Ohio Employment First Transition Framework

"Ohio Employment First Transition Framework is a critical component to the Ohio Employment First structure and is intended to address barriers to transition planning and services in order to achieve meaningful adult outcomes. The Framework was developed by stakeholders from multiple agencies to create processes and highlight practices that can be used by all agencies. These common processes assist professionals to plan, prepare, empower, educate, and connect across systems so as to consistently assist youth with disabilities to realize meaningful, community employment and other valued aspects of adult life.

The Framework is built on three non-negotiable foundational elements that together create a 'filter' to examine the practices and procedures used when working and supporting transition youth. The foundational elements for the activity and practices of the Framework are:

• Person-centered. The youth is where the team efforts begin and end. Policies and practices must be flexible enough to respond to individual strengths and needs.
• Agency-neutral. As agencies come together to collaborate, activity should occur in a manner where all involved see value for the youth and no single agency policies or procedures are considered the priority.
• Outcome-focused. The common focus of the collaborative efforts are the meaningful adult life outcomes."