Parents may also choose to develop private options for employment and residential care. For example, it is possible to hire job coaches privately. However, this can be expensive because parents may have to pay for job coaching indefinitely unless the individual makes enough money on the job to pay the job coach's wages.
As a residential option, parents can purchase houses or condos for their children. If the adult child can live without supervision or with minimal supervision provided by the family, this private living arrangement can work well. However, if the individual requires extensive supervision or monitoring, this can be a perpetual expense for the family and may limit the value of a private purchase of housing.
Who Qualifies for Publicly-Supported Long-Term Services?In Montana, the only long-term support services for adults are provided through the Developmental Disabilities Program (DDP) of the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS). The DD Program uses the following definition as eligibility criteria for its programs:
Developmentally disabled refers to disabilities attributable to mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or any other neurologically handicapping condition closely related to mental retardation and requiring treatment similar to that required by mentally retarded individuals. The disability must originate before the person reaches 18, it must continue or be expected to continue indefinitely, and it must constitute a substantial handicap to the individual.Eligibility under the DD definition must be established by a developmental disabilities case manager or a representative of a DD agency using a report from a licensed physician or psychologist. Evaluations from school districts can be used to establish DD eligibility if the evaluation includes an assessment by the school psychologist and has been completed recently. Persons who suffer injuries or acquire illnesses after age 18 are not eligible for services from the Developmental Disabilities Program. Individuals with physical disabilities, emotional disorders, learning disabilities, or sensory impairments are not eligible for DD adult services, unless they are also mentally retarded.
To establish DD eligibility, call the nearest Developmental Disabilities Regional office in Miles City (Region 1), Great Falls (Region 2), Billings (Region 3), Helena (Region 4), or Missoula (Region 5) and ask for assistance. If your child is eligible for Developmental Disabilities services, be sure that he or she is on the waiting list for all the possible services needed. The wait can be a long one, so the sooner your child is on the list the better.
Do not call the DD corporations directly to try to get your child into a program. You must fill out a general application for DD services. Your child will then be placed on a waiting list. When your child's name comes up on the waiting list, you will be notified of a vacancy available anywhere in the state. If you want your child to be in a service close to home, you will probably have to wait longer for service than if you are willing to take the first opening, wherever it may be located. The wait for services can be as long as two to five years.
Developmental Disabilities Case Managers
If you think that your child may be eligible for services from the Developmental Disabilities Program, the first thing you need to do is to be in contact with a DD Case Manager serving your area. The only way to get your child into DD services for adults is to have a Case Manager determine eligibility and place your child on the appropriate waiting lists for residential and day program services. Below is a listing of the Developmental Disabilities Program's district and satellite offices and the case management offices:
Region 1
District Office, PO Box 880, Miles City MT 59301; 406-232-2595
Glasgow Satellite Office, PO Box 472, Glasgow MT 59230; 406-228-8265Contracted Case Management
AWARE, Inc, PO Box 85, Glasgow MT 59230; 406-228-4266
Sidney, 505 S Lincoln, Sidney MT 59270; 406-482-6007
Glendive, 104 Oak St, Glendive MT 59330; 406-365-6929
Miles City, 501 Main, Miles City MT 59301; 406-232-4724
Westby, 536 McElroy Rd, Westby MT 59275; 406-385-2558Region 2
District Office, 1824 10th Ave S, Suite 10 B, Great Falls MT 59405; 406-454-6085
Havre Satellite Office, 135 3rd Ave Suite G, Havre MT 59501; 406-265-9271Contracted Case Management
Opportunity Resources, Inc, 304 College Park Plaza, Havre MT 59501; 406-265-1223
Conrad, 313 South Main, Conrad MT 59425; 406-278-5488
Browning, PO Box 750, Browning MT 59417; 406-338-2555Region 3
District Office, 1211 Grand Ave, Billings MT 59102; 406-248-4801
Case Management; 406-259-8122Contracted Case Management
AWARE, Inc.
