Two Georgia University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) Launch the Georgia College Transition Partnership

January 20, 2021

The Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD) at Georgia State University and the Institute on Human Development and Disability (IHDD) at the University of Georgia received a $100,000 grant from the Administration for Community Living to launch the Georgia College Transition Partnership (GaCTP). The goal of the GaCTP is to create a pilot program that supports Georgia's college students on the autism spectrum who are transitioning into employment or graduate school.

GaCTP partners include The Arc of Georgia, Emory Autism Center, Uniting for Change, Price Support Network, and other organizations and autistic self-advocates.

The CLD team is leading a ‘realist synthesis' of policies practices within and outside of Georgia to identify what works, for whom, and in what circumstances. "A realist approach is suitable for this type of project because it integrates findings from published literature with the perspectives of individuals, including college students with autism and their families, who seek support from the systems we are attempting to transform," describes Dr. Erin Vinoski Thomas, Research Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health, Director of Health and Wellness at CLD, and grant Co-Principal Investigator. Synthesis findings and guidance from partners will inform the development of the pilot program.

The planning grant period will continue through September 2021. At the end of the project, the partnership may be eligible to apply for additional funding to support pilot implementation. The CLD project team includes Susanna Miller-Raines, CLD Community Support Specialist; Miyah Sundermeyer, CLD Database and Project Assistant; and GSU graduate students Robyn Windibank and Rokhaya Fall.