About Us / Our Programs / Capacity Building Programs → REAL Transition Partners

REAL Transition Partners is jointly managed by SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (NJ), Federation for Children with Special Needs (MA), and New York State Transition Partners (INCLUDEnyc, Parent Network of WNY, Starbridge). Providing information, training and technical assistance, and support to youth and young adults with disabilities and their families.

Current Transition Webinars

State Rehabilitative Councils and the Parent Center’s Role

REAL Transition Partners Vocational Rehabilitation How, Why & When Pt. 1

Administration for Community Living |  Helping people with disabilities and older adults live at home and participate in communities with the supports they need

Rehabilitation Act |  Defines and explains the Rehabilitation Act, which replaced the Vocational Rehabilitation Act

Rehabilitation Services Administration |  Provides leadership and resources to assist state and other agencies in providing vocational rehabilitation (VR) and other services to individuals with disabilities to maximize their employment, independence and integration into the community and the competitive labor market.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act |  WIOA is designed to strengthen and improve the nation’s public workforce development system by helping Americans with barriers to employment, including individuals with disabilities, achieve high quality careers and helping employers hire and retain skilled workers.

Summary of NJ’s Medicaid Managed Care Changes |  Questions and answers on the different ways to initiate the Medicaid eligibility process

SPAN’s Youth Empowerment Page |  Access resources on self-advocacy and the youth leadership voice

Being a Healthy Adult: How to Advocate for Your Health and Healthcare  |  Developed by the Boggs Center — A guide for young adults that includes frequently asked questions and a series of activities to use to become an effective advocate, especially when you have special health care needs. PDFs and MP3 audio files available in English and Spanish.

Transition Tip Sheets for Teens   |  English / Spanish
These fact sheets, in English and Spanish, provide useful tips for teens with special needs and their parents on transition processes and resources.

My Health Passport  |  Teens with special needs can use this form to share important information (including medical history, medications, allergies, how the youth communicates, how they deal with pain, medical procedures, etc.) with medical care providers when they visit a doctor’s office or clinic, or stay in a hospital. Two-sided PDF in English and Spanish.

Transition to Adult Healthcare: NJ Action Blueprint |  Developed by the Boggs Center University Center of Excellence on Developmental Disabilities in collaboration with the NJ Developmental Disabilities Transition to Health Care Forum (including SPAN and other members of NJ’s Community of Care Consortium for CYSHCN) — Provides an overview of the barriers and recommendations to achieve patient-centered medical care for emerging adults with disabilities.

Understanding NJ Children System of Care and How it Serves Children (under 21) |  PerformCare connects young people and their families statewide to the care they need to be well.

Division Developmental Disabilities and Services for Adults (21 and over) |  DDD provides public funding for services that assist New Jersey adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, age 21 and older, to live as independently as possible.

Healthcare Financing Fact Sheet Series  |  A multilingual series of one-page fact sheets on NJ resources to finance needed healthcare for children with special needs, including Medicaid, NJ Family Care, Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund, etc.: English / Korean / Portuguese / Russian / Spanish

Healthcare Advocacy Across the Lifespan: What Parents of Children with Disabilities Need to Know |  This guide summarizes information on education, health, human services, early intervention, and other agencies that help children with special healthcare needs and their families.

Self-Determination & Supported Decision-Making |  Information about shared/supported decision-making options in place of guardianship

National Gateway to Self-Determination  |  A clearinghouse for resources, training, and information on promoting self-determination

Working with Adult Allies  |  Webinar from the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) explores how youth self-advocates and adult allies can collaborate effectively

Sharing Your Story for a Public Policy Purpose  |  Webinar from the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) explains how to use personal stories for advocacy in different situations

Participating in Advisory Groups  |  Webinar from the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) on what youth self-advocates need to know in order to serve on boards and other groups

Leadership is a Journey: A Series for Youth Self-Advocates  |  Webinar series from National Center for Family/Professional Partnerships (NCFPP) in collaboration with the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, Kids As Self-Advocates, and Youth MOVE supports the identification of leadership as a journey and support understanding and learning in key leadership development area

Starting and Sustaining a Youth Advisory Board Series  |  Webinar series for organizations that seek to develop a youth advisory board

US Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services–Rehabilitation Services Administration (US DOE OSERS RSA). The contents of this website were developed in part under a grant from the US Department of Education, #H235F140009. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Tara Jordan.