Bridge To Career In Human Services

By Cheryl Grenwelge, Ph.D.

Dalun Zhang, Ph.D.Jeff Garrison-Tate, MA

Eric Roberts, BABridge to Career in Human Services is a postsecondary certificate program offered by the Center on Disability and Development at

Texas A& M University. It is supported by a grant from the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities. TCDD/ $225,000 and TAMU/CDD $80,476

Presentation ObjectivesParticipants will:• Have a better understanding about

Postsecondary Education access for students with ID/DD

• Gain understanding of Bridge to Career in Human Services program at TAMU

• Acquire the necessary resources and understanding to assist youth with ID/DD to access the Bridge to Career in Human Services program.

• Acquire the necessary understanding to share PATHS program information with high school youth

Definition of DDIN GENERAL - The term 'developmental disability' means a severe, chronic disability of an individual that: is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairments; • is manifested before the individual attains age 22; • is likely to continue indefinitely; • results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the

following areas of major life activity: – Self-care; – Receptive and expressive language;– Learning;– Mobility;– Self-direction;– Capacity for independent living; and – Economic self-sufficiency; and

• reflects the individual's need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic services, individualized supports, or other forms of assistance that are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated.

Connected Populations

Persons with:

• Intellectual Disabilities• Autism• Cerebral Palsy

Postsecondary Education (PSE) Stats

Findings from longitudinal study with a sample of students with disabilities ages 13-18 noted that • 39% of high school graduates enrolled in

postsecondary education.

PSE Stats (continued)

• Only 50% of students with I/DD post high school are competitively employed or enrolled in postsecondary education

www.transitiontocollege.net - Post-Secondary Education Research Center (PERC). Info on options and trends; funded by OSEP.

Steps to Creating PSE Access Bridge to Career in Human

Servicess

• Establish key stakeholder support• Establish interagency team• Facilitate family participation• Identify postsecondary & employment

resources• Determine funding strategies• Evaluation as part of program

development

Bridge To Career In Human Services

Description: Bridge to Career in Human Services (hereafter referred to as Bridge to Career) program that provides individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) access to an inclusive postsecondary education program, which prepares them for employment in the field of health and human service fields.

Bridge To Career In Human Services

Program Elements:

• Project Advisory Committee• Enrichment Courses• Wraparound Supports• Additional Support Training• Funding Support

Bridge to Career in Human Services Program

Self Determination Training

Accessing Supports on Campus

Accessing Supports off Campus

Person Centered Planning

Mentor Program

Funding Support for Early Arrival

Wraparound Services

Wraparound services are:• comprehensive and address

multiple life domains across home, school, and community, including living environment; basic needs; safety; and social, emotional, educational, spiritual, and cultural needs.

Bridge to Career in Human Services Program

will support success and access for individuals with Developmental

Disabilities to the

PATHS Certificate Program at Texas A&M University

Fully Inclusive Postsecondary Certificate

Program offered by the

Center on Disability and Development

at Texas A&M University

Postsecondary Access and Training in Human Services: PATHS

Mission: PATHS

PATHS offers extensive training to prepare graduates to be exceptional Direct Support Professionals who support people to actualize their goals and dreams in community.

What is a Direct Support Professional?

• A person who supports other people with disabilities and older people to live in their communities. 

• A Direct Support Professional sees their work as a career, not just a job

• A Direct Support Professional actively uses person centered tools and practices when supporting others.

• A Direct Support Professional believes and practices equity in relationship with the people they support.

What is a Direct Support Professional?

• A Direct Support Professional has successfully completed intensive training that includes and exceeds mandated state training.

• A Direct Support Professional is an active member of the planning team for the person they support, if invited.

• A Direct Support Professional leads through example.

• A Direct Support Professional values all people and is sensitive to the cultural differences of others.

What is a Direct Support Professional?

• A Direct Support Professional seeks additional training opportunities.

• A Direct Support Professional listens carefully to behavior and discovers what the person is communicating and how best to support the person.

• A Direct Support Professional creates opportunities for the person they support to build relationships with others based on what is important to that person.