Red Lodge, PO Box 580, Red Lodge MT 59068; 406-446-3165
Hardin, 210 W 2nd St, Hardin MT 59034; 406-665-1833
Lewistown, PO Box 580, Lewistown MT 59457; 406-538-7711Region 4
District Office, 3075 N Montana, Helena MT 59620; 406-444-1714
Case Management; 406-444-1304
Bozeman Satellite Office, PO Box 3066, Bozeman MT 59772; 406-587-6066
Butte Satellite Office, 700 Casey, Suite A, Butte MT 59701; 406-782-2323Contracted Case Management
Helena Industries
300 N Wilson Suite 103 A, PO Box 517, Bozeman MT 59715; 406-587-7703
Anaconda, PO Box 1484, Anaconda MT 59711; 406-563-7158
Helena, 1325 Helena Ave, Helena MT 59601; 406-442-2738Region 5
District Office, 1610 S 3rd W Suite 202, Missoula MT 59801; 406-329-5415
Kalispell Satellite, PO Box 2357, Kalispell MT 59903; 406-755-5409
DDP Case Management, PO Box 216, Kalispell MT 59901; 406-755-5950Contracted Case Management
Opportunity Resources, 410 1st St E #4, Polson MT 59860; 406-883-3527
Hamilton, 316 N Third, Hamilton MT 59840; 406-363-5032
Plains, PO Box 882, Plains MT 59859; 406-826-3189
Libby, PO Box 928, Libby MT 59923; 406-293-7336
Kalispell, 445 S Main Suite 200, Kalispell MT 59903; 406-755-6344Being On a Waiting List for Years Sounds Frustrating. Is There Anything a Parent Can Do to By-Pass the Waiting List?
Parents can take the future into their own hands and try to create some options for their children instead of waiting for slots in the publicly-funded programs. Here are some ideas to consider:
Start your own business
Some parents have been quite successful in creating their own businesses in which their son or daughter with disabilities can participate. Such things as farming, retail sales, small manufacturing, restaurant, bakery, photo processing, or photocopying businesses have worked well.
Pro: The positive aspects of this option are that work is available for the individual with disabilities under the close supervision of tolerant family members and co-workers.Con: Provisions have to be made to continue the business and the employment of the individual with disabilities when parents are no longer available to supervise the operation. There are also risks in any private enterprise, and a start-up business may fail.
Hire a job coach privately
There are individuals with experience in coaching people with disabilities on the job. These job coaches can sometimes be hired privately at an hourly rate to supervise a person with disabilities who is working in the community.
Pro: The advantage to a private job coach is that there is no waiting for a slot to open up. The parent can keep paying the job coach to provide support as long as support is needed. Sometimes individuals with disabilities can earn enough money between wages from the job and SSI or a PASS Account to be able to pay for job coaching for themselves.Con: Private job coaches usually do not have professional liability insurance to cover any problems which may arise on the job (e.g., breakage, damage to equipment). Parents might find themselves libel for damages caused by their adult child on the job. Also, hiring a private job coach means that parents may have to continue paying for this option as long as it is necessary for the adult child to have job supervision or support.
Purchase housing
Parents have chosen a number of options to create housing opportunities for their adult children. Some have purchased houses with apartments. The adult child lives in part of the house and a boarder occupies the apartment. Sometimes the boarder receives a reduced rent in return for providing some level of supervision or assistance for the individual with disabilities.
Some parents have banded together and created a private group home occupied by two or more individuals with disabilities living together and supporting each other. Sometimes the parents also pay for a supervisor to oversee the private group home.
Some individuals with disabilities purchase their own houses or duplexes and live independently with the support of a personal care attendant or family assistance.
Pro: Providing private housing eliminates waiting, and it also allows the family to choose living accommodations in the location they prefer. With private options, the individual with disabilities can decide to live alone or with a roommate or a group of people.Con: Initial purchase of housing can be expensive. It can be difficult to find individuals to provide long-term supervision if that is needed. Paying for supervision in perpetuity is usually beyond the means of most families. Roommates sometimes turn out to be problematic.
With a private purchase of housing, there has to be ongoing financing for paying taxes and for maintaining the property.Time-Limited Funding Options
When a young adult is on a waiting list for services from the Developmental Disabilities Program, parents can make use of time-limited services while waiting for an opening in DD services. For example, the individual could receive time-limited services from Vocational Rehabilitation for job assessment, development and training. While on the job, the individual could make use of various employer incentives to help with wage reimbursement.
