SADDLE UP FOR THE FUTURE: �NAVIGATING THE �TRANSITION TRAIL

South Carolina

Department of Behavioral Health &

Developmental Disabilities

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AGENDA

• BHDD-OIDD- Who we are and what we do
• K-12 Transition Strategies
• Early Transition Planning
• Family Engagement
• Self- Advocacy
• Interest Inventories
• Job Trials
• Resources
• BHDD-OIDD Non-Waiver Services (SFFA)
• VR Services
• Centers for Independent Living
• Local Resources
• Real World Examples

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Mission:

Connecting South Carolinians to seamless, high-quality care for recovery, independence, and lifelong support.

About Us:

Established by the Governor and General Assembly in April 2025, the South Carolina Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (BHDD) is the state’s central agency for a holistic, streamlined, coordinated approach to care.

Our Approach:

BHDD aims to create a cohesive, statewide system focused on improving behavioral health, substance use, and disability care, especially patients with complex needs.

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THE OFFICE OF INTELLECTUAL & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Vision

To provide the very best services to assist all persons with disabilities and their families in South Carolina.

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Mission

Assist people with disabilities and their families through choice in meeting needs, pursuing possibilities and achieving life goals and minimizing the occurrence and reduce the severity of disabilities through prevention.

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�TRANSITION COORDINATORS� �OUR ROLE:

• Support teachers through a student’s transition years. (ages 18-21 years of age) 

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• Refer to Case Management for those with more involved needs.

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• Support Vocational Rehab and track employment outcomes.

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• Make referrals to VR.

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• Inform students and/or families about BHDD-OIDD eligibility and assist with providing information on how to apply.

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• Attend community events to spread the word about BHDD-OIDD.

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K-12 TRANSITION STRATEGIES

EARLY TRANSITION PLANNING

• Start early! We should be intentionally embedding social, interpersonal, and communication skills into their daily routines.
• Parent Involvement- connect families with services for long-term support (more info to follow)
• Support independence- help them to learn about decision making, daily living skills, and different leisure activities/hobbies
• Involve students in as much as possible, as early as possible!
• Have student share about themselves at their meeting (slideshow, bring in favorite toy, share pictures, etc.)

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EARLY CAREER AWARENESS

• Career Day Events - guest speakers come to share about their jobs
• Virtual field trips
• Discovery Education
• K12 Enrichment Virtual Field Trips
• Field Trip Directory .Com
• Tours of local businesses, museums, and parks - learn about the jobs people have there
• Videos of adults with disabilities working 

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• Provide opportunities to practice:
• Customer Service
• Money handling
• Inventory
• Communication
• Problem-solving

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• Ideas:
• School Garden Market 
• Coffee Cart
• Lost and Found 
• School Store
• Errand Service
• Recycling Program

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ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL BASED ENTERPRISES

HIGH SCHOOL WORK-BASED ENTERPRISE

COMMUNITY BASED LEARNING

Teach students how community locations relate to careers and independent living:

• Grocery stores
• Libraries
• Fire stations
• Banks
• Restaurants
• Parks
• Museums
• Local Businesses

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FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

• Equal Decision-Making: Treating families (including the  student) as true partners of the IEP and transition plan, rather than just asking them to sign paperwork. 
• Shared Goal Alignment and Long Term Vision: Bring everyone to the table- family, case-management, therapists, school team, and of course- the student! 
• Open Communication: Sharing transition timelines, transfer of rights, and adult agency information in clear, plain language. Having these discussions early to determine needs and plan of action.
• Continuous Communication: Maintaining year-round communication about the student's progress and independence goals, not just talking during the annual IEP meeting.
• Connect to Resources: Collaboratively identifying beneficial connections to adult agencies early on (more info to follow!)

SELF-ADVOCACY

What is Self-Advocacy?

•  Person first: Seeing yourself as a person first, rather than letting a label define

you.

•  "Nothing about us without us": Insisting that people with disabilities make decisions for themselves instead of parents or experts deciding for them.
•  Civil rights: the practice of people - especially individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities - speaking up, knowing their rights, and making decisions for themselves rather than relying on others to speak for them.

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Key Steps to Practice Self-Advocacy

•  Know yourself: Learn about your strengths, challenges, and specific needs.
•  Know your rights: Understand legal protections like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that guard against discrimination.
•  Communicate clearly: State what you need calmly and clearly in a good setting.
•  Find support: Connect with peer groups or national organizations like The Arc for training and community resources.

