When the school bus stops, and the support begins to fade out, there comes the question, “What’s next?” Transitioning into adulthood is a significant milestone. When individuals with disabilities turn 18, they face the reality of adulthood. As the students reach this stage, it’s essential to address a range of important issues. This includes government benefits, income, health insurance and services. These lay the foundation for a successful and independent life.
When planning for the future, it’s important to take a person-centered approach. Consider what works best for your loved one’s needs and long-term goals. You need to think about their living arrangements, potential employment opportunities, and how they can remain involved and engaged in their community. And remember, there are a wide variety of living options available beyond the traditional group home model, and planning should include support services that align with the individual’s preferences and aspirations.
This seems like a lot. But below is a comprehensive guide for families to help you navigate the transition process and secure the necessary support for your loved ones. Whether you’re just getting started or updating your plans, this checklist can help you stay ahead.
Government Benefits: The Role of SSI and Medicaid
Social Security plays a key role in addressing the first two needs—income and health insurance. Specifically, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provides financial support and is paired with Medicaid, which covers essential health services.
Once an individual with a disability turns 18, they can apply for SSI. It’s important to wait until that 18th birthday. An individual who is 17 will still be viewed as a minor and the parents’ household income will be a factor. Check out this list of Do’s and Don’ts to help you apply or reapply for SSI.
SSI is a needs-based program. It offers a monthly income with a maximum award of $967 in 2025. In Georgia, Supplemental Security Income recipients are automatically enrolled in Medicaid – there is no need for a separate Medicaid application.
Medicaid is a valuable benefit because it serves as secondary insurance and grants access to other essential programs like Medicaid waivers, which fund services like home and community-based living supports.
For many individuals with disabilities, SSI is a crucial financial resource. The application process is relatively straightforward, but there are several key considerations.
Because SSI is a needs-based program, an individual’s income and resources are taken into account when determining eligibility. Once an individual turns 18, their income alone is considered, not the family’s. However, child support is counted. This is why it’s important to plan ahead. If child support is directed into a first-party trust through the divorce settlement, the child can maintain SSI eligibility.
SSI also has strict resource limits. An individual can have no more than $2,000 in resources, so it’s important to manage savings and assets. Consider using an ABLE account or rolling savings into a checking account to stay under the limit.
Once the financial eligibility is established, a medical determination is made to assess the individual’s disability.
Transitioning to SSDI
While SSI provides initial support, many individuals eventually transition to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), when a parent retires, becomes disabled, or passes away. SSDI is not needs-based like SSI but instead is based on the individual’s or their parent’s work history.
If the parent is receiving Social Security benefits, the adult child may be eligible to apply for SSDI as an adult dependent child. This transition typically happens when the parent reaches retirement age or becomes disabled. An adult dependent child typically receives up to 50% of the parent’s award, which frequently is more than SSI. The parent’s filing for benefits triggers potential eligibility for the adult dependent child, who must then apply for SSDI and go through the adjudication process even though they have already been determined disabled under SSI.
It’s important to note that if the individual has worked and has earned income that exceeds the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level, they may not be able to qualify for SSDI later as an adult dependent child.
When your loved one starts receiving SSDI, there’s a 24-month waiting period before they become eligible for Medicare. So, for example, if your loved one is currently on SSI and a parent retires first, and the other parent is still working, the loved one could remain on private insurance and secondary Medicaid. Two years later, when Medicare kicks in, you may no longer need to maintain private health insurance.
Medicaid Waivers
What is a waiver? Essentially, a waiver means that an individual meets the criteria for institutional care but chooses to receive services in a home or community-based setting instead. This is a shift from institutionalization toward independence and integration.
With a NOW waiver, for example, your loved one could be eligible for services like a day program (community access group), or support at home (community living support). These services are identified as a need on the individual service plan managed by your support coordination agency and fiscal intermediary. The waiver doesn’t provide money directly; it allows access to approved services.
Once a waiver is in place, adding services is relatively easy as needs change. Waivers adjust over time. For example, one might start with minimal support and gradually add day programs, respite care, and more intensive services.