Pro: The advantage to taking this approach is that the individual is doing something while on the waiting list. The individual is maintaining work-related skills and learning new ones on the job. Getting started on the work process may make the individual a more desirable candidate for adult services because he or she has already had work assessment, training and experience and will require less support from an adult service agency in the future.Con: The downside of this approach is that when the individual is in time-limited services, he or she will not be seen as being "in crisis." Others on the waiting list for DD services may receive higher priority for slots because there is greater need for a placement or support services.
What about Individuals with Physical Disabilities Who Will Need Lifelong Supports? Are There Any Services for Them?
Individuals with physical disabilities like cerebral palsy or head injury&endash;unless they also have mental retardation&endash;are not eligible for adult services from the Developmental Disabilities Program. Individuals with physical disabilities can, however, receive personal assistance services through Medicaid.
Personal assistance services are medically necessary in-home services provided to individuals whose chronic health problems cause them to need assistance in performing activities of daily living. The following are typical personal assistance services:
Personal Care. Activities related to a person's physical health and personal hygiene. Examples of personal care activities include bathing, eating, (un)dressing, grooming, self-administered medication and transfer/ambulation.Meal Preparation. Activities related to the provision of food according to a person's needs and wishes. Meal preparation activities include: planning menus; shopping for groceries; and storing, preparing and serving food.
Household Tasks. Performing incidental household tasks essential to the maintenance of a person's health and safety in the home. Examples of household tasks include housecleaning, laundering, washing dishes, changing bed linens, shopping for essential health related items and arranging furniture. The household tasks do not include basic homemaker services which maintain an entire household or family. It is expected that when a person lives with a family that the family will provide most homemaker services. Household tasks are available only in conjunction with personal care services and may be limited.
Escort. Accompanying a person on trips to obtain Medicaid reimbursable medical services when the person requires personal care services en route or at the destination, and a family member or caregiver is not available.
For more information about Home and Community Based Services paid for by Medicaid, contact Senior and Long Term Care Division/Department of Public Health and Human Services at 406-444-4077.
How Is Eligibility Determined for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS)?
To qualify for the HCBS Program, a recipient must be financially eligible for Medicaid and meet the program's level of care requirements. Medicaid financial eligibility is determined by the Eligibility Specialist at the County Offices of Human Services. The following is a list of county public assistance offices:
Beaverhead County; 406-683-2142 (if no answer, call 406-496-4900)
Big Horn County; 406-665-1907
Blaine County; 406-327-2276
Broadwater County; 406-266-3157 (if no answer, call 406-222-8000)
Carbon County; 406-446-1302
Carter County; 406-775-8751 (if no answer, call 406-778-2883)
Cascade County; 406-454-5640
Chouteau County; 406-662-5432 (if no answer, call 406-265-4348)
Custer County; 406-232-7800 (if no answer, call 406-436-2361)
Daniels County; 406-765-1370
Dawson County ; 406-365-4314
Deer Lodge County; 406-563-3448
Fallon County; 406-778-2883
Fergus County; 406-538-7468 (if no answer, call 406-632-4895)
Flathead County; 406-755-1515
Gallatin County; 406-582-3010
Garfield County; 406-557-2297 (if no answer, call 406-436-2361)
Glacier County; 406-338-5131 (if no answer, call 406-873-4113)
Golden Valley County; 406-568-2231 (if no answer, call 406-632-4895)
Granite County; 406-563-3448
Hill County; 406-265-4348
Jefferson County; 406-225-4251
