How family crises may limit engagement of youth with disabilities in services to support successful transitions to postsecondary education and employment

Youth with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) experience multiple barriers to successful transitions to postsecondary education and employment. To improve outcomes for this group, the PROMISE Initiative funded six demonstration programs across the US to test a set of evidence-based services linked to improved employment and educational outcomes, such as case management, benefits counseling, and financial literacy training. Unfortunately, study youth and families did not fully engage in program services, perhaps diminishing effectiveness of the intervention and opportunities for better outcomes. The aim of this descriptive qualitative study was to document family crises experienced by PROMISE participants and explore how these crises contributed to their lack of engagement from the perspectives of case managers who worked with young SSI beneficiaries and their families. Focus groups with nine case managers representing six states from one PROMISE program identified five types of family crises: financial, transportation, behavioral, legal/corrections, and family conflict. Findings suggest that case managers may need additional resources to effectively address the crises encountered. Strategies and future interventions to address crisis situations are suggested.