There are different kinds of waivers. The NOW/COMP waiver is designed for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) is for those with physical limitations and/or traumatic brain injury.
NOW and COMP waivers differ in funding levels. NOW waivers usually cover fewer services and average around $30,000 per year. COMP waivers, which cover residential and comprehensive care, average around $70,000 to $80,000 per year.
Does receiving SSDI affect your child’s ability to receive the NOW/COMP waiver? As long as Medicaid eligibility is maintained, no. People often worry because SSI is tied to Medicaid, but there are different Medicaid classifications. While straight SSI Medicaid might end, the individual can switch to Medicaid under the adult dependent child or childhood disability beneficiary classifications. If your loved one already has a NOW/COMP waiver, they are eligible under that Medicaid classification, which acts as a safety net. With SSI, you’re under a $2,000 resource limit. With SSDI, the assumption is that you no longer have to worry about that. But if your loved one is still on Medicaid, that resource limit still applies.
It’s difficult to get awarded waivers. Around 8,000 people are currently on the planning list in Georgia, and only about 150 new waivers become available every year. To strengthen your case, take advantage of all available resources, like Family Support Services, offering up to $3,000 per year. If you’re not using all available services, it’s harder to justify a need for a waiver.
Navigating Work and Benefits
As your loved one enters the workforce, it’s essential to understand how employment impacts benefits. Keep in mind that Social Security beneficiaries are subject to continuing medical reviews, and individuals who exceed substantial gainful activity levels may not be viewed as medically disabled.
Consulting with a benefits counselor is highly recommended to ensure that work opportunities do not inadvertently jeopardize benefits. There are numerous work incentive programs and safety nets, so having a benefits counselor is essential for protecting your benefits.
Accessing Government Services
Transitioning into adulthood involves navigating various government agencies, each responsible for providing specific services. They oversee the services needed for individuals to live independently, pursue work opportunities, and engage meaningfully in their communities. These agencies include the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD). It offers home and community-based services.
The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) provides work-related support for individuals seeking employment. Voc. Rehab services can begin at age 14. These services do not place someone in a job, but they promote job readiness. Starting early allows access to pre-employment programs like summer programs and in-school training.
Even if your loved one already has a waiver, Voc. Rehab should be the starting point for employment services. Services can include customized employment or supported employment depending on the level of support needed.
Supported employment helps find a job, provides training, and then gradually fades out. Customized employment involves discovery, including assessing strengths and preferences, identifying ideal work conditions, job carving, negotiation of a job with an employer, and ongoing support until natural supports are established.
Be prepared for changes. Your loved one may try one program, shift to another, or reengage with Voc. Rehab as interests evolve. It’s a dynamic process, just like in typical employment.
Post-Secondary Inclusion & Transition Programs
These are non-degree programs offered by colleges to provide vocational training, independent living skills, and community engagement. Examples include Destination Dawgs (UGA), Georgia Tech’s Excel, and Kennesaw State’s Academy.
Day programs are also evolving. Many are moving away from brick-and-mortar centers and focusing more on community-based activities like volunteer work or internships. BDI has launched Elevate Academy as a transition bridge to employment.
Visit transition fairs in different counties to learn about available programs and ask lots of questions. When evaluating day programs, don’t rely solely on pamphlets. Visit in person. Trust your instincts if something doesn’t feel right.
Long-Term Planning
Long-term planning is an essential aspect of preparing for the future. Some key tools for planning include Supplemental Needs Trusts and ABLE accounts.
Special Needs Trusts
Supplemental Needs Trusts allow families to save money for their loved ones without affecting eligibility for government benefits. First-party trusts are for funds already in the individual’s name. Third-party trusts are for money set aside by others, e.g., a parent or grandparent. Unlike first-party trusts and ABLE accounts, third-party trusts do not have a Medicaid payback provision. Special Needs Trusts do not have contribution limits.
