62 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com MAY | JUNE 2017 Where Do We Go From Here? by Karyn Brodsky Choosing a path after high school can be overwhelming; finding the right path for a differently-abled student can be downright challenging. Thankfully, more vocational and transitional programs are popping up in Texas and the rest of the country that focus on the next steps for those who have special needs. Plano, TX-based LaunchAbility focuses primarily on vocational placement. The organization matches young adults with special needs to a job that best suits their talents and desires. The process begins with a Person Centered Transition Assessment (PCTA) to measure individual abilities and strengths, while managing expectations. “It’s like an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for the student’s future. We bring together the PCTA team, which includes the student and their support system, which may be parents, teachers, therapists and/or siblings,” explains Anne Hudson, Director of Disability Hiring. “Together, we create an action plan, dissecting their strengths and weaknesses, what they want to do in life and how they’re going to get there.” The results of the PCTA generate the young adult’s profile based on their interests with an eye toward limitations. The next phase is job development, when LaunchAbility representatives reach out to the community to see which companies are open to the program and how to create an employment relationship. The final step is job coaching. The coach works side by side with the employee at the position until he or she can function independently – even as long as eight weeks – and coaching is offered for the lifetime of that employment. “We track how the employee is doing and how the relationship is progressing,” explains Hudson. Cheryl Siple of Dallas is familiar with LaunchAbility’s program and how successful it was for her 20-year-old son Will. After he graduated from Dallas Academy, a private school for students with learning disabilities, Cheryl wasn’t certain what Will’s path would be as the school did not have the resources to offer transition services. Will wanted to try college because he saw his older brother attend. Cheryl says he took two classes at a community college, but it wasn’t for him. When Cheryl found out about LaunchAbility, she and Will participated in a PCTA; Will engaged in mock interviews with LaunchAbility matches young adults who are differently abled to a job that best suits their talents and desires. Above, Jerry Jones is fast at work. "Parents need to not be afraid to let go, as the process is smoother if they and their children are socially and emotionally prepared, as well as prepared for the workforce.” - Anne Hudson, Director of Disability Hiring, LaunchAbility EMBRACE! OPPORTUNITIES AND OPTIONS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS OR DISABLED YOUNG ADULTS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL LaunchAbility client Danielle Contran on the job!