• A Direct Support Professional seeks every opportunity to support a person to be seen a valued member of their community.

PATHS Guiding Principles:• PATHS is inclusive and recruits students from a wide range of

experiences and cultural backgrounds.• PATHS reflects the NADCP Code of Ethics and will seek

Nationally Accreditation, thus raising the standards in Texas for the Direct Support Professional position.

• Supporting others as a Direct Support Professional is a career.• People with disabilities who choose a career as a Direct

Support Professional bring their own set of unique experiences and skills to the position.

• Graduates will be employed as a Direct Support Professional .• Partnerships with other entities that support people with

disabilities and older people in community settings are critical to the success of the PATHS program.

PATHS Admissions Process:• Submission of Application• High School Degree/GED• No Criminal Record (Background Checks)• 2 References • Essay from Applicant • Volunteer experiences• Paid Work Experiences• Experiences supporting others with disabilities or

the elderly• Interview with PATHS Development Team• Funding Review

PATHS Admission Decision Criteria:

• Timely submission of all materials• Pass criminal background check• Review of volunteer, paid work and

experiences supporting others with disabilities

• Review of references• Review of student essays• Face to Face interviews• Follow through with expectations*

First Semester Curriculum:

• 12 Full weeks*• Monday-Friday: 8:30-12:30 (Video Streamed)• Volunteer Activity outside of class time• Social/Cultural Activity outside of class time• Bethesda Institute Video Materials• Institute on Person Centered Practices• Broad Range of Speakers

PATHS First Semester Curriculum: Continued

• Required visits to the Assistive Technology Lab and The BV Disability Resource Team Meetings

• Mid Term and Final Power Point Presentations

• Extensive Online lessons• Site Visits to 5 different Community

Settings

PATHS Competency Determination:

• Attendance: 5%• Weekly Volunteer,

Recreational/Cultural Activity: 5%

• Class Participation: 10%• Field Observations: 10%• Mid Term Presentation 20%*• Final Presentation: 20%*• Weekly Lessons: 30%

Second Semester: Supervised Practicum

• Placement Support• Paid• Supervised by Program Staff• Mid-Term Evaluation• Final Evaluation• Long Term Employment

Additional Supports: PATHS

• Weekly Advisors meetings• Tutoring• BVCIL Partnership• Additional meetings with

Advisors• Additional support from

Instructors during class time• Student support

Current Update-PATHS Student Background Information:

• 4 Students from outside of Brazos County• 9 Funded through DARS• 1 Funded through partial scholarship• Represented wide range of abilities, disabilities,

and learning styles: Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Intellectual Disability, Learning Disability, and Cerebral Palsy.

• Focus on learning style, not disability.• Diversity in age, sex, heritage and economic

status.

PATHS 2011

Bridge to Career in Human Services Program

Program will serve as a “Net” of support for PATHS students with more significant disabilities.

Additional Supports: Bridge to Career in Human Services Program

• Enrichment Courses• Wraparound Supports• Additional Support Training• Funding in conjunction with costs

of additional supports for more students with significant disabilities

Steps to Involvement

Include:• Review the programs websites• Provide information to parents

and students, others out of high school

• Establish Interest in this field• Apply to program by 4/15• If eligible for Bridge to Career in

Human Services program supports -Prepare to be in College Station by 7/1/2012

QUESTIONS??

For more information about theBridge to Career in Human Services

program contact the Project Coordinator

At 855-231-7575 Press “3”

0r access the website at www.bchs.tamu.edu

For more information about thePost Secondary Access

and Training in Human Services

contact the Project Coordinator at

paths@tamu.edu0r access the website at

paths.tamu.edu

Resources

• Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M – http://cdd.tamu.edu

• Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities http://www.txddc.state.tx.us/index.asp

• Transition to College http://www.transitiontocollege.net/index.htm

Resources

• National Postschool Outcome Center http://www.psocenter.org

• Institute for Community Inclusion; Database, TA, newsletter; funded by NIDRR, ADD, OSEP. www.ThinkCollege.net

• The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center - www.nsttac.org