ABLE Accounts
ABLE (Achieving a Better Live Experience) Accounts enable individuals with disabilities to save money for qualified expenses without exceeding the SSI resource limit. If your child has a savings account, switching it to an ABLE account could be a better move. Funds in an ABLE account are not counted as resources for SSI purposes, so it serves as a safe harbor. They are suitable for smaller sums. ABLE accounts in Georgia are administered through the STABLE program and are easy to set up online. Money can be transferred from a trust to an ABLE account, but the $19,000 annual cap still applies.
STABLE Account or Trust? You can absolutely have both. You don’t have to max out the ABLE account. It can function as a flexible pass-through. It offers useful tools for managing money in ways that won’t affect Medicaid eligibility. Think of it as “legal financial flexibility,” which is especially valuable for everyday expenses and independence.
Letter of Intent
A letter of intent provides a roadmap for the individual’s life, outlining their goals, preferences and needs. It’s one of those things where you know how important it is, but it still ends up at the bottom of the to-do list. This document works in tandem with a will to ensure that the individual’s life is managed in accordance with their wishes. It isn’t a legal instrument like a will or trust, but it’s read with the same seriousness. It’s an incredibly useful tool for making sure your loved one is cared for the way you would want, even when you’re no longer around to speak for them.
Writing the Letter of Intent can be time-consuming. If you already have your financial documents in place, you can skip that section and just focus on the person-centered information. This process is about pulling together all the small but meaningful pieces of your loved one’s life. It helps ensure peace of mind and creates a clear plan for what comes after you. The Letter of Intent adds something unique. It provides the opportunity to share personal, often unspoken things—things that aren’t found in legal documents. Bobby Dodd Institute’s Letter of Intent template, for example, includes a section called “My Code,” which is full of little family traditions and personal rituals. The document should reflect what brings your loved one joy, what calms them, what upsets them, and how they experience the world, things only you might know. These are the details that can get lost without your voice to share them. You can find our template on the website under Programs > Benefits Navigation and scroll to the bottom to download it.
Guardianship vs. Power of Attorney
A key decision when transitioning into adulthood is determining who will have decision-making authority. For some families, this means choosing between guardianship, power of attorney, or facilitated decision-making.
Guardianship is a legal process that requires a court hearing to determine the individual’s competency. Guardianship can limit certain rights, but it offers a legal framework for decision-making. In Georgia, there are options to petition the court to retain certain rights, like the right to vote or marry.
Unlike guardianship, power of attorney is a revocable agreement that allows one person to make decisions on behalf of another. If the individual can understand the role and responsibilities of a power of attorney, this may be a suitable option. It provides flexibility since the agreement can be revoked if needed. For individuals with Level 1 autism, for example, a power of attorney or healthcare directive may be more suitable than full guardianship, especially if the person can understand what a power of attorney entails.
Facilitated Decision-Making supports individuals in making their own decisions with guidance. It doesn’t require a formal legal process and allows for more self-determination.
Choosing between these options depends on the individual’s cognitive abilities, level of vulnerability, and their need for support in decision-making.
Key Takeaways
The transition into adulthood for individuals with disabilities is a complex process that involves understanding and navigating government benefits, services, and long-term planning tools. By focusing on key areas like income, health insurance, and services, families can create a solid foundation for their loved one’s future. Additionally, making informed decisions about guardianship, SSI and work opportunities will help ensure a successful transition to adulthood.
When transitioning out of school, it can feel like a big safety net is being removed. Once school ends, many of those familiar faces vanish. Don’t let isolation take over. It’s important to build a broader support network early on.
There are a lot of programs out there—some local, some more regional. Ask around, try new things, and don’t get discouraged if something doesn’t work. Needs and interests change over time. Be prepared to adjust as your loved one grows.
Keep going to transition fairs, even years after school ends. They’re a great way to discover new opportunities and programs that may fit better as your loved one’s needs evolve.
For families navigating this process, the goal should always be to ensure that their loved one can live a fulfilling, independent life with the support they need to succeed.
If you need some extra support, Bobby Dodd Institute’s Benefits Navigation team is here to help.
