The Waisman Center UCEDD was awarded a five-year grant to help improve the transition systems for individuals with autism in Wisconsin as part of a nationwide project called the Transition for Youth with Autism and/or Epilepsy Program which is funded through the Health Resources and Services Administration. The Waisman Center UCEDD is one of 11 demonstration project sites across the country.
The aim of this five-year grant (Sept 2024 – Aug 2029) is to improve the infrastructure and supports available to help individuals and families navigate the transition to adulthood. The target population is youth with autism between the ages of 13 and 26 who have complex support needs (i.e. have co-occurring conditions or intellectual disabilities, experience challenges in social cognition, communication, interpersonal skills and/or behaviors, and require a higher level of family support and coordination).
The grant team will employ several different strategies to help more individuals transition successfully to the adult systems and build more independent lives. These systems include, but are not limited to, post-secondary education, competitive integrated employment, community integration, independent/daily living, and healthcare. Initially, the team will be working in one county in Wisconsin (Rock County) using family navigation, training and technical assistance, new transition care frameworks, and more to pilot new transition supports. The ultimate goal is to put together innovative resources that individuals and families can use that are scalable and sustainable in Wisconsin and beyond.
Individuals with autism and their families will also be an important part of the resource development stages. When designing systems and supports for others, it is crucial to include people with lived experience to determine if the resource being designed will ultimately be helpful or not. Their input and feedback will be a core component of the design process to ensure that the system being put in place will be available how, when, and where the individuals and families need it.