Affiliation

• Localities that plan to start a HS/HT site;
• Current sites serving youth with disabilities; and
• State-level entities that support the growth and expansion of HS/HT.

There are four HS/HT categories:

9 April, 2008 in the planning stages that does not currently serve youth. A plan, including timeframes, must be developed to include serving students within the next school, calendar year, or workforce development year.
1. A developing site is serving students, but is not yet offering all four design features. ODEP recognizes that in some areas it may take time to implement all four design features.
2. A fully developed site offers all design features to its youth population for a minimum of two years.
3. A reorganizing site served youth during the previous year, but is not currently serving youth under the HS/HT model for a variety of reasons. The site intends to serve students again.

NOTE: ODEP recognizes that many current sites will need time to fully implement additional design features introduced in the Program Manual. In order to become a “fully developed site,” a HS/HT program must implement all standards within three years of affiliation. These categories are designed to help local sites strengthen the transition services provided to youth with disabilities, and to help ODEP offer the most responsive technical assistance.

Program eligibility

For a program to become eligible to use the HS/HT name and logo, it must do the following:

1. Provide year-round opportunities for at least two years in each of the four HS/HT design features: preparatory experiences, connecting activities, work-based experiences, and youth development and leadership development (see Note above);
2. Agree to document and report the results of program activities on a yearly basis; and
3. Include partnerships with assorted stakeholders including education, Vocational Rehabilitation, Workforce Investment Act providers, youth councils, employers, and community-based organizations.

Participant eligibility

The HS/HT program can help many young people. To be eligible to receive HS/HT services, one must:

• Be between the ages of 14 and 22; and
• Have a disability.

Local site standards

1. Serve youth with disabilities. Affiliated sites cannot deny services to participants based solely on type or severity of disability.
2. Provide all four HS/HT design features: preparatory experiences, connecting activities, work-based experiences, and leadership development.
3. Provide annual data on youth enrolled in HS/HT in order to contribute to the overall policy efforts of ODEP. Refer to Chapter 10 in the HS/HT Program Manual for data collection requirements.
4. Serve youth for a minimum of two years, which may include interactions with youth following their high school graduation, receipt of a GED or diploma equivalent, and entrance into further education or the work world.

State standards

1. Document and report evidence that youth with any type of disabilities are eligible for program activities;
2. State a commitment to developing HS/HT sites based on the four design features;
3. Participate in annual data collection and policy analysis efforts of sites within the state;
4. Designate a primary contact for the technical assistance center (for effective practices information collection); and
5. Provide support for sites (i.e., assistance with fund-raising efforts, resources, and technical assistance).

Local affiliation: Fill out the annual Request for Local Affiliation form. Affiliation information should be submitted by August 1 every year.

State affiliation: Fill out the Request for State Affiliation form. State affiliation information should also be submitted by August 1 every year.

At the state and local levels, you will have access to resources from ODEP and NCWD/Youth, such as technical assistance, connections to other programs and state coordinators, and enhancement of your site’s profile in the community and beyond. At a policy level, affiliating will help your community and state.

ODEP is building a strong network of quality organizations focusing on improving outcomes for youth with disabilities and bringing about a systemic change that will benefit these youth for years to come. Because systems created to benefit youth with disabilities sometimes work against each other, youth with disabilities often fail to do as well as their non-disabled peers — even with additional supports in place. By bringing together activities undertaken by HS/HT sites throughout the country, ODEP will be able to identify effective practices in the field. Studying these practices will lead to better policy recommendations at the national, state, and local levels.