People with disabilities and their families have many things to think about as they build their preferred adult life.
Who doesn’t? Understanding adult systems of care and adult services is often complicated, and learning about them in smaller chunks may help with the potential overwhelm that approaching that 18th birthday could bring.
Adult life for people with disabilities presents many questions to explore as youth age Where to live? Where will the money come from? Who will provide medical care? What agency will provide what service when?
Click on a topic for videos, resource guides, downloads, and other resources. Have fun learning about what’s ahead and available to help with achieving those person-centered goals and dreams!
And some other things to consider by age 18:
Selective Service: If assigned male at birth, a person with a disability must sign up for the Selective Service.
- This is how the military knows of all males who may be eligible to be drafted if a war occurs
- A person’s name stays on the list until the age of 26
- Many federal aid programs require proof of signing up for selective service if eligible to receive their benefits
Register to Vote: Another important thing to do is to register to vote.
- At 18, your young adult’s voice counts. Let them be heard!
- In California, pre-register to vote at ages 16-17; at 18, automatically registered to vote
Official government IDs are essential for any adult:
- Passport, or a Passport Card: necessary for travel outside of the United States. A Passport is a valid government ID that is good for 10 years once you get it.
- CA State Driver’s License or State ID card: Applications in-person or online at local Department of Motor Vehicles offices (DMV). DMV also has a Disability Services division.