In recent years, attention has been given in the foster family care literature to adolescents' readiness for living on their own following aging out of their foster care placement. This book offers ideas on ways to help adolescents master the tasks required to successfully prepare for independent living following discharge from foster care. It is…

This paper discusses the political conflicts that may arise around person-centered planning for individuals with disabilities. It argues that person-centered planning offers a forum for dealing with contested questions in the lives of particular people and in the histories of particular organizations, communities, and states. These questions…

This directory lists all projects funded by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) during the 1999 fiscal year. It includes summaries, funding data, and contact information for a broad range of programs. Programs are grouped into the following research priorities: (1) employment outcomes; (2) health and function;…

The purpose of this Essential Tool is to assist state-level transition coordinators and others responsible for forming, conducting, and evaluating the performance of interagency transition teams that are focused upon the school and post-school needs of youth with disabilities. This Essential Tool is designed to guide the coordination efforts of…

New York's Transitional Foster Care Program assists adolescents in foster family care in making successful transitions to independent living. The basic principles underlying the program are individualized plans, a multi-level approach, adult learning standards, and reality-based experiences. Variations include a mentor model and a boarder model.…

An analysis of data on residential services for people with mental retardation between 1995-1999 found growth in recipients of Commonwealth/State Disability Agreement-funded residential services; a decline in the proportion of people housed in large residential settings; an increase in those served in group homes; and more rapid growth in…

A study investigated psychosocial functioning in 16 Swedish adults with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism. The majority lived independently; all but one were unemployed; and none was married or had children. Most persons needed a high level of public and/or private support. Overall adjustment was rated good in 12%. (Contains…

Special education high school graduates (N=129) were surveyed concerning their vocational and community adjustment. Only 33 percent of the sample were employed competitively, 27 percent had received postsecondary training, 5 percent were married, and 70 percent were living with their families. For the most part, respondents were mobile in the…

Described are discrepancies among the needs of students with severe disabilities, the independent living objectives set for them, and the realities of community care. Developing self-help and decision-making skills is too taxing and overwhelming for some, and community support is insufficient to develop a satisfactory quality of independent…

This study investigated adult adjustment of 82 students with behavioral disorders 1 and 3 years after exiting high school. Results are reported for general status (e.g., marital status and living arrangements); employment (percent employed, job classification); and "successful" adult adjustment. Results are also compared by graduation status…

Comparison of hearing (n=222) and deaf (n=217) young adults on employment, independent living, and social experience outcomes found that the hearing group was generally more successful than deaf persons from mainstream or residential schools. Gender differences did not uniformly favor men. Suggestions for improving transition programs for the deaf…

Reviews data on the skill level and readiness for independence of adolescents who are placed in the substitute care system in Washington State. Findings suggest that many of these youth do well in terms of skill learning and performance, and are prepared for independence upon emancipation. Nevertheless, remedial training is suggested to better…

Responsibility, self-care, supportive environment, and employment were analyzed as significant indicators of readiness for independent living for adolescents in foster care. Results indicated that school performance, mental health problems, hours worked per week, total number of placements, contact with father, ethnicity, and caretaker perceptions…

Describes the Supervised Independent Living Orientation Program (Michigan), which provides a transition into relatively unstructured independent living to adolescents and youths with a history of behavioral and emotional disturbances, including delinquency and psychiatric hospitalization. Discusses contracts used in the program. (BB)

Forty-five individuals with learning difficulties were interviewed, using an innovative "visual game" tech=Oique, as they went through the process of relocating from institutions to deinstitutionalized settings in the United Kingdom. Findings showed that subjects could make sensible, consistent, and illuminating comments on their…