Youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and especially young adults of transition age, should be involved in planning for life after high school as early as possible and no later than age 16. Transition services should stem from the individual youth’s needs and strengths, ensuring that planning takes into account his or her interests, preferences, and desires for the future.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011a). About teen pregnancy. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/TeenPregnancy/AboutTeenPreg.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011b). Health disparities and inequalities report--United States. Fact sheet: Health Disparities in Adolescent Pregnancy and Childbirth. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/chdir/2011/factsheets/adolescentpregnancy.pdf (PDF, 2 pages)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011c). Quick stats: Birth rates* for teens aged 15–19 years, by state—United States, 2009. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 60(06), 183. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6006a6.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011d). Reducing teen pregnancy: Engaging communities. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/practitioner-tools-resources/diverse-communities.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Prepregnancy contraceptive use among teens with unintended pregnancies resulting in live births – Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2004-2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 61(02), 25-29. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6102a1.htm?s_cid=mm6102a1_e
Covington, R., Peters, H. E., Sabia, J. J., & Price, J. P. (2011). Teen fatherhood and educational attainment: Evidence from three cohorts of youth.
Fletcher, J. M., & Wolfe, B. L. (2011). The effects of teenage fatherhood on young adult outcomes. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1465-7295.2011.00372.x/abstract
Hamilton, B. E., & Ventura, S. J. (2012). U.S. teenage birth rate resumes decline. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NCHS Data Brief, 58, 1-8. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db89.pdf (PDF, 8 pages)
Hoffman, S. D., & Maynard, R. (Eds.). (2008). Kids having kids: Economic costs & social consequences of teen pregnancy (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: The Urban Institute Press.
Kirby, D., Lepore, G., & Ryan, J. (2005). Executive summary: Sexual risk and protective factors. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Retrieved from http://recapp.etr.org/recapp/documents/theories/ExecutiveSummary200712.pdf (PDF, 16 pages)
Kost, K., & Henshaw, S. (2012). U.S. teenage pregnancies, births and abortions, 2008: National trends by age, race and ethnicity. Washington, DC: Guttmacher Institute. Retrieved http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/USTPtrends08.pdf (PDF, 19 pages)
Martinez G, Copen C. E., Abma J. C. (2011). Teenagers in the United States: Sexual activity, contraceptive use, and childbearing, 2006–2010 National Survey of Family Growth. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 23(31). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_031.pdf (PDF, 44 pages)
Mathews, T. J., Sutton, P. D., Hamilton, B. E., & Ventura, S. J. (2010). State disparities in teenage birth rates in the United States. NCHS data brief, 46, 1-8. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db46.pdf (PDF, 8 pages)
National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (2011). The public cost of teen childbearing: Key data. Retrieved from http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/costs/ (PDF, 1 page)
Washington State Health Department. (2007). The health of Washington State: Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing. (PDF, 7 pages)
Youth Briefs
Research links early leadership with increased self-efficacy and suggests that leadership can help youth to develop decision making and interpersonal skills that support successes in the workforce and adulthood. In addition, young leaders tend to be more involved in their communities, and have lower dropout rates than their peers. Youth leaders also show considerable benefits for their communities, providing valuable insight into the needs and interests of young people
Statistics reflecting the number of youth suffering from mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders highlight the necessity for schools, families, support staff, and communities to work together to develop targeted, coordinated, and comprehensive transition plans for young people with a history of mental health needs and/or substance abuse.
Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system.
Research has demonstrated that as many as one in five children/youth have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Read about how coordination between public service agencies can improve treatment for these youth.
Civic engagement has the potential to empower young adults, increase their self-determination, and give them the skills and self-confidence they need to enter the workforce. Read about one youth’s experience in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).