POLICY INITIATIVES

Our policy initiatives are designed to work in partnership with local and state agencies to review current and future policies that have an effect on transition age youth and young adults and their families in New York State.

Through collaborations with local adult agencies, school districts, New York State Education Department (Office of Special Education and ACCES-VR), the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities, the Golisano Foundation, and other community collaborators, we work to establish  and maintain partnerships that support the transition from adolescence to adulthood and continues to improve community integration and quality of life for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Currently, the Institute for Innovative Transition leads two statewide grants to effect employment and education policy in New York State. First, a federal grant from the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the New York Partnerships for Employment Systems Change grant, which is charged with developing relationships that will lead to policy and implementation changes in the effort to significantly increase the numbers of young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are competitively employed in an integrated environment. Secondly, a grant from the NYS Developmental Disability Planning Council, that is charged with increasing the number of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have access to higher education across the state. 

The following are two important documents that have been key to informing our policy initiatives.

In the Balance: Successfully Transitioning to a Meaningful Adult Life
In 2006, a report developed by the Advocacy Center and funded by the Golisano Foundation was shared with the community describing the transition process for students with developmental disabilities. The report addressed transition services for students with developmental disabilities and their families.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between New York State Education Department and the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
In 1992, this MOU was developed to aid in local school district, Developmental Disability Services Office and state agency collaborations regarding students with developmental disabilities who are transition age.