In 2005 the National Governors Association selected 6 states to participate in the first round of a new Policy Academy on Improving Outcomes for Young Adults with Disabilities. Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Montana, and Washington were chosen for their commitment to coordinating multiple state agencies to improve services and care for persons with disabilities. Young people with disabilities are more likely to drop out of high school; less likely to receive job training, tutoring, or counseling; more likely to be arrested after exiting school; are 5 times less likely to enter post-secondary school than peers; experience a 70 percent unemployment rate; are 4 times more likely to be in foster care; are at high risk for becoming homeless; and live in poverty at twice the rate of individuals without a disability.

To identify and begin to improve the systems of support for these young people, NGA staff and a host of national experts are working with the state teams to design and implement practical solutions and policies to implement comprehensive and coordinated systems of care for adults with disabilities who are transitioning from home and school to independence and work. The state teams are exploring strategies that will better align state resources and missions across a myriad of state services including education, employment and training, health, benefits planning, housing, transportation, and assistive technology. NGA and state teams are utilizing research and tools from leading national experts in the fields of disabilities, transition, and systems-change. A large base of resources and research currently exists, but for states interested in beginning to pursue policy change and systems-coordination that will improve outcomes for persons with disabilities, NGA recommends the following resources:

• The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability identifies and presents research, federal government documents, commissioned reports, and other sources in order to assist local and state workforce systems better serve young people with disabilities. Their research, publications, and toolkits are widely used by public and private decision-makers, including participating states in the NGA's Policy Academy. NCWD-Y's publications are relevant, clear, and easy-to-understand, even for the policy maker who knows little about disabilities issues. All publications can be accessed at by clicking here. The following specific publications are foundations for the NGA policy academy states and their work to coordinate systems to improve outcomes for young adults with disabilities.
  • Their foundation publication is their "Guideposts for Success." The Guideposts are arranged into five categories that identify what all youth need to successfully transition, and additionally what youth with disabilities need. The categories are: 1. School-Based Preparatory Experiences, 2. Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning Experiences, 3. Youth Development & Leadership, 4. Connecting Activities, and 5. Family Involvement and Supports.
  • NGA Policy Academy states are also using NCWD-Y's "Building, Developing, and Going to Scale," a set of 6 modules that provide an overview of the complex and deliberate tasks associated with the responsibility of policy makers to improve the well-being of youth with disabilities. The first 3 modules cover collaboration, how to gain momentum from small scale projects, and leadership. The last 3 discuss systems-change, going to scale, and long-term sustainability. 
  •  The "Career Planning Begins with Assessment: A Guide for Professionals Serving Youth with Educational and Career Development Challenges",  offers practitioners a concrete guide for assessment of young people in transition, and offers policy makers a comprehensive overview of practical and effective policies that will result in greater collaboration among programs and services so that individual outcomes improve.
    
    
• Other national resources are:
  • National Youth Employment Coalition,  improves the effectiveness of organizations that seek to help youth become productive citizens through tracking, crafting, and influencing policy, setting and promoting quality standards, providing and supporting professional development, and building and increasing the capacity of organizations and programs.
  • National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), coordinates national resources, offers technical assistance, and disseminates information related to secondary education and transition for youth with disabilities so that youth achieve successful futures. Their affiliate is the National Alliance for Secondary Education and Transition (NASET). NASET's materials are aligned with those of the National Alliance on Workforce and Disability for Youth, mentioned above. They produced a very valuable and comprehensive toolkit for local and state policy makers on transition, "Transition Toolkit for Systems Improvement."
  • TransCen, Inc., develops and offers technical assistance to implement innovations regarding school-to-work transitions and career development for persons with disabilities.
  • Institute on Community Integration, offer technical assistance, research, and publications in order to improve community services and supports for persons with disabilities.
    
    
• Two Governors have established agencies that advance state policies, programs and services that promote the value of individuals with disabilities. Maryland is the only state with a cabinet-level Department of Disabilities. Their history, mission, activities, and description of the agency's governance structure can be viewed at the Maryland Department of Disabilities website.  Florida's Agency for Persons with Disabilities, is a state agency that assists individuals with developmental disabilities and their families around the state. The legislation that created the agency, their mission, and their efforts to improve outcomes persons with developmental disabilities can be viewed on their website. Florida's participation in the NGA Policy Academy is part of the state's effort to expand coordinated, cross-agency improvements to persons with other types of disabilities other than developmental.

These resources are just a sampling of publications and tools that can help policy makers make positive changes for young adults with disabilities. The NGA will continue to work in this area. Any questions or requests for further information can be directed to Lindsey Woolsey.