The transition to adulthood officially starts at age 14 including starting high school and vocational (employment) skills training. An important goal is building skills for employment and exploring their interests, which is called vocational planning and preparation.

A transition statement and vocational preparation goals should be included in your teen’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) in the Future Planning Statement and goals section. Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) provides Examples of Postsecondary Goals. Click here to see how vocational goals can be included in IEPs.

At 14 years old, students can be referred to your state’s agency that helps people with disabilities start developing skills to find competitive work. In Ohio that agency is Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD). The Rehabilitation Services Administration provides this gateway to the various state agencies.

You’ll find more details in these related articles in the Milestones Autism Planning (MAP) Tool: Employment Skill Building for Teens, Getting Started for Teens: IEPs, 504 Plans, Diagnosis and Assessments and A Time of Transition: Helping Teens Adjust to High School.

It is also vital for parents/guardians to have a will that outlines who your guardians would be and advance directives. This detailed article walks you through wills and advance directives.

The Milestones Legal Resources Tool Kit provides useful information as well.

The Milestones free autism Helpdesk is here to support you and connect you with resources.

At Age 16

This is the time to handle or consider the following

• Complete re-eligibility with your County Board of Developmental Disabilities. It may be a state board or commission of developmental disabilities depending on where you live.
• Your teen can get a driver's license if appropriate and can use disability specific agencies to help them learn how to drive.
• Begin travel training and obtain a disability fare card. Start by asking your county or state board of developmental disabilities how to get it from your local public transit.
• Develop a more in-depth transition plan in their IEP that is connected to their transition statement and future planning outcomes.
• Research and tour post-secondary educational settings if appropriate and identify potential scholarship opportunities. Resources include the Milestones Postsecondary/College Tool Kit and The Transition from High School to College or Technical School and other articles in the Education section of the MAP.
• If post-secondary education is not the path for your child, start thinking about employment or day program options. You can discuss these with your school’s transition coordinator and developmental disabilities agency.

Important Financial Information

Think about financial arrangements for your teen and plan ahead. If your teen receives or might receive government benefits based on income limits, bear in mind that you cannot have more than $2,000 in assets or cash in your teen’s name (always check the current status for yourself).

Open an ABLE account, which is a special saving account for people with disabilities that does not affect needs-based benefits such as Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). It may have different names in different states, for example in Ohio it's called a STABLE account. This Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) workshop video give information about STABLE accounts and special needs trusts.

Special Considerations for 17 Year Olds as Your Teen Gets Closer to Turning 18

In most states 18 years old is considered the age of majority when your teen is considered an adult. This affects everything from school to their healthcare. If you are not pursuing guardianship, your teen will need to give permission for you as parents to participate in meetings or receive any communication about them. (The Milestones Guardianship Tool Kit provides more information.)

For their healthcare, you will need your teen’s permission to access their medical information and make doctors appointments depending on the practice. Many healthcare practices have a form your teen can sign to give you permission typically for a one-year period. If you still have access to your teen’s online patient portal, by 18 years old that access will officially end. Regulations about adolescent and parent access to patient portals vary by state. However often at age 18 your teen can sign up for access to their own patient portal and can request that you have access to it (this is called proxy access).

Also bear in mind that some doctors and dentists will transition patients at 18 years old to adult medical care to receive services from adult providers. It can vary by provider.

Applying for Benefits

As your teen gets closer to age 18, you may want to explore if your teen qualifies for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is a federal program that provides financial help for children and adults with disabilities who have low incomes and resources.

SSI is available for individuals over the age of 18 who meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability for an adult. In addition to meeting the disability criteria, the person must have low income and resources that do not exceed $2,000. There are some exemptions to the resource requirement in that a house and car are exempt as an example. Once a child with disabilities turn 18, the parents’ income and resources are not counted toward the adult child with disabilites’ eligibility for SSI.

Start by contacting the Social Security Administration because the process is paperwork driven. Provide them with documentation such as medical materials and sign permission to allow Social Security to speak with your teen’s medical providers.

If they receive SSI, you may want to create a rental agreement for your loved one that states how much rent they pay. If your adult child with disabilities lives with you and does not pay his/her fair share of rent, then the SSI benefit will be reduced by one-third because the child is receiving “in kind support and maintenance.”

When your teen turns 18 years old they can apply for Medicaid and your family income is not counted in qualifying. Medicaid is a need-based federal program that provides health coverage for people with disabilities and low-income adults and children. If your adult child with disabilities qualifies for SSI, they will automatically be enrolled in Medicaid.