Providing technical assistance to support youth and young adults with disabilities and their Families during Transition
About RAISE
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 transition 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 PTIs.

New Resources from RAISE
Transition Alphabet Soup! Find out what these acronyms mean?→
Plain Language Made It Easy
RAISE and PEATC collaborated to develop this resource guide and video in English and Spanish to assist people in making their documents accessible to everyone.
- The Importance of Using Plain Language explains how plain language makes information easier for people to read and to understand. En Espanol *
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Using Plain Language Video explains how using plain language makes it easier for people to understand. En Espanol *
Readable Print
These resource provide information on how to make printed text the most visually accessible.
- Creating Readable Print Materials explains the rules that will make text readable for everyone, including people with reading, language, or visual disabilities and their families.*
- Creating Readable Text is a video shows how to create readable print material *
Stay Up To Date with RAISE
The Standard Newsletter is the official publication from RAISE.
The STANDARD: 8.4, April/May 2022
In this issue of RAISE The Standard, we explore the evolving legal and regulatory landscape, as well as the opportunities for youth with disabilities as the global pandemic enters its third year.
The STANDARD: 8.3, March 2022
In this issue of RAISE The Standard, we explore the entrepreneurial spirit of starting a business.
The STANDARD: 8.2, January 2022
In this issue of RAISE The Standard we explore addictions and substance use disorders, and their impact on youth with disabilities.
Sign up for The Standard Newsletter and other useful RAISE resources and information.
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.
Reimagining Advocacy: Promoting an Authentic Transition to Adult Life – Nov 15, 2021
Aligning advocacy activities with an often-changing transition landscape can be a challenge for parent training professionals. Providing effective supports to families requires moving away from traditional compliance-based strategies and moving towards an approach that treats transition as a very human, lifespan activity. This webinar will highlight various ways parent advocacy professionals can adjust and improve their transition supports to families, including examining the pitfalls of systems-based thinking, weaving transition into a continuum of advocacy services, and using a lifespan approach to help families embrace transition sooner.
Reimagining Advocacy: Promoting an Authentic Transition to Adult Life
Reimagining Advocacy: Promoting an Authentic Transition to Adult Life
Nov 15, 2021 02:00 PM Eastern Time
Aligning advocacy activities with an often-changing transition landscape can be a challenge for parent training professionals. Providing effective supports to families requires moving away from traditional compliance-based strategies and moving towards an approach that treats transition as a very human, lifespan activity. This webinar will highlight various ways parent advocacy professionals can adjust and improve their transition supports to families, including examining the pitfalls of systems-based thinking, weaving transition into a continuum of advocacy services, and using a lifespan approach to help families embrace transition sooner.
Presenters:
Sean Roy is the Chief Innovation and Training Officer for TransCen Inc.
Dr. Ann Deschamps is Vice President of TransCen Inc.
Laura A. Owens, Ph.D., CESP, has over 30 years of experience as a national leader in the transition and disability employment field. She is currently the President of TransCen, Inc. (TCI).
The RAISE Blog
From an “insider’s” perspective, our blogs feature articles from Director, Josie Badger and occasional guest bloggers on transition-related issues.
Getting to know assistive tech! By Ren Koloni
When I first heard the words “assistive technology,” all I could imagine was something out of science fiction, like a helpful hologram or a robotic backpack. But I’ve since realized that I’ve used assistive technology every day for my whole life, and it doesn’t...
My journey to a Job I Love, By: Rachel Shandler
Work Hard, Be Kind, Believe in Yourself And Amazing things will Happen Graduating from college, the next step in many people’s lives is finding a job. For most people that is not always easy. It includes steps like building a resume, where to look for job, and...
Homecare is self-care, by Anomie Fatale
As a physically disabled person who can’t independently do all their ADL’s (acts of daily living), people seem surprised when they ask me “Who takes care of you?” and I respond take care of myself.” I’ve had many caregivers since becoming disabled. Before I had...