Rebecca: My grandson has adhd bi polar and was told he has hi functioning aspergers. He is now 19 finished high school and wants to learn to be a mechanic and I don’t know where to find a school or tech school to help him. he is on disability. mainly looking for direction. we moved from PA a year ago and He needs to find his way.
I would start with the state or regional vocational rehabilitation agency that covers your region of the state. If it’s PA then maybe try this link: http://www.dli.pa.gov/Individuals/Disability-Services/Pages/Vocational-Rehabilitation-Services.aspx
Rebecca,
I would suggest that your grandson try your state’s vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency.
VR agencies help individuals with disabilities get ready for and obtain employment. They help people with all types of disabilities (but may prioritize services based on need), and most services are free.
The VR agency will help develop a plan for employment that includes employment-related goals and the services they will provide to help meet those goals. Helping individuals choose and pay for college/training is right in their wheelhouse!
They can also help individuals connect with other services and benefits.
If your grandson receives SSI and/or SSDI, he is also eligible to participate in the “Ticket to Work” program.
This program has a similar goal of helping individuals with disabilities get ready for and obtain employment. Through Ticket to Work, individuals work with an authorized service provider towards employment-related goals.
In my experience, the VR agency is the best place to start. VR agencies are authorized Ticket to Work service provides, plus they often offer more robust services than other providers. And you can always change your service provider if they are not working out.
Here’s a list of VR agencies by state: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/WorkingatFDA/UCM277757.pdf.
Here’s a general overview of VR agencies: https://www.communityinclusion.org/pdf/to19.pdf.
And here’s info on Ticket to Work: http://www.chooseworkttw.net/.