Making the Move to Managing Your Own Assistance Services (PAS): A Toolkit for Youth With Disabilities Transitioning to Adulthood

Transitioning into adulthood can be awkward for nearly every young person. Some youth with disabilities may need extra supports throughout their transition period in order to make informed choices and become self-sufficient adults. For transition-age youth who use personal assistance services (PAS), issues surrounding managing PAS can be intensified by normal developmental concerns such as striking out on your own, refining your self-identity, and navigating the road into adulthood. Having someone assist you in doing anything-whether it's help with homework, learning to drive, getting dressed, or bathing-is highly personalized. How you approach the tasks associated with your personal care can depend on so many things: your existing knowledge base, willingness to learn and try new things, daily mood, sense of safety, personal preferences, likes, dislikes, specific relationships with your family members and friends, the ability to trust others, and many other intangible factors.

In addition, many systemic barriers complicate the world of PAS. From funding and program eligibility complexities to legal and program culture issues, this mix of personal and systemic challenges can be daunting. This toolkit is meant to help transition-age youth with significant disabilities as well as their family and friends navigate the complex world of PAS. Whether moving from school or a home setting to work, college, or living on their own, transition-age youth and their families or friends would benefit from preparing for and taking care of these issues.

This toolkit is meant to be practical. Users are strongly encouraged to adapt the examples to their own situations, and to pick and choose the strategies that work best for them. It's not necessary to use the entire toolkit, nor is it essential to use the tools in order. It is also not intended to serve as a legal reference. Please consult other resources for this information.