Judith Basin County; 406-566-2461 (if no answer, call 406-632-4895)
Lake County; 406-883-7820
Lewis & Clark County ; 406-444-1700
Liberty County; 406-265-4348
Lincoln County; 406-293-3791
Madison County; 406-843-5324
McCone County; 406-485-3425
Meagher County; 406-547-3752 (if no answer, call 406-222-8000)
Mineral County; 406-822-4551 (if no answer, call 406-523-4950)
Missoula County; 406-523-4950
Musselshell County; 406-323-2101 (if no answer, call 406-632-4895)
Park County; 406-222-8000
Petroleum County; 406-538-7468 (if no answer, call 406-632-4895)
Phillips County; 406-654-2252
Pondera County; 406-278-4020 (if no answer, call 406-466-5721)
Powder River County; 406-436-2361
Powell County; 406-846-3680 (if no answer, call 406-563-3448)
Prairie County; 406-637-2133 (if no answer, call 406-436-2361)
Ravalli County; 406-363-1944
Richland County; 406-482-2282
Roosevelt County; 406-653-1590 (if no answer, call 406-765-1370)
Rosebud County; 406-477-6251 (if no answer, call 406-356-2563)
Sanders County; 406-827-4395
Sheridan County; 406-765-1370
Silver Bow County; 406-496-4900
Stillwater County; 406-322-5331 (if no answer, call 406-932-5266)
Sweet Grass County; 406-932-5266
Teton County; 406-466-5721
Toole County; 406-434-2371 (if no answer, call 406-466-5721)
Treasure County; 406-356-2563
Valley County; 406-228-8221
Wibaux County; 406-795-2403 (if no answer, call 406-778-2883)
Wheatland County; 406-632-4895
Yellowstone County; 406-256-6950The level of care determination is made by the Montana-Wyoming Foundation for Medical Care. The staff may be called directly with a referral at 1-800-219-7035.
What is the Physical Disabilities (PD) Waiver?
The PD Waiver refers to the Medicaid-funded in-home services like personal care assistance and homemaking. The term "waiver" is used because two of the usual Medicaid regulations have been waived in order to allow for in-home care that is tailored to meet the individual needs of clients.
There is a waiting list to receive services through the physical disabilities Medicaid Waiver so an individual may be deemed eligible for the services but may have to wait until funding is available to supply the services.
Are There Support Services for Adults with Mental Disorders?
There are some publicly supported services for adults with chronic mental illnesses, but these services are somewhat limited. Vocational Rehabilitation, for example, provides job training and placement services for adults with mental disorders. Mental Health Centers provide outpatient treatment and case management for adults with mental illnesses who can live in the community. Supported employment and supported living services are also offered. The following is a listing of Mental Health Centers in Montana:
Anaconda
Mental Health Services
307 E Park, PO Box 978, Anaconda MT 59711; 406-563-3413Big Timber
Mental Health Center
515 Hooper, Big Timber MT 59011; 406-932-5924Billings
Mental Health Center
1245 N 29th St, PO Box 219, Billings MT 59103; 406-252-5658Bozeman
Mental Health Center
211 N Grand, Bozeman MT 59715; 406-586-4090Butte
Mental Health Center
501 E Front, Butte MT 59701; 406-723-5489Chester
Mental Health Center
220 3rd Ave, PO Box 1658, Havre MT 59501; 406-265-9639Chinook
Mental Health Center
301 Indiana, PO Box 939, Chinook MT 59523; 406-357-3364Choteau
Mental Health Center
19 3rd Ave NE, PO Box 100, Choteau MT 59422; 406-434-5285Colstrip
Mental Health Center
PO Box 750, Colstrip MT 59323; 406-748-2800Columbus
Mental Health Center
112 W Fourth Ave N, PO Box 238, Columbus MT 59019; 406-322-4514Conrad
Mental Health Center
809 Sunset Blvd, Conrad MT 59425; 406-434-5285Cut Bank
Mental Health Center
220 Main, Shelby MT 59474; 406-434-5285Dillon
Mental Health Center
234 E Reeder St, Dillon MT 59725; 406-683-2200Eureka
Mental Health Center
412 Second Ave E, Eureka MT 59917; 406-752-6100Forsyth
Mental Health Center
PO Box 1257, Forsyth MT 59327; 406-356-7654Glasgow
Mental Health Center
1009 6th Ave N, Glasgow MT 59230; 406-228-9349Glendive
Mental Health Center
204 W Kendrick, PO Box 1321, Glendive MT 59330; 406-365-6075Great Falls
Mental Health Center
1300 28th St S Suite 5, Great Falls MT 59405; 406-761-2100Hamilton
Mental Health Center
1205 W Main, PO Box 1300, Hamilton MT 59840; 406-363-1051Hardin
