UPMC PROJECT SEARCH OPEN HOUSE (November 2023)

WINTER 2024: PRE-ETS PROGRAMMING

ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

The Allegheny County Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) provides support for county residents in need of mental health and/or substance abuse services.

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ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORTS

The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Developmental Supports (ODS) registers eligible Allegheny County residents to connect them to Supports Coordination and other supports and services.

Individuals with the following diagnosis are eligible.

• Intellectual Disability (ID)
• Autism
• Developmental Disability (DD) prior to age 9
• Medically Complex Condition (MCC) prior to age 21

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ALLEGHENY COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES & CARE

Other helpful community resources can be found on the Allegheny County Human Services and Care web page.

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PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

NASD is proud to partner with the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) to provide Pre-Employment Transition Services to students. The services provided by the OVR are free to individuals who meet income criteria. OVR can provide a wide range of individualized services to eligible applicants, which may include but are not limited to the following.

• Pre-Employment Transition Services
• Vocational Counseling and Guidance
• Funding for Post-secondary Education/Training
• Restoration Services
• Job Placement Assistance
• Assistive Technology
• Support Services

OVR EARLY REACH AT NORTH ALLEGHENY INTERMEDIATE HIGH SCHOOL

OVR Early Reach sessions take place monthly at NAI during the school year. OVR Early Reach topics include, but are not limited to, job search and applications, personal finance, soft skills, and career exploration. View additional information about OVR Early Reach.

To register your student for OVR Early Reach sessions, email NA Transition Coordinator Tom Irvine at tirvine@northallegheny.org

OVR SERVICES AT NORTH ALLEGHENY HIGH SCHOOL

The OVR counselor is available at North Allegheny Senior High School on select dates throughout the school year and summer months. To schedule an appointment with the OVR team, please contact NA Transition Coordinator Tom Irvine at tirvine@northallegheny.org

For additional information about the OVR Early Reach Initiative check out this video!  

To learn more about Vocational Rehabilitation services click the links below.  

• Applying for VR services 
• What are VR services
• Examples of VR services

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PENNSYLVANIA TRAINING & ASSISTANCE NETWORK (PATTAN)—SECONDARY TRANSITION WEBPAGE

PATTAN has several resources available for parents and families looking for additional transition resources.

PATTAN RESOURCES

• Transitions Tuesday (recorded webinars)
• Job Skills: Getting Ready to Work
• Exploring the Options of a Two- or Four-Year College
• The Importance of Employment - Why Work?
• Secondary Transition: Financial Fundamentals
• Secondary Transition: Preparing for Employment
• Secondary Transition: Customized Employment
• Secondary Transition: Understanding Self-Advocacy
• Pennsylvania Secondary Transition Roadmap
• Entitlement vs Eligibility
• Secondary Transition: Promoting Independent Living While Still in School

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THE ARC OF PENNSYLVANIA

The Arc of Pennsylvania has 33 local chapters and represents over 8,000 members. The state office coordinates strategic, grassroots advocacy efforts, provides policy analysis and trainings, and implements the statewide Include Me and the ARC Discovery Employment Transitions (ADEPT) programs that serve children and adults.

The Arc of Pennsylvania focuses on systems advocacy and governmental affairs, demonstrating leadership and guidance among all disability organizations in Pennsylvania. The local chapters of ARC provide a variety of critical services, including advocacy services, Early Intervention, residential and day supports, home-care assistance, and job training.

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PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE CHECKLIST

Use this checklist as a discussion guide in preparing for life after high school and how best to plan for your future. The checklist is meant to be individualized and not all of the items listed may pertain to every student.

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PENNSYLVANIA SECONDARY TRANSITION GUIDE

This website provides youth, young adults, parents, and professionals with secondary transition resources to facilitate a young person’s progress toward post-secondary goals related to education, employment, and community living.

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PENNSYLVANIA HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE AGENCY

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency is a quasi-governmental agency that administers several state-level and national higher education student financial aid programs.

COLLEGE vs HIGH SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS

• Differences between High School and College Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

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INCLUSIVE COLLEGE PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

• Think College is dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving research and practice in inclusive higher education for students with intellectual disabilities.
• Slippery Rock University RockLife Program
• Mercyhurst University AIM Program
• Millersville University Integrated Studies Program
• East Stroudsburg University CILLS Program

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COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAMS

• Community College of Allegheny County
• CCAC - Vocational Training Program
• Butler County Community College
• Community College of Beaver County

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TECHNICAL COLLEGES & TRADE SCHOOLS

• Find Trade Schools & Colleges in Pennsylvania
• Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
• Hiram G. Andrews
• Pittsburgh Technical College
• Bidwell Training Center
• Rosedale Technical College
• Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics

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JOB TRAINING EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS

• Working and Training in PA
• PennDOT On-the-Job Training Program
• Department of Labor Training
• Job Corps Pittsburgh

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OTHER TRANSITION PROGRAMS

• Glade Run Transitions Program
• Goodwill Project Search
• Goodwill Project Life
• PA Connecting Communities
• PRIDE Program at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit
• BCRC School to Work Transition Program

OTHER ADULT RESOURCES 

VOTER REGISTRATION

The North Allegheny School District is required to provide students turning 18 years of age with voter registration information.  If you are interested in registering to vote please follow the instructions below.  

To register to vote in Pennsylvania, you must:

• Be a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the next primary, special, municipal, or general election.

• Be a resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which you want to register and vote for at least 30 days before the next primary, special, municipal, or general election. 

• Be at least 18 years of age on or before the day of the next primary, special, municipal, or general election.

Additional Information can also be obtained at your local PenDot Office. 

To register to vote in Pennsylvania access the following webpage: vote.pa.gov/Register-to-Vote/Pages/default.aspx 

For a blank mail in voter registration form and follow instructions: vote.pa.gov/Resources/Documents/Voter_Registration_Application_English.pdf 

SELECTIVE SERVICE REGISTRATION

Males between the ages of 18 and 25 are required to register in the selective service system.  Additional information can be found here.

PENNSYLVANIA DRIVERS INFORMATION

Students turning 16 years of age are eligible to obtain a driving learner’s permit.  For additional information click this link to the PenDot website.  Or families can visit their local PenDot office.   

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CAREER EXPLORATION RESOURCES

For more information about career exploration please utilize the websites below. Resources on these websites are free of charge to use.  

To better understand in-demand careers in Pennsylvania use the PA Careerlink Website.  You can also open an OVR case post-graduation online using the PA CareerLink Website—pacareerlink.pa.gov/jponline 

For Career Exploration for high school students access the My Next Move Website—mynextmove.org 

For the latest career information from the US Department of Labor access the Occupational Information Network—onetonline.org