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SELF-ADVOCACY

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  Examples at School

• Asking for help: Raising your hand to tell a teacher you do not understand the lesson and need extra guidance.
• Requesting accommodations: A college student talking to the Disability Services Office to ask for extended time on exams.
• Needing notes: Asking a history teacher for pre-printed notes because taking fast notes is difficult.

 Examples at Work

• Asking for a raise: Meeting with a manager to present your recent successes and request higher pay
• Setting boundaries: Telling a supervisor that your current workload is full before taking on a new project.
• Requesting equipment: Asking human resources for noise-canceling headphones to block out office noise.

 Examples in Daily Life

• Medical appointments: Telling a doctor about a new symptom or asking questions about a treatment plan.
• Personal time: Telling a friend or partner that you cannot hang out on Sunday because you need time to rest.
• Community needs: Contacting local City Municipal Board officials to report a missing wheelchair ramp on a public sidewalk.

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SELF-ADVOCACY MEANS SPEAKING UP FOR YOUR OWN NEEDS, RIGHTS, AND IDEAS IN A CLEAR AND POLITE WAY.

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INTEREST INVENTORIES

Interest inventories for students with disabilities are accessible assessment tools used to identify a student's vocational preferences, likes, and dislikes to help guide secondary transition planning and IEP goals.

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 Types of Inventories

• Pictorial & Photo-Based Inventories: Use real images or illustrations for non-readers or students with moderate-to-severe cognitive disabilities to select preferred tasks. [1, 2, 3]
• Digital & Interactive Tools: Leverage drag-and-drop activities, online quizzes, or platforms like the O*NET Interest Profiler to match preferences to career clusters. [1, 2]
• Card Games & Scavenger Hunts: Use hands-on, differentiated sorting tasks or "Write the Room" games to engage students in exploring job options without heavy reading requirements. [1, 2, 3]

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Approved and Common Transition Tools in SC

• Brigance Transition Skills Inventory (TRS2) [1]
• SCOIS [1]
• RIASEC  also known as Holland Codes - [1, 2, 3]
• Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scale (TRS 3.0)  [1]
• Student Annual Needs Determination Inventory (SANDI)  [1]
• Informal Pictorial & Photo Inventories:  [1]

 Comprehensive Evaluation: According to guidelines from groups like Disability Rights South Carolina, transition assessments should blend student/parent interviews, observations, and structured interest inventories to match strengths without limiting future options. [1]

 Age Requirements: Under South Carolina guidelines, formal transition planning and interest exploration become a mandatory part of a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) starting at age 13 (or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team). [1]

INTEREST INVENTORIES

JOB TRIALS

South Carolina provides job trials, work-based learning, and transition programs for high school students with disabilities through state agencies and school partnerships. [1, 2]

Key Programs and Services

• Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS): Available for students ages 13–21 with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan. Services include job exploration, work-based learning, workplace readiness training, and self-advocacy instruction. Students can access these through the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department (SCVRD) or the South Carolina Commission for the Blind (SCCB) without a formal VR application. [1, 2]
• Project SEARCH: A school-to-work program combining classroom instruction and hands-on workplace rotations for students with significant developmental or intellectual disabilities. Participants spend an entire academic year fully immersed at a host business site with on-site teachers and job coaches. Learn more via SC Works Project SEARCH and SCVRD Project SEARCH. [1, 2, 3]
• South Carolina High School Employability Credential: Designed for students with disabilities to earn recognition for work-ready achievements. It requires completing at least 360 hours of work-based learning, a career portfolio, and a work readiness assessment. Details are available at the South Carolina High School Credential website. [1]
• South Carolina Pathways Project (SCPP): A disability-led framework that helps students with disabilities access alternative diploma paths, paid apprenticeships, and localized transition services. More information is hosted by SCPP Able SC. [1]

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JOB TRIALS

• In South Carolina, school-level "job trials" are formally provided through Work-Based Learning (WBL) programs, which are completely free and coordinated directly through local high schools. Administered by the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) alongside school-level career specialists, these initiatives allow students to experience real-world careers first-hand without any cost. [1, 2, 3]

