Evaluation

We want to thank you for your interest in our evaluation methods related to transition into adulthood for youth and young adults with emotional and/or behavioral difficulties. We have developed and are in various stages of pilot testing the following instruments related to evaluation in the transition arena. In addition, we are pleased to provide you with links to instruments we have found to be helpful and relevant. A description of each of the instruments is provided. As our evaluation methods continue to evolve for both process and outcome assessments, we will post updates on this website.

1. The Transition to Adulthood Assessment Protocol (TAAP) consists of two paper-based and web-based instruments developed through a process involving: 1) reviews of the literature to identify indicators of progress or difficulty in transition into adulthood; and 2) focus groups composed of professionals, parents, and young people who are knowledgeable of transition issues related to preparing and facilitating young people with emotional/behavioral difficulties into adulthood roles. These instruments were used in a previous SAMHSA Partnerships in Youth Transition (PYT) initiative for data collection across the five community/county sites. This instrument collected information on the progress or difficulty that youth and young adults were having in transition and it was available to the grantees through a web version of the instrument under this federal cooperative agreement (Clark et al. 2008). The two instruments consist of the Historical/Initial Transition Assessment (H/ITA) and the Quarterly Transition Assessment (QTA).
   1. The Historical/Initial Transition Assessment (H/ITA) is to establish a baseline of information regarding the young person and his/her family and their life circumstances. As a baseline, this Assessment captures lifetime events up to 90 days prior to entry to the Partnerships for Youth Transition (PYT) Site program. A Quarterly Transition Assessment (QTA) is to be conducted 90 days after the H/ITA.
   2. The Quarterly Transition Assessment (QTA) is conducted every 90 days with a young person. The first QTA is conducted 90 days after the Historical/Initial Transition Assessment (H/ITA) was completed. Each subsequent QTA is then completed every 90 days thereafter. The QTA will typically be completed by a site transition facilitator, service coordinator, or interviewer who knows the young person best. The site staff member will fill out as much of the Quarterly Assessment as possible prior to interviewing the young person&endash;drawing on data from the H/ITA or previous QTA documents, other agency/school records, and staff knowledge of the young person’s circumstances..

Chapters in Books

• Transition to Adulthood Chapter 11: Nurturing and w in partnership with parents during transition.
  File Information: Clark_CH11.pdf, 59097 bytes
  Author(s): Renee A. Hatter, Maxine Williford, & Kevin Dickens

Vocational and Transition Services for Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: Strategies and Best Practice

Bullis, M. & Fredericks, H.C. (Eds). (2002). Vocational and Transition Services for Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: Strategies and Best Practice.

For the majority of adolescents transitioning from school to the responsibilities of adult life, comprehensive support includes community-based vocational training and employment opportunities combined with provision of effective related services from community resources. This combination of services is necessary to increase the chances that these individuals will be able to live productive and fulfilling lives in their communities.

The purpose of this book, then, is to present a community-based vocational placement and training model. In this model the role of the service coordinator is emphasized to ensure that adolescents receive comprehensive support that enhances their ability to succeed at work and that their unique needs are addressed in a timely and appropriate manner.

1. The Transition to Adulthood Program Information System (TAPIS) Progress Tracker is the third generation of the Transition to Adulthood Assessment Protocol. The TAPIS is an integrated internet-based system for: (a) collecting data to assess and track a young person's progress and/or difficulty as they prepare and transition into adult roles, and (b) providing program effectiveness data for continuing quality improvement of transition programs. It involves periodic assessment of indicators of progress and/or difficulty across ten transition domains.

West, L.L, Corbey, S., Boyer-Stephens, A., Jones, B., Miller, R.J., & Sarkees-Wircenski (2nd Ed.) (1999). Integrating transition planning into the IEP process. Reston, VA: Division of Career Development and Transition, Council for Exceptional Children.

The Real Game Series (1996). St. Joseph, New Brunswick: Robinson & Blackmore.

Bullis, M. & Fredericks, H.D. (2002). Vocational and Transition Services for Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: Strategies and Best Practices. Champaign, IL: Research Press and Arden Hills, MN: Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents

Clark, H.B., & Stewart, E.S. (1992). Transition into employment, education, and independent living: A survey of programs serving youth and young adults with emotional/behavioral disorders. In K. Kutash, C.J. Liberton, A. Algarin, & R.M. Friedman (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Conference on A system of Care for Children's Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base (pp. 189-198). Tampa: University of South Florida, Florida Mental Health Institute.

Florida Department of Education. (1999) Dare to Dream Revised. A guide to planning your future. Tallahassee: Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services.

See website on Ansell/Casey Life Skills Assessment Instrument through the Casey Family Programs Organization for more information.

Pearpoint, J., O'Brien, J, Forest, M. (2001). PATH: Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope: A Workbook for Planning Possible Positive Futures. Toronto: COUTO Publishing.