The Youth with Disabilities program is a five-year demonstration grant that focuses on services for youth with disabilities as they transition from school to work. This program involves the mandated and non-mandated partners of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI). Building upon its commitment from disability agencies statewide, the Massachusetts Youth Partnership Team (MYPT) is developing a new cross-agency, state-level council representing organizations that serve youth between the ages of 14 and 24, as well as youth with disabilities and family members. This grant will fund 8 demonstration sites across the state.

Some of the primary objectives of this grant are:

• For MYPT to improve outcomes for youth with disabilities by developing resource mapping and strategic planning activities that promote working collectively on the employment service to youth with disabilities. Research mapping activities will be based upon seven transition operating principles (i.e., access to high standards; information on career options; exposure to the world of work; development of social, civic, and leadership skills; connections to caring adults; access to safe places to interact with peers; and support services).
   
• Resource Mapping will require each Disability Agency to identify existing services and supports related to the seven operating principles.
   
• Each Disability Agency will identify where duplicative services and gaps exist and develop a cross-agency, multi-year state plan to align services and supports and to identify policies that support or inhibit the alignment.
   
• The Youth with Disabilities grant will develop a mini-grant process for 8 career centers to become demonstration sites that will implement evidence-based practices, correlated with the 7 transition operating principles, to address identified gaps in services on state and local levels.
   
• Project activities will leverage existing state and local resources to build a more coordinated and comprehensive transition infrastructure, laying the foundation to continue well beyond the grant period and ensure continuous, improved post-school outcomes for youth with disabilities.
   
• The MYPT will also provide training activities, including a train-the-trainer approach that will build the capacity of individuals to continue the work within their communities and to facilitate dissemination to additional sites.
   
• Training will be delivered by ICI and the Disability Partners.