​At the 2025 Charting the LifeCourse Showcase in Kansas City, Missouri, the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), Office of Developmental Programs (ODP), and Department of Education (PDE) were honored with the Innovations in Strategic Development award. This recognition highlights their collaborative efforts in the INVEST and Pathways to Partnership grants, which aim to promote a unified, person-centered planning approach across various systems and life domains.​

These initiatives have been instrumental in fostering a common language and shared vision, enabling more cohesive support for individuals with disabilities. By integrating the Charting the LifeCourse framework, these agencies have enhanced cross-system collaboration, ensuring that services are aligned and responsive to the unique needs and goals of each person. This award underscores their commitment to systemic transformation and the advancement of inclusive, person-centered practices

The Shapiro administration has allocated $120 million to enhance school safety and mental health services across Pennsylvania. This funding supports both public and private schools, enabling the hiring of mental health professionals and the implementation of security upgrades. The initiative is a response to the growing mental health needs among students and aims to create safer, more supportive educational environments.

Complementing this effort, a recent report by the nonprofit organization Inseparable indicates that Pennsylvania is making steady improvements in supporting student mental health. The state has increased access to school-based mental health services, with about half of its schools now offering such programs. This progress reflects ongoing efforts to address youth mental health needs through policy changes and increased funding. ​

These developments underscore Pennsylvania's commitment to fostering safe and supportive learning environments, addressing both the physical safety and mental well-being of students.

Sources:

Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. (2024, August 8). Shapiro-Davis Administration announces availability of $120 million for school safety and mental health supports for students. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroom/120-million-for-school-safety-and-mental-health-supports-for-students.html

Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. (2025, January 6). Shapiro-Davis Administration is investing nearly $275 million in school safety grants to make Pennsylvania schools safer. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroom/shapiro-davis-admin-investing-275m-to-make-pennsylvania-schools-safer.html

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Hall, P. (2024, November 27). Pennsylvania awards $120 million in school-based mental health and safety grants. Pennsylvania Capital-Star. https://penncapital-star.com/briefs/pennsylvania-awards-120-million-in-school-based-mental-health-and-safety-grants/

Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. (2024, December 3). Shapiro-Davis Administration approves $20 million in funding for school safety and mental health. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroom/shapiro-davis-admin-approves-20m-in-funding-for-school-safety.html​Pennsylvania Capital-Star+4

Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. (2024, April 25). Shapiro-Davis Administration awards $47 million in school safety and mental health supports for students and staff across Pennsylvania. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroom/shapiro-davis-administration-awards-47-million-in-school-safety-and-mental-health-supports-for-students-and-staff-across-pennsylvania.html​​

Are you looking for resources and actionable recommendations tailored for administrators, school practitioners, mental health professionals, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and families to effectively support students with mental health needs during their transition to adulthood?

Look no further then the NTACT:C Quick Guide: Mental Health-Secondary Transition.

Are you looking to dig into research and resources for supporting students with mental health needs as they go through secondary transition planning?

The Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research (Transitions ACR) is a research center within the Implementation Science and Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC) that conducts research, training, and dissemination activities to improve outcomes among youth and young adults (ages 14 to 30) with serious mental health conditions (SMHC).

Youth advocacy is a growing and essential force behind mental health system improvements in Pennsylvania, especially for young people navigating complex services like mental health, foster care, juvenile justice, and transition-age supports.

One of the state’s leading youth-powered advocacy groups is Youth M.O.V.E. Pennsylvania (Motivating Others through Voices of Experience). This organization, part of a national movement, helps ensure that young people with lived experience in behavioral health, disability, or system involvement can speak directly to policymakers, providers, and the public. Youth M.O.V.E. PA members take part in training, public speaking, state and county planning meetings, and mental health awareness campaigns — all with the goal of breaking stigma, improving services, and ensuring youth voices shape the systems designed to serve them.

Youth advocacy is especially important for transition-age youth (typically ages 14-26), who often experience service gaps as they "age out" of child-focused supports but may not yet feel ready for, or connected to, adult mental health systems. Young people’s feedback has already begun driving improvements in areas like peer support certification, school-based services, and trauma-informed practices across Pennsylvania.

This advocacy is more urgent than ever, as mental health challenges among youth in Pennsylvania have been steadily rising. According to the 2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS), nearly 38% of students reported feeling sad or depressed most days, and about 16% of 8th-grade students disclosed engaging in self-harming behaviors. Alarmingly, 32% of students indicated they had seriously considered suicide within the past year, and another 32% reported experiencing bullying — both significant risk factors for mental health struggles (WITF, 2024).

Additionally, the Pennsylvania School Board Association’s 2024 State of Education report highlighted that 66% of school districts identified student mental health needs as their most urgent and growing challenge (Keystone Newsroom, 2024).

