Your next chapter can include learning, work, volunteering, and community life in whatever combination fits you. This educational guide helps you explore choices—not a separate Independence Plus service or a required pathway. Families and supporters you choose are welcome to plan alongside you.
Alongside you
How Independence Plus can help
Within your agreed program scope and funding authorization, we can teach everyday skills, support college navigation and self-advocacy, help you access resources, practice transportation skills, and support community participation and relationships.
We help turn resource information into practical next steps: finding the right contact, preparing questions and application information, and keeping track of follow-up together.
Connecting you with your wider support network
We help you connect the pieces.
You do not have to figure out every resource on your own. Independence Plus works alongside you to explore options, prepare questions, organize application steps, and follow through with the organizations involved.
College: We help you connect with disability services, financial aid, and campus resources, prepare requests, and practice self-advocacy.
Employment: We help you identify relevant Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and employment resources and prepare for conversations about your goals and next steps.
Volunteering and day programs: We help you explore organizations that match your interests, organize questions, and plan transportation and routines around participation.
Benefits and healthcare: We help you navigate resources such as SSI/SSDI, Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and transit benefits, organize information for applications, and keep track of follow-up and renewals. We can help you prepare questions for agencies, health plans, and CalABLE.
Funding coordination: Our team works with your Service Coordinator or Self-Determination team to coordinate the authorization for your Independence Plus support.
Together, we build your skills and confidence navigating these systems. Our involvement follows your goals, agreed program scope, and authorization. Colleges, agencies, and other providers make their own eligibility, approval, enrollment, and funding decisions.
What could the next chapter look like?
There is no single right path. Combine options and adjust as goals change.
Your voice sets the directionWhat do you enjoy? What would you like to learn? Who do you want to spend time with?
Plan together before school services end—or start here nowInvite your school transition team, regional center service coordinator, family or chosen supporters, and DOR as appropriate. Share your priorities and review your IPP and handoff of supports.
College
We help you plan college steps and connect with campus resources as you pursue your interests.
Explore degree, certificate, vocational, or inclusive college programs.
Contact disability services for accommodations; school IEP supports do not automatically transfer.
Plan registration, financial aid, campus travel, and organization.
We help you find organizations that fit your interests and plan the practical steps to participate.
Choose a cause you care about.
Look for accessible roles, clear tasks, and a welcoming team.
Plan transportation and support; start with a manageable schedule.
Use experiences to discover interests and build relationships.
Day programs
We help you explore program options, prepare questions, and plan how participation could fit your goals.
Explore community-based programs and activities.
Compare individual goals, choice, staffing, and community access.
Visit programs with supporters you choose and ask about trial visits.
Review regional center authorization, schedules, and transportation.
A meaningful weekly routineCombine college, employment, volunteering, day programs, community activities, and rest. You can try something, change your mind, and revisit the plan.
Build the foundations around the plan.
Explore all three areas in parallel. Open each checklist to make a starting plan.
What supports will make everyday life work?Health coverage + money skills and benefits + lasting social connections
HEALTHExplore checklist +♥
HEALTH
Our team can help you organize healthcare resources, prepare questions, and follow up on coverage and care as school supports end.
Medi-Cal: review eligibility, enrollment, renewals, and providers.
Medicare: check eligibility if receiving SSDI or DAC benefits; disability-based coverage generally follows 24 months of entitlement, with exceptions.
Disabled Adult Child (DAC): ask how this benefit connects to Medicare and continued Medi-Cal eligibility.
Transfer to adult primary care; organize specialists, dental care, mental health, prescriptions, and medical records.
Explore IHSS if in-home assistance is needed and eligibility is met.
Plan appointment transportation, medication routines, and emergency contacts.
We practice money skills with you and help you navigate benefit resources, application steps, reporting, and renewals.
Banking: compare accessible online bank or credit union accounts, fees, alerts, and direct deposit.
Prepaid debit: useful for spending practice; generally does not build credit. A secured credit card may build credit when payments are reported and paid on time.
SSI: explore adult eligibility or age-18 redetermination if previously receiving child SSI.
SSDI: eligibility on your own record depends on qualifying disability and work credits.
DAC: ask SSA about benefits on a parent’s record if disability began before 22 and the parent receives Social Security retirement/disability benefits or is deceased; other requirements apply.
CalFresh: check food benefit eligibility, including household and student rules.
CalABLE: explore saving for qualified disability expenses under program and benefit rules; eligible disability onset is before age 46 as of 2026.
Plan budgeting, wage reporting, benefit reviews, scam awareness, and support with money decisions.
A connected, person-centered support planWe can help you organize priorities, questions, application steps, and follow-up dates to bring to your IPP meeting and relevant agencies, alongside the supporters you choose.
Think across every pathway.
Getting around We teach travel skills and help you navigate reduced-fare and Access Paratransit application steps.
Home & the future We teach daily living skills and help with housing searches, waitlist applications, and roommate planning.
Choice & communication Supported decision-making, self-advocacy, accessible information, and agreed family involvement.
You don’t have to map it all out alone.
Tell us which goals and resources matter to you. We can discuss how our team can help you connect with them and follow through, within your program scope and funding arrangement.
This roadmap is a starting point. Graduation does not automatically qualify someone for every program. Confirm eligibility, funding, and current rules with the responsible agency. Some applications and waitlists take time; start before school services end when possible.
DAC is a Social Security cash benefit, not a health insurance plan. Ask SSA and the county about how benefit changes affect Medicare and Medi-Cal. Prepaid debit cards and secured credit cards are different products.
INDEPENDENCE