This project will develop, implement and evaluate a fundamental change in the organization and delivery of transition services for individuals with severe disabilities concurrently in two large urban areas of California-San Francisco & San Diego. This fundamental change will involve the integration of services across the Department of Rehabilitation, Dept. of Developmental Services, through its local regional center affiliates, and the local public schools.

It will be based on the following three elements of service integration:

• shared cost and technical expertise across the three systems through restructuring of existing resources
• joint responsibility for transition goals for all 21 year olds pending public school graduates with severe disabilities
• the provision of job development and the provision of job, postsecondary and community living support services during this final transition year through subcontract or similar arrangement with rehabilitation or DD authorized agencies.

These same agencies are also designated to maintain services after graduation( i.e., typical "receiving agency"). Federal funds will be used to finalize the model design and pilot and evaluate it. Funds will also be used to analyze and provide start-up costs related to developing new SE services among rehab or DD vendors.

However, the basic cost of transition services will be contributed by the participating service systems ensuring continuation after the federal funding period. Collaborators on this project are Vocational Special Education Program, Dept. of Special Education, San Francisco State University, and Interwork Institute within the Dept. of Special Education at San Diego State University.