In response to these growing needs, Governor Shapiro appointed a Commission on Next Generation Engagement that is approaching its two year anniversary. “The Shapiro Administration has listened to Pennsylvania’s next generation and made investments in mental health resources at the school, county, and state level.” This includes investing in mental health resources at the county level, listening to students’ input and experiences about mental health, and raising awareness about mental health to decrease stigma.

Attention all youth and families! Are you eager to explore the latest insights, strategies, and tools to support your secondary transition planning? Join us at the Bridging Knowledge to Know-How Conference, July 28th-31st at the Penn Stater, for an inspiring and engaging experience!

We’re offering a variety of exciting sessions and hands-on activities designed to help families navigate the ever-evolving world of education. This is your chance to discover valuable tools, gain new insights, and learn how you can make a lasting impact on your secondary transition planning journey.

Don’t miss out—come be part of a community of learners ready to shape the future of education together! Pre-Register for the Youth Transition Summit here! Visit the Bridging Knowledge to Know-How page to learn more.

The PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education (BSE), is pleased to offer a limited number of family scholarships to PA residents to attend the Bridging Knowledge to Know-How: Empowering Pennsylvania Educators and Partners Conference, in-person or virtually.

We welcome submissions from parents/guardians who:

• Have a child, age birth - 21, who currently:
• receives supports and services through a Pennsylvania Early Intervention/Special Education Individualized Education Program (IEP), Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP),
• is in the evaluation/assessment process for eligibility to receive supports and services from a Pennsylvania public or approved private school (APS), as designated by the Commonwealth, or

• receives supports and services through a Pennsylvania Infant Toddler or Preschool Early Intervention Program

• Are not employed in a professional capacity in a school, district, charter school, or Intermediate Unit (IU), (paraprofessionals are eligible if other criteria are met); Parent Training & Information Center, Community Parent Resource Center; or other federally funded educational or advocacy organization. Professionals should seek funding through their employer/organization.

Scholarships will not be awarded if your child is 22 years or older, or if they turn 22 before July 28, 2025.

A Family Scholarship Includes:

• Conference Registration (in-person or virtual) for:
• Up to two (2) parents/guardians of a child, birth - 21, receiving or being evaluated to receive supports and services, as listed above. Each parent/guardian must register for, and attend, conference sessions
• Up to three (3) children
• Ages 4 - 21, with or without a disability, who register for at least one of the Youth Experiences
• May include up to two (2) siblings, who register for eligible Youth Experience(s)

Note: In order for parents/guardians to attend conference sessions, child caregiver reimbursement is available through Early Intervention Technical Assistance (EITA) to families with children five (5) years or younger, with or without a disability. Learn more about child caregiver reimbursement. Contact Molly Martz at mmartz@pattan.net or Lisa Gragg at lgragg@pattan.net with questions.

• Lodging of one guest room (for up to five people) at a conference-designated hotel. Qualified applicants must live 50+ miles, one way, from The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center
• Meals and Snacks provided to registered* conference attendees
• Three Daytime Options for Children & Youth (in person only)
  Descriptions and Registration of Youth Experiences

1. Camp InsPirAtion Day Camp (formerly The Children’s Institute) (ages 4 - 21)
2. Code Arcade Computer Science Camp (high school students)
3. Youth Summit Conference Sessions (ages 14 - 21.) May be combined with Camp InsPirAtion

• Fun Activities for all ages

Scholarship recipients are responsible for all travel expenses, including transportation, fuel, tolls, mileage, and meals not provided to conference attendees.

*Registered attendees are adults who submit a completed conference registration form, including selection of sessions they will attend, and children who are enrolled in one of the three Youth Experience options above.

The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) is offering a limited number of in-person and virtual scholarships. Eligible youth (14-21) must have an open OVR case and an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) at the time of the application opening, April 25, 2025. Students that meet the OVR criteria, documented in the Family Scholarship application, and have not received an OVR scholarship in the past will be given first consideration. Whether in person or virtual, transition-aged youth must be accompanied by a parent/guardian attending the Bridging Knowledge to Know-How Conference.

Please complete the application below for either scholarship opportunity.

Family scholarship applications will be accepted through the end of day, June 15, 2025, or until all scholarships have been awarded. Scholarships will be reviewed and processed in the order they are received. Don’t delay, apply today!

For questions, please contact Linda Cartwright or Jacqui DiDomenico at bk2khscholarships@pattankop.net or call 1-800-441-3215

The event will take place July 28-31, 2025, at The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College, PA. Details about the Conference and Youth Experiences

Do you want to mentor youth? Do you want to support self-advocates as they grow? We want to hear from you! The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) is looking to increase the amount of youth engaging in their Citizen Advisory Committees (CAC)s. As part of that process, they are looking for folks who would be willing to mentor youth as they step into the world of self-advocacy within their local CACs along with a statewide Youth Citizens Advisory Committee. If you are interested in learning more and participating, please check out this form.

