This section lists the various agencies that our students may benefit from. Click on the logo or additional links for more information on each agency.
When planning transition:
Identify adult services that may be relevant for the student:
Determine which agencies or programs can support the student after high school (e.g., DARS, CSB, Medicaid Waiver, DBVI).
Identify eligibility requirements
Provide information on how to access applications, encourage early connection, and share the required documentation so families are ready when services are needed.
Document interagency responsibilities in the IEP
Clearly outline what each agency, school staff member, and family will do to support transition. Remember when responsibilities are included as an activity, it is the LEAs responsibility to offer equivalent services if not completed by the agency.
Preferred Activity: Include linkages in the IEP
Note how the student will connect to each service or agency before leaving school.
Offer Support in Reaching out to agencies and offering a soft handoff.
DARS- connect to Pre-ETS in 9th-10th grade, move student to VR (Adult) between 11-12th grade so they are supported through the transition.
Not all students with a disability will require adult services. If the IEP team has determined no support is needed, please identify such in the PLAAFP.
The Transition Specialist can be the responsible party to support families in agency linkages. However, the IEP team must ensure the selected linkage is appropriate, the student meets eligibility, and the transition specialist is notified of such responsibility.
The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services works together with students, youth, families, schools, and community agencies and organizations to provide services that promote successful transitions from school to work and adult life. DRS offers two sets of services to help students with disabilities move from school to post-school life: pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) and vocational rehabilitation (VR) transition services.
The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services oversees the licensing of the 39 CSBs and one Behavioral Health Authority (BHA) in the Commonwealth. CSBs provide case management and emergency services and authorize waivers to ensure that an applicant seeking transition services is eligible.
IEP documentation needs to be shared with CSBs well before a student needs services (typically needing services at ages 18-21).
Determining the documentation that needs to be shared can be difficult.
Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults
Persons with Developmental Disabilities
Provides qualified services to assist Virginia's citizens who are blind, deaf-blind, or vision impaired in achieving their maximum level of employment, education, and personal independence. Point of Contact is Patricia Davis: Patricia.Davis@dbvi.virginia.gov
You can perform simple services like requesting a replacement Social Security card or more complex things like applying for Social Security Disability benefits.
Additional Information: A Guide to School Professionals This information is for school professionals who may teach or provide therapy, counseling, and/or other services to children with disabilities. It outlines the kinds of evidence that the Social Security Administration (SSA) needs to determine disability for a child under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.
In addition, for students who participate in our school sponsored paid internships and receive compensation, it is important that they are informed of the student earned income exclusion.
Provider Development
Department of Justice Settlement Agreement Consultation
Individual and Family Support Program (IFSP)
VA Medicaid Waivers
Transition and Waiver Information Handbook
Office of Integrated Health
Transition to Adulthood
Housing Vouchers
REACH Program for individuals with developmental disabilities who have crisis needs.
Employment First Initiative
804-786-3921
Serves the population of disabled persons in Hampton, Virginia, and strives to provide them with independent living skills and services to help with everyday life. We provide a variety of different services, including housing, counseling, advocacy, skill training, transition, and more.
Provides medical, environmental, and public health services to promote, protect, and preserve the health of the citizens of Hampton.
The department works to ensure that all Hampton families are able to become healthy and self-sufficient. Goals include: Empowering families and children to escape the long-term effects of poverty: Protecting abused or neglected children and adults: And supporting families for healthy development. Offers applications for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF) and TANF Assessment and Planning Team (TAPT) Program TAPT Flyer
An ABLE account is a savings and/or investment option for people with disabilities who qualify. It falls under Section 529A of the Internal Revenue Service tax code. The ABLE Act allows a person whose disability began before age 26*, to save money in the ABLE account without affecting most federally funded benefits based on need. The money in the account may be used to pay for qualified disability expenses (QDEs). Any growth in the account from investments is not taxed and does not count as income if the funds are used for QDEs.
View a 20-minute ABLE Basics video on ABLE NRC’s YouTube channel.
804-662-9000
A low-interest program that assists Virginians with disabilities to get the assistive technology they need for work, play, education, and daily life.
Any type of equipment can be financed as long as it relates to an individual’s disability; examples include recreational equipment, vision aids, communication and hearing devices, and vehicles with modifications.
Commonwealth's Disabilities Planning Council to address the needs of people with developmental disabilities (DD). The Board advocates for services that are consumer and family-centered.
Works to reduce communication barriers between persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and those who are hearing.
Dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for persons who are blind by providing opportunities for employment and career development. Virginia Industries for the Blind has operations in twenty-one locations throughout Virginia, including manufacturing, retail, and service-oriented operations. VIB currently employs more than 175 people, the majority of whom are blind or visually impaired. Employment and Internship opportunities are available.
Toll Free: 804-786-7933
The mission of DMAS is to provide a system of high quality and cost-effective health care services to qualifying Virginians and their families.
Phone: 804-525-7728
Toll Free: 1-866-393-0957
Disability Navigator provides information about health, aging, disability and post-military resources, including private transportation services in Virginia.
Phone: 703-923-0010
Toll Free: 1-800-869-6782
PEATC builds working collaborations with families, schools, and communities to improve opportunities for children with and without disabilities.
Phone: 804-828-3876
Email: ppdsoe@vcu.edu
Since 1985, the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University has brought evidence-informed and best practices in how to support infants, children, and adults with disabilities, and their families.
Toll Free: 855-367-8637
Project Life helps Virginia youth, ages 14 to 21, succeed when they age-out of foster care.
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
Social Security provides financial benefits to qualified individuals who are unable to work due to a medical condition.
Phone: 804-225-2627
SCHEV's webpage includes information on students' rights in college and links to the accessibility and disability resource centers in colleges across Virginia.
This organization provides links to government agencies and disability rights organizations in Virginia.
Phone: 1-800-345-9972
WWRC is a comprehensive vocational rehabilitation training center that supports individuals with disabilities to realize personal independence through employment.
Phone: 1-877-822-2777
The vaACCSES - WIPA project provides all SSA disability beneficiaries (including transition-to-work aged youth) with access to benefits planning and assistance services to meet their employment goals.
For agency/vendor internet access in your building to support your classrooms, please have them follow this process.
For the vendor/agency: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a8x0A2Yt9NLmBmZaDfX_ZViqwUvIK3GvRUHpln8Y1rU/edit?tab=t.0
On the school personnel end, in your email, you'll follow this process: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1App1melKa4t_qNZYUsnVnYdg6Gj1U_QsN6fqObofZO8/edit?tab=t.0
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