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Illness & Disability

Home Illness & Disability Becoming independent Planning for the future

Planning for the future

By the time you turn 16 or sooner, your Individualized Education Program, or IEP, must map out a plan to help you prepare for life after high school — whether you continue on to college, get a job, or spend time at home. This transition plan — called an Individual Transition Plan, or ITP — will set some post-high school goals that are based on your needs, strengths, interests, and preferences. It also will list the services you will need to meet these goals. Make sure to go to the IEP team meeting so you can help set your goals. Your IEP can be updated each year should your goals and needs change.

Start thinking about what you want to do after high school
If you would like to work
If you would like to go on to college or vocational training
There are many different ways to keep learning
If you would like to live on your own
No matter which path you take…

Start thinking about what you want to do after high school top

Before your IEP team meeting to set a transition plan, start thinking about what you want to do once you graduate. Here are some helpful steps for planning for your future:

• Think about classroom subjects and careers that interest you. Then talk with your school counselor about the skills and training you will need to go after your interests. You can look into more than one!
• Ask your counselor to help you find books on college programs and careers, as well as college and career fairs that you can go to. Talk with your family and people in your community about jobs that interest you.
• Talk with your school counselor, parents or guardians, and doctor about your strengths and weaknesses. These are the things you are good at and the things you need to practice. Then make some early choices with your counselor and parents or guardians about what might be the best path for you — going to college or working, or both?
• If a particular career interests you, ask someone who works in that field if you can visit them at work and "job shadow," or watch what they do during a normal day on the job. For more information, check out Job Shadow.

If you would like to work top

• Learn about vocational programs offered in your high school and community. Vocational programs teach you how to do a certain job. There are many types of vocational careers, such as working as a dental assistant, working in hotels, and working with computers.
• Learn about supported employment options near you. Supported employment means working in a community setting with ongoing support from a local disability agency. A Student's Guide to Jobs (PDF - 510KB) is a resource for students with mental retardation and autism.
• Work with your vocational rehabilitation counselor on skills you need to learn and practice to do your job. Your counselor will also help you practice interviewing and figure out how you will get to work.
• Get experience working by:
  • Taking on a summer or part-time job
  • Volunteering at your school or in the community
  • Doing chores around the house or for your neighbors
• Learn about disability issues in the workplace. The Americans with Disabilities Act says that employers can’t reject you for a job you are qualified for because of your disability. Employers also have to provide helpful tools (such as a bigger computer monitor or a special chair) to meet your needs and make sure that everything is accessible.
• Ask a local disability organization to help you find a mentor who has a job that interests you.

Life after high school

By the time you turn 16 or sooner, your Individualized Education Program, or IEP, must map out a plan to help you prepare for life after high school — whether you continue on to college, get a job, or spend time at home. This transition plan will set some post-high school goals for you and also list the services you will need to meet these goals. You can work with your IEP team to come up with goals that are based on your needs, strengths, interests, and preferences.

If you would like to go on to college or vocational training top

• Find out which schools offer programs that interest you. Contact them for information on how to apply for financial aid. Also, contact their disability offices to make sure they can meet your needs. Examples of the things these offices can do for you include helping with note-taking if you have a learning disability or chronic fatigue syndrome, arranging to give you more time to take tests if you have ADHD, and helping you find text books in Braille.
• Find out what exams you have to take to get into college, study, and take them.
• Work with your guidance counselor and vocational rehabilitation counselor to choose which school to go to and how to pay for it. Read about financial aid options for students with disabilities.

There are many different ways to keep learning. You can: top

• Choose a two-year college (or community college) or a four-year college.
• Take classes at a community college even if you do not plan to go for a full degree.
• Go to college full-time close to home and live with your parents, or live at a college further away.
• Take college classes or get a full college degree on-line.
• Take part in vocational or technical training.

If you would like to live on your own top

If you decide to live on your own, you must be able to arrange for all of your health care needs. This may mean that you handle all your health needs on your own or have a nurse or family member come help you. Or you may live in a home where health staff is there for you on site.

• Talk with your parents, doctor, and other caregivers. They will help you learn about the daily tasks that go along with living on your own. Together you can decide what the best living situation will be for you.
• Take on some responsibilities from your parents. For example, if your mom gives you your medicine in the evening, try doing this yourself to see how it feels. Or offer to get the mail, do the laundry, or cook dinner to build independence.
• Find a place to live. Some people live in their own apartments, some choose to live in group homes for extra support, and some choose to stay with their parents. These are all great options. Whatever you choose, make sure that your home is accessible to you, whether you use a wheelchair or need other support tools. Remember, you are the expert on your health, so make sure to ask for what you need.
• Learn about federal housing regulations for people with disabilities. When you are ready to live on your own, you will need to know your rights. Visit the Disability Rights and Resources page to learn more.
• Learn how to manage money and budget household expenses. Ask your parents to give you an idea of what it costs to run a household each month. A vocational rehabilitation counselor can also give you tips. To learn more about money, visit The Mint.org.
• Understand leases and know about utilities (electricity, phone, water, heat). A vocational rehabilitation counselor can give you information about the bills you'll need to pay if you live in your own place.
• Find your place in the community. Centers for Independent Living are community-based organizations that help people with disabilities. They can provide you with information about housing, activities, and work. They also provide training for living on your own and counseling for emotional problems. Many of the people who work at Centers for Independent Living themselves have disabilities. Visit the Centers for Independent Living.

No matter which path you take, you will need to: top

• Work with your doctors, nurses, therapists, and parents to make a health care transition plan. When you reach 18, you might have to switch to a doctor who sees adult patients rather than kids.
• Ask your parents to check with their health insurance company to see if you are covered under their plan after you turn 18.
• Check with the Social Security Administration to see whether you will continue receiving Supplemental Security Income, if you have been receiving it before age 18.
• Learn more about assistive technology, tools that can make life easier for people with disabilities in the community, at work, and in classrooms. Examples of tools like this are wheelchairs, large screen computers, remote radios, and hearing aids. There are many more kinds of tools out there!
• Ask your guidance counselor at school to help you find a counselor from your state's Department of Rehabilitative Services. The rehabilitation counselor will help you get ready for school or work after high school graduation. The Pediatric Network has more information on getting ready for life after high school.
• Practice the social skills you will need to go about daily life, such as asking for help when you need it, getting around town, and feeling comfortable spending time with friends.

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Content last updated October 21, 2009

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