Your story matters. Whether you ride the bus to work, use paratransit to get to medical appointments, or rely on shared ride services to stay connected with your community, your experiences are powerful. Lawmakers need to hear directly from the people who depend on transit every day to understand why full and sustained funding is essential.

Submit your story here!

Stories can be written, recorded as a video, or shared through photos or other expressive media. Submissions are open through May 15, 2025. Winners will receive a prize, and all stories will help strengthen our advocacy with legislators and community leaders.

Why participate?
Because your voice can drive change. When you share your lived experience, you help decision-makers understand why accessible, affordable, and reliable transit isn’t a luxury...it’s a lifeline.

S.T.A.Y. Tuned: Supporting Transition-Age Youth Podcast is a podcast made for and by young adults with mental health conditions. Guests include:

• Researchers and colleagues who share information from their studies and interventions designed to support transition-aged youth and young adults navigating school or work.
• Young adults with mental health conditions who share their journeys navigating high school, college, and post-grad life. These authentic conversations offer an inside look into what it’s like transitioning to adulthood when you have a mental health condition.

The mission of National Child Traumatic Stress Network is to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States.

Visit their website to access information about:

• childhood trauma
• treatment and practices
• trauma informed care
• resources

A resource of particular interest when working with transition-aged youth is the Trauma-Informed Guiding Principles for Working with Transition Age Youth: Provider Fact Sheet

Description: This fact sheet outlines six trauma-informed guiding principles tailored for providers working with TAY. It emphasizes understanding the unique experiences of these youth and offers strategies to support their journey and recovery.​

Looking for a place where you can Connect, Collect, & Contribute

to all things secondary transition?

Connect with people from across our state to collect

resources, share events and contribute stories about positive post-school outcomes!

Click here to create an account and login to join our PA Secondary Transition- Public Square.

Youth can text "HELLO" to 988 for crisis support.

To learn more about 988, visit the PA Department of Human Services website.

Youth MOVE PA is a statewide youth & young adult advocacy organization dedicated to eliminating stigma surrounding mental health while promoting wellness and recovery for those seeking aid along their journey.

PA Parent and Family Alliance offers one-of-a-kind, FREE resources for parents whose children are experiencing mental health challenges because they believe that parents are the best advocates for their children. And to be your child’s best advocate, you need tools!

Are you looking to learn more information about transition?

The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C) provides information, tools, and supports to assist multiple stakeholders to provide effective services and instruction for students and out-of-school youth with disabilities.

Check out their Training Resource Library.

If you're new to transition, be sure to check out Transition 101!

Join us for the Bridging Knowledge to Know-How Conference, where educators, community partners, families, and youth come together to learn evidence based practices and tools that bridge the gap between knowledge and practice!

📅 Dates: July 28-31, 2025

📍 Location: State College, PA

🌟 Dive into sessions focused on:
🔹 Autism
🔹 Sensory Disabilities
🔹 Secondary Transition
🔹 Complex Instructional Needs

We’re talking all things Bridging Knowledge to Know-How Conference—what you need to know, why it matters, and how it can elevate your practice. Whether you're in the classroom, supporting families, or leading programs, this conference is for YOU!

📍 Where: State College, PA
📅 When: July 28–31, 2025

🎧 Tune in now on PaTTANPod!
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://bit.ly/42bNW58
🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast app: bit.ly/4cwZMKN

Let’s bridge the gap between what we know and what we do. 💡 #BK2KH2025 #SpecialEducation #InclusiveEducation #PaTTANPod

Are you looking for transition events across PA?

Don't forget to check the events calendar to stay up to date on all of the great events happening in PA and nationally related to secondary transition!

The Pennsylvania Community on Transition is a group of various stakeholders from across Pennsylvania who work collaboratively to ensure appropriate transition outcomes for Pennsylvania youth and young adults.

The Pennsylvania Community on Transition is a state leadership team consisting of representative from: the State Departments of Education, Health, Labor and Industry, and Human Services; Various Serving Agencies, Young Adults, Parent Organizations, Advocates, Higher Education, and Employers.

The shared vision and common goals of the Pennsylvania Community on Transition is achieved when all PA youth and young adults with disabilities:

• Successfully transition to the role of productive and participating adult citizens
• Are empowered to recognize their talents, strengths, and voice
• Have equal access to resources that will promote their full participation in the communities of their choice.

Email: pasecondarytransition@gmail.com
Website: https://www.pasecondarytransition.com/
Phone: 4128266878
Twitter: @hmangiskuntz