Providing technical assistance to support youth and young adults with disabilities and their Families during Secondary-Transition
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About Us
In 2014, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN), a parent-led and family-centered non-profit Parent Training and Information Center (PTI), was funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to provide support to Parent Training and Information Centers in helping individuals with disabilities shift into adulthood.
RAISE was funded by a national grant from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to provide technical assistance and support to eight (8) RSA Regions.
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NEW: IEP Transition Toolkit
Access ready-to-use videos and accessible worksheets designed to build student voice, self-advocacy, and leadership within the IEP and transition planning process.
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The STANDARD: 11.8, August 2025
In this issue of RAISE The Standard, we will explore how young adults with disabilities can advocate for themselves and find the support they need to lead healthy lives.
Archived Webinars
The challenges for secondary-transition age youth with mental illness and their families – Part 2 NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
Part 2 will involve walking participants through how to use the tools shared on our Part 1 webinar. Additionally, new resources will be shared with participants that have been developed by NAMI’s Youth and Young Adults team to help provide additional support and information for families.
Date: Monday, July 15th, 2024
Time: 2pm ET
ASL and English-Spanish interpretation will be provided.
Upcoming Webinars and Events
RAISE hosts a number of engaging and informative webinars and events through out the year. We invite you to join us for professional development, virtual learning, networking and more.
Supporting Families to Focus on Student Self-Determination- April 24
Self-determination is the ability for an individual to make their own decisions and guide the path of their lives. Youth and young adults with disabilities often lack opportunities to develop and practice being self-determined. This session will provide family training and advocacy professionals with strategies and tools that assist parents and caregivers in building key self-determination skills in their youth. The Essential Elements of Self Determination will be highlighted and useful goal setting and supported decision making tools shared. Family involvement and student self-determination can coexist. By helping families see the value in self-determination we can support students to build confidence and take charge of their futures.
Presenters:
Sean Roy, Sean, Chief Innovation and Training Officer for TransCen Inc.
Dr. John McNaught, Principal Investigator for I’m Determined
Date: Monday, April 24th, 2023
Time: 2pm ET
ASL interpretation & Spanish interpretation will be offered!
Why Financial Education Matters Webinar- March 20
Will saving jeopardize benefits? How will employment impact benefits? ABLE account or Special Needs Trust? What is Supported Decision-Making? How to protect against identity theft?
Please join us for an informative webinar presented by Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) on March 20, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Recognizing that financial education is the foundation for independent living, everyone needs financial skills to make informed decisions about money. In this webinar, we will address fundamental building blocks and the unique financial education needs of students with disabilities. We will explore PATF’s Cents and Sensibility: A Money Management Guide and the Educator Companion Manual and how these guides can help you make financial education engaging and fun. We will also take a tour of PATF’s online financial education resource, StudyMoney.us and its interactive content, activities, and resources.
Date: Monday, March 20, 2023
Time: 2pm ET
ASL interpretation & Spanish interpretation will be offered!