Advocating for Supports to Improve Service Transitions

The ASSIST program is a 12-week advocacy training to educate parents of youth with autism about the adult service system (note that an optional 13th session on secondary transition planning can be offered if ASSIST is being delivered to families of youth who are in high school). It is a group training, comprised of didactic instruction, family-sharing activities, case studies, and group discussions. The ASSIST program for the proposed study will be directed at each site by an experienced Program Facilitator from the community with knowledge about group processes, person-centered planning, and adult service systems, who will be coached by a member of the study team. The ASSIST program will be delivered in full partnership with the local disability community. In most sessions, the Program Facilitator will be aided by community content experts who present the specifics of each topic.