Federal and state benefits for transition age youth

While all children face challenges as they become adults, children with chronic medical conditions or disabilities face unique barriers in their transition to adulthood. Children, especially those who are low income and have special needs, are eligible for a range of supports including income supports, health care coverage, vocational and educational supports. These supports are critical to sound health because they ensure access to necessary medical services, while also offsetting the social determinants that negatively affect health. Unfortunately, as children transition into adulthood, eligibility for these benefits can change abruptly or even end entirely. If medical providers have a better understanding of five transition key dates, they can positively impact their patients' health by ensuring continuous coverage through the transition to adulthood. The key dates are as follows: (1) transition services for students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) must begin by age 16 (in some states such as Illinois, these services must be in place by age 14 1/2); (2) at age 18, eligibility for income supports may change; (3) at age 19, eligibility for Medicaid may change; (4) at graduation, eligibility for educational supports will end unless steps are taken to extend those benefits until age 22; and (5) when individuals prepare to enter the workforce, they will become eligible for vocational rehabilitation services. With an understanding of these key transition dates and how to partner with social services and advocacy organizations on behalf of their patients, medical providers can help to ensure that transition-age patients retain the holistic social services and supports they need to protect their health.