      Types of Free Job Experience Options in SC Schools

• The state formally recognizes 10 distinct types of Work-Based Learning. The most common short-term "trial" options include: [1]
• On-Site Job Shadowing: A short-term (often one-day), unpaid experience where a student is paired one-on-one with a professional at their actual worksite to observe daily operations. [1, 2]
• Virtual Job Shadowing: SC provides free access to state-approved digital simulation platforms like Microburst Learning's MicroCareerBursts. High school students can use universal credentials (Username: SC2020 / Password: gr8tcareers) to explore interactive, simulated career fields from school. [1]
• Structured Field Studies: Group trips organized by schools where students visit an employer or industry facility to interact with professionals and observe live work settings. [1, 2]
• School-Based Enterprises: Hands-on operational experiences conducted entirely within the school, such as student-run stores or tech support teams, which simulate running a true commercial business. [1, 2]

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RESOURCES

NON-WAIVER SERVICES

Case Management

• Less intensive than Early Intervention
• Focus on referral and linkage
• Assess the individual's needs & develop a support plan to address
• Implement the plan which may include referrals

NON-WAIVER SERVICES

Post-Secondary  Transition Coordinators

• Throughout high school years
• IEP Tips & Tricks
• Guidance on what to do at 18 (legally)
• Assistance with transition planning
• Referrals to outside agencies (VR, CLTC, Able SC, Family Connection, etc.)

NON-WAIVER SERVICES

Genetic Testing through Greenwood Genetics

• Case manager or EI will make the referral
• Some disabilities can affect a person's health as well as learning.
• Find cause of individual's disability
• Provides appropriate guidance to all who participate in their care
• Referrals can be made to doctors who specialize in particular problems related to the diagnosis.

NON-WAIVER SERVICES

Individual and Family Support Funds

• Case manager can request
• Financial assistance for families who incur additional expenses due to the individual's disability
• Improve an unsafe, risky or dangerous situation
• Temporary relief
• Examples:
• Floatation device to make pool safe for a child with CP 
• Pool alarm for backyard pool

NON-WAIVER SERVICES

Family Arranged Respite

• Temporary care for OIDD eligible individuals
• Respite assessment determines how much is paid and how many hours
• Allows families or caregivers to handle emergencies, personal situations or to take a break
• Only available to individuals served in a permanent eligibility category (not available to children served as "at risk")

NON-WAIVER SERVICES

Summer Support Funds

• Help children maintain skills throughout summer.
• Skills are part of goals in their plan written by case manager or EI
• Examples:
• Summer Camp
• Swimming lessons
• Horseback riding
• Zoo tickets
• Movie tickets
• Dance lessons

*Not approved: zoo membership, additional respite, adaptive medical equipment

This is only available to those in a permanent eligibility category. Funding may vary from year to year.

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NON-WAIVER SERVICES

Employment Services

• On-going, long term support
• Meant to sustain employment
• Case manager assesses need
• Must have successful VR closure
• Can use monthly, every other month, only when crisis occurs or all at once
• Can last as long as needed (some enrolled over 10 yrs)

VOC�REHAB�

CENTERS FOR �INDEPENDENT LIVING� �ABLE SC��ACCESSABILITY��WALTON OPTIONS�

• Advocacy
• Independent Living Skills
• Trainings
• Peer Support & Mentoring
• Equip
• Empower Hour
• Creative Writing Club
• SC Cater
• Peer to Peer, Coast to Coast
• Able Gamers

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ABLE SC

ACCESSABILITY

• Information & referral
• Peer support
• Independent – living skills
• Advocacy
• Transition services
• Programs & initiatives:
• Leadership Initiative Team – peer-led; advocacy
• Inclusive Leadership Academy – training & podcast
• Scotties Place – community hub; coming soon
• Fine Finds – thrift store to build job skills

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WALTON OPTIONS

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The OH YEA! Program reaches youth as they look to the future in school and beyond. They do this through:

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• Entrepreneurial Skills Training

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• Financial Planning

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• Pre-Employment Skills

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• Self-Determination Training

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• Person-Centered Planning

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• Self-Advocacy Skills Training

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• Tutoring Referral Services

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• Work Experience Opportunities

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• Post-secondary Enrollment Counseling

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If you are interested in the OH YEA! Program in South Carolina, they have set up an interest from online for you to submit your details so they can follow up directly with you about your options.

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REAL WORLD EXAMPLES

STUDENT SUCCESS

EMPLOYERS PERSPECTIVE

BHDD-OIDD WEBSITE

QUESTIONS?

Octavia Graham

Octavia.Graham@oidd.bhdd.sc.gov

803-409-9291

Angela McGinty

Angela.McGinty@oidd.bhdd.sc.gov

803-743-6154

Lauren Nelson

Lauren.Nelson@oidd.bhdd.sc.gov

839-317-8287