Mental Health Center
809 Custer, Hardin MT 59034; 406-665-1049Harlowton
Mental Health/Drug & Alcohol Program
PO Box 44, Lewistown MT 59457; 406-632-4778Havre
Mental Health Center
220 3rd Ave, PO Box 1658, Havre MT 59501; 406-265-9639Helena
Mental Health Center
512 Logan, Helena MT 59601; 406-442-0640Kalispell
Mental Health Center
725 6th Ave E, Kalispell MT 59901; 406-752-6100Lewistown
Mental Health Center
212 Wendell, PO Box 44, Lewistown MT 59457; 406-538-7483Libby
Mental Health Center
715 California Ave, Mineral Plaza Suite 1, Libby MT 59923; 406-293-8746Livingston
Mental Health Center
126 S Second, PO Box 119, Livingston MT 59047; 406-222-3332Malta
Mental Health Center
Malta Services Clinic Office, PO Box 929, Malta 59538; 406-654-1590Miles City
Mental Health Center
2508 Wilson, PO Box 639, Miles City MT 59301; 406-232-1687Missoula
Mental Health Center
Administrative, T-9 Fort Missoula, Missoula MT 59801; 406-728-6870Plentywood
Mental Health Center
Courthouse, Plentywood MT 59254; 406-765-2550Red Lodge
Mental Health Center
5 E Ninth, PO Box 482, Red Lodge MT 59068; 406-446-2500Ronan
Mental Health Center
19 Second Ave SW, Ronan MT 59864; 406-676-8500Roundup
Mental Health Center
26 Main St, Roundup MT 59072; 406-323-1142Scobey
Mental Health Center
708 1st Ave W, Scobey MT 59254; 406-487-5442Shelby
Mental Health Center
220 Main, Shelby MT 59474; 406-434-5285Sidney
Mental Health Center
Clinical-Day Treatment Program, 221 5th St SW, Sidney MT 59270; 406-482-4635Stevensville
Mental Health Center
Genesis, Group Home
116 College St, PO Box 350, Stevensville MT 59870; 406-777-3751Superior
Mental Health Center
Brooklyn & 5th Ave E, PO Box 745, Superior MT 59872; 406-822-4093Thompson Falls
Mental Health Center
704 Maiden Lane, PO Box 562, Thompson Falls MT 59873; 406-827-4377Wolf Point
Eastern Montana Mental Health Center
Roosevelt Courthouse Basement, Wolf Point MT 59201; 406-653-1872If My Child Is Going to Need Adult Support Services, What Do I Do First?
While your child is still in school, you need to use school resources to assist with planning and teaching your child the skills necessary for transition. Ask your child's special education teacher or guidance counselor to supply you with information about future options for your child. When you and the school staff meet to develop the Individualized Education Program (IEP), discuss specific ways to prepare for your child's transition. The IEP should include goals and objectives to teach functional skills which your child will need after leaving school.
Go to visit adult programs which may be suitable for your child. Identify the environments where your child is likely to be successful as an adult.
Ask your child's special education teacher to include representatives of the agencies which may provide services to your child to attend IEPs during your child's last years of high school.
Overall, What Are the Most Significant Barriers to Successful Transition?
No matter what the disability or the level of severity of disability, young adults with disabilities report that the most significant barrier in adult living is social isolation.
When young people are out on their own for the first time, they quickly discover that making friends and having a social life is critical to their happiness and well-being. When young people are still in school, social interactions take place on a daily basis, sometimes without much effort on the part of the student with a disability. In the adult community, however, young people have to be active in seeking out connections and ways to belong.
To assist a young person in making the transition to an active adult social life, it is important to begin creating a network of social support while the individual is still in school. This network might include relatives and family friends, connections to a church or religious organization, and contacts within public recreation programs (e.g., YMCA or YWCA, community sports).
Young people need practice during the teenage years in making social arrangements, inviting friends to participate in activities like going to the movies or a baseball game, and participating in community activities like volunteering with civic projects, joining a political campaign, or being involved in hobbies.
