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Youth who received Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits; lived in Erie County, New York; and were ages 16 to 25 were eligible for the study. Researchers used SSA administrative data to randomly select eligible youth and then contacted them for baseline interviews and consent until researchers met enrollment targets. If youth participated in interviews and provided consent, they were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to the intervention and comparison groups at a rate of six intervention to five comparison group members. Recruitment occurred from January 2007 to March 2008.
People were enrolled in the study from January 2007 to March 2008 and followed for three years thereafter.
SSA
The study focused on people ages 16 to 25 who received SSA disability benefits. The sample was 62 percent male, 55 percent White, 35 percent Black, and 9 percent Hispanic (of any race). At baseline, about two-fifths (42 percent) had never worked for pay, 95 percent received Supplemental Security Income, and 96 percent received public health insurance. The average age of participants was 20, and, at baseline, 52 percent were attending school. Forty percent had a high school diploma or equivalent certification. All people in the study had a disability, with cognitive or developmental disabilities (44 percent), physical disabilities (19 percent), and mental illness (18 percent) reported most often as an individual’s primary disabling condition.
The Erie 1 Board of Cooperative Educational Services implemented the intervention in partnership with Neighborhood Legal Services, the Community Employment Office, and the Parent Network of Western New York.
A version of the Transition WORKS program was piloted for three years before study launch. It was redesigned for the Youth Transition Demonstration project to include a greater emphasis on employment services.
Transition WORKS provided services to youth ages 16 to 25 who received SSA disability benefits and resided in Erie County, New York. The program included services designed to support youth in transitioning to independence, emphasizing youth empowerment. Services included self-determination workshops; benefits counseling and planning; information and support for families of youth participants; employment services, such as career preparation, soft-skills training, job search assistance, job development and placement, job coaching, job tours, apprenticeships, internships, and paid employment; education support, such as counseling and advising; and case management. The program also offered follow-up services after a participant obtained employment. Finally, participants were eligible to receive matching funds in individual development accounts (bank accounts with funds dedicating to starting a business, educational expenses, purchasing a car, or purchasing or repairing a home), financial literacy training, and waivers to SSA program rules, which increased the amount of earnings that are disregarded in calculating benefits for those still enrolled in school or career exploration; decreased the rate at which benefits are reduced as earnings increase; extended benefits for those who could face losing them at age 18 or when their case was re-reviewed; and excluded certain financial accounts from asset calculations.
Youth in the comparison condition could receive other services available in the community.
None.
Transition WORKS provided services to participants for up to 18 months.
SSA
The program took place in Erie County, New York.
Attitudes and expectations, Independence, Job characteristics, Health insurance, Criminal justice, Living arrangements
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