Edition: Fall 2021 Meaningful Transitions: Setting a Higher Standard
In this issue we explore how students with disabilities can actively plan for their futures and ensure that they leave high school with the necessary skills and experiences to make a successful transition into adulthood.
We Must Do Better
By Kelly Nye-Lengerman, Stephanie Patrick, and Isadora Rodriguez-Legendre
Every few months, staff from the Disability Rights Center-NH, UNH Institute on Disability, and NH Council on Developmental Disabilities gather together to plan the focus area for each issue. We consider the most pressing issues and look at where there are opportunities to help our readers understand these...
What is Supported Decision-Making?
By Mike Skibbie, DRC-NH Policy Director
*On-line version of this article has been updated to reflect recent developments
On Tuesday, August 10, 2021, Governor Sununu signed SB 134, which establishes Supported Decision-Making (SDM) as a statutorily-recognized alternative to guardianship for adults with disabilities and their families.
Unlike...
A Life Renewed
By Anthony Haley
“The road to success is always under construction.”—Attorney Willie Gary
It was my sophomore year of high school. Life at home was getting increasingly difficult and was spilling into my performance at school. My father had passed away and my mother was trying to earn enough to take care of three of...
Choosing the Best Path to Decision Making
By Lynne Clay, Esq.If parents are considering guardianship when their child turns 18, they may also want to consider other less restrictive alternatives.
Guardianship, which requires a determination by the court, removes the ability of a person with a disability to make certain decisions and gives that authority to another person or entity called the guardian. The guardian can make legally binding decisions on behalf of the person with a disability in order...
System-Based Opportunities for Improving Transition Services
By Joanne Malloy, Ph.D.
The following changes in special education policy and practice are recommended to help improve transition services for New Hampshire’s special education students.
High schools should incorporate transition-focused supports using the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework and Universal...