What About Attitudinal Barriers?Though public attitudes toward disability have become more accepting in the past twenty years, young people will still encounter prejudice toward people with disabilities. As they grow up, an important set of coping skills to learn is how to react when they encounter prejudice. Is this a time to educate a person who is ignorant? Is this a time to assert rights which are guaranteed in law? Or is this a time to shrug it off and carry on with good humor and self confidence&endash;knowing that disability is not the defining feature of a person's nature or character?
Encountering prejudice is never pleasant, but it is a fact of life for people with disabilities, particularly when those disabilities are visible. Individuals have to come to terms with prejudice and deal with it in ways that are natural and comfortable for them. Parents can help their children face prejudice by being up front about its existence and matter-of-fact in dealing directly with prejudice when it occurs.
The one thing that parents should not do is attempt to protect their children from prejudice by keeping them sheltered from encounters with the public. Children learn how to cope with unpleasant remarks or prejudicial treatment by observing how their parents respond to these situations and deal with them effectively. Children with disabilities need to know that having a disability is not a reason to feel ashamed or to accept abuse or denigration. Facing prejudice in constructive ways helps young people to develop skills and feel more personally competent and confident.
How Does the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Affect Young People in Transition?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is in some ways a Bill of Rights for people with disabilities. The Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against people with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, and government functions. Young people with disabilities should learn about the provisions of the ADA and be prepared to use its provisions, if necessary, to secure equal opportunity in their daily lives.
How Does the ADA Specifically Affect the Employment of People with Disabilities?Title I of ADA prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and other aspects of employment.
Under ADA, an individual with a disability is considered to be a person who:
- has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;
- has a record of such an impairment; or
- is regarded as having such an impairment.
Does ADA Automatically Guarantee That A Person With a Disability Must Be Hired?
No. ADA does not guarantee employment. An individual with a disability must be qualified for the job that he or she seeks. Under ADA, a qualified individual with a disability is an individual who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job in question.
What Are Reasonable Accommodations?
Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to:
- making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities;
- job restructuring, modifying work schedules, reassignment to a vacant position;
- acquiring or modifying equipment or devices;
- adjusting or modifying examinations, training materials, or policies; and providing qualified readers or interpreters.
How Far Does an Employer Have to Go to Make Accommodations?
An employer is required to make an accommodation to the known disability of a qualified applicant or employee if it would not impose an "undue hardship" on the operation of the employer's business. Undue hardship is defined as an action requiring significant difficulty or expense when considered in light of factors such as the size of the business, the employer's financial resources, and the nature and structure of the business' operation.
An employer is not required to lower quality or production standards to make an accommodation, nor is an employer obligated to provide personal use items such as glasses or hearing aids.
What Can an Employer Ask About an Applicant's Disability? Does the Employer Have the Right to Insist on a Medical Examination Before a Person is Hired?
Employers may not ask job applicants about the existence, nature or severity of a disability. Applicants may be asked about their ability to perform specific job functions (e.g., lifting a certain amount of weight, driving a car). A job offer may be conditioned on the results of a medical examination or inquiry, but only if the examination or inquiry is required for all entering employees in the job. Medical examinations or inquiries of employees must be job related and consistent with the employer's business needs.
The one exception to this limitation on medical inquiry is the illegal use of drugs. Illegal drug use is not covered by the ADA. Tests for illegal drugs are not subject to the ADA's restrictions on medical examinations. Employers may hold illegal drug users and alcoholics to the same performance standards as other employees.
What Should a Young Person Do When Discriminated Against By an Employer?
Charges of employment discrimination on the basis of disability may be filed at any field office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Field offices are located in 50 cities throughout the United States and are listed in most telephone directories under U.S. Government. Information on all EEOC-enforced laws may be obtained by calling toll free at 800-669-4000. EEOC's toll free TDD number is 800-669-6820.
What Remedies Are Available If Discrimination Is Proved?
If an individual has been discriminated against on the basis of disability, he or she is entitled to a remedy that will place the individual in the position he or she would have been in if the discrimination had never occurred. The individual may be entitled to hiring, promotion, reinstatement, back pay or other remuneration, or reasonable accommodation including reassignment. The individual may also be entitled to damages to compensate for future pecuniary loses, mental anguish and inconvenience. Punitive damages may be available, as well, if an employer acted with malice or reckless indifference. The individual may also be entitled to attorney's fees.
