Saturday, May 10, 2025
5/10/2025
The Learning and Working During the Transition to Adulthood Rehabilitation Research and Training Center - The proposed Learning and Working During the Transition to Adulthood RRTC (L&W RRTC) will develop and share new knowledge about core concepts, interventions, and policies to greatly improve the transition to employment for the 6.5 million 14-30-year-olds with Serious Mental Health Conditions (SMHC) in the U.S. The need to improve their transition to employment is urgent. Successful entry into the labor market for all young adults has become increasingly difficult in recent decades. There are fewer opportunities for individuals without advanced credentials (e.g., a college degree) than there were in the past. There is ample evidence that this population struggles greatly to complete secondary school, attain postsecondary credentials, and secure employment. Failure to successfully enter the labor market may begin a lifetime of employment related problems and contribute to a life of poverty and dependence on Federal benefits, making strong foundations in the transition to employment essential. The mission of the L&W RRTC is to use the tools of research and knowledge translation to help ensure that policies, programs, and supports for Y&YAs with SMHC help them build the strong cornerstones that support successful long-term adult work lives. As recognized by the specific services for students and youth with disabilities mandated in the Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the transition to employment for those with disabilities requires different approaches than for those who are fully adult. However, there are few evidence-based interventions to improve employment in youth and young adults (Y&YAs) with SMHC. Moreover, those that exist do not emphasize the age-appropriate activities that build the credentials, skills, and abilities that contribute to lifelong sustainable living wages. The proposed RRTC will conduct a coordinated and comprehensive set of activities that will; (1) further the evidence base for interventions that build these capacities, (2) explore factors that contribute to successful transitions to employment in vulnerable subgroups of Y&YAs with SMHC, (3) provide national statistics on how Y&YAs with SMHC and their vulnerable subgroups are faring in education and employment, and (4) explore barriers and facilitators to access that Y&YAs with SMHC have to WIOA-mandated services for students with disabilities and Perkins Act mandated Career and Technical Education. Through state of the science knowledge translation processes, the L&W RRTC will speed capacity-building for service providers, the movement of findings into practice and policy, and prepare the future research workforce in this area. The L&W RRTC’s activities are deeply embedded in the participatory involvement of Y&YAs with SMHC, their families, service providers and policy experts.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).