Parent Mentors Help Students and Their Families Plan for Transition to Life After School

For several years, parent mentors have partnered with their colleagues from local Interagency Transition Councils to sponsor transition fairs.  These regional fairs serve as one-stop shops for information and resources that students and their families need make informed decisions about educational programs and to plan for transition to post-secondary education, career, and independent living.

Information is available on a variety of topics including, housing, financial planning, transportation, day programs, training programs, supported employment, educational opportunities, guardianship, legal services, Social Security, Benefits Navigator, Medicaid, and more.

Many fairs feature break-out sessions which offer more in depth discussions and opportunities for parents to learn from other parents. Recently, parent mentors from Cobb and Douglas County Schools and Marietta City partnered with the Douglas Interagency Transition Council Transition Fair to sponsor a very successful transition.

Popular break out session topics at this fair included Supplemental Security Income (SSI), New Options Waiver (NOW) and Comprehensive Options Waiver (COMP), and Kennesaw State University’s post-secondary program for adults with developmental disabilities.