For further information about ADA, call the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at 202-663-4395 or 202-663-4399 (TDD).
If I need Help with Advocating for Services for My Adult Child, Where Can I Go?
There are three resources available to parents which may assist with advocating for or locating adult services: Parents, Let's Unite for Kids (1-800-222-PLUK), Montana Advocacy Program (MAP) in Helena (1-800-245-4743) or VR Client Assistance Program (CAP) (1-800-245-4743).
What Is the Public School's Role in Transition?Public schools are required to write Individualized Transition Plans (ITPs) for special education students who are preparing to leave high school. Though school districts are not required to provide any more educational services once a student has graduated, school personnel are supposed to work with parents and students on designing a plan which will allow the student to transition smoothly from school to adult living.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the federal special education law, requires that transition plans be written for all 16 year-old students in special education who need them. Transition plans can be written for students as young as 14 if these students require extensive planning to make a successful transition.
What Are Transition Services?
The law says that transition services means a coordinated set of activities which promotes movement from school to post school activities; including postsecondary education; vocational training; integrated employment, including supported employment; continuing adult education; adult services; independent living; or community participation. The coordinated set of activities must be based upon the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences and interests, and must include instruction, community experiences, development of employment, and other post school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation.
Why Is It Necessary to Plan for Transition?
Transition has become an issue because there is evidence that when special education students leave school, they are not always prepared to meet the demands of getting a job, finding a place to live, and becoming a functioning adult in the community. For example, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) in Washington DC has estimated that between 50 and 75 percent of working-aged people with disabilities are unemployed. If the value of special education is measured by how successfully it prepares students for their future lives, then special education is clearly not as effective as it should be. Failure to plan for the transition from school into the community can result in graduates who are unable to function in the real world.
Special education students are individuals with learning problems who have difficulty keeping up with regular education programs. In the field of special education, teachers have developed a number of teaching methods which suit the unique needs of their students. But these methods do not necessarily speed up the process of learning. The hard fact is that there may not be enough time for a student to reach total competence in all skills. School ends at age 18, 21, or 22, and students must then begin to cope with the requirements of adult living, whether they are prepared or not.
Because a special education student's time in school is limited, it is important to spend that time wisely. Priority must be given to learning skills which the student needs to function in the real world. In order to set priorities for the student's time, it is important for parents and school staff to plan carefully for the student's future.
Planning for transition involves looking at the skills a student will need to become a functioning adult and designing a program which develops those skills during the time that the student has in school.
What Are Functional Skills?
Functional skills vary according to individual students' needs and capabilities. Some students will need functional academic skills while others will need greater emphasis on self help or vocational skills. In the past, much of what a special education student learned was determined by the academic program in regular education or by the sequence of skills that make up "normal" development.
For example, a student with learning disabilities may have been working for several years on elementary level reading skills. This student has been moving step-by-step through the typical developmental curriculum in reading, but has not gotten very far. When that student enters high school, decisions have to be made about whether continued instruction in reading is worthwhile or if the student's time would be better spent learning vocational skills. The question is: Will he learn enough by the time he finishes high school so that he can get a job and live independently? Would his time be best spent on reading or on some other skill?
Planning for transition involves looking at the skills a student will need to become a functioning adult and designing a program which develops those skills during the time that the student has in school.
Identifying Functional SkillsDirections: Number in order your choices of the five most important skills for functioning in the adult world.
__________ A. Multiplying decimals
__________ B. Riding public transportation
__________ C. Asking for help
__________ D. Mastering skills like cooking, cleaning & shopping
__________ E. Making friends
__________ F. Enjoying leisure time
__________ G. Communicating feelings and needs
__________ H. Displaying good work habits
__________ I. Reading at a ninth grade level
__________ J. Making decisions
__________ K. Managing money
__________ L. Being sexually responsible
__________ M. Obtaining a job
__________ N. Displaying good grooming and health habits
__________ O. Choosing a marriage partner
What Do We Plan for Transition?
Planning for transition involves making decisions about how a student moves from school into the community. Such planning requires asking several important questions: