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Geauga Multi-Agency Transition Team

GMATT - Geauga Multi-Agency Transition Team

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MISSION STATEMENT
GMATT (Geauga Multi-Agency Transition Team) brings together several independent agencies and seeks to support student achievement and post-school success by providing resources, guidance, and education to districts and families of school-aged transition youth.

GMATT and POSTSECONDARY TRANSITION PLANNING

POSTSECONDARY TRANSITION PLANNING
Preparing and planning for adult life, including community employment, should begin early in a young person’s life. However, for youth that receive services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), transition planning is required to formally begin by age 14. The youth’s team, which includes educators, adult service personnel, the youth, and their family, work collaboratively to create and support a path to community employment that is the “best fit” for the youth.

HOW GMATT CAN HELP
Because GMATT brings together several agencies together as one cohesive team, we can assist a student and their family in the postsecondary transition planning process and explore the various services they may be eligible for help in preparing them for life after high school. We can also provide resources and guidance to families in the planning process.

POSTSECONDARY TRANSITION PLANNING CHECKLISTS AND RESOURCES

In order to better assist our families in the postsecondary transition process, GMATT team members developed the following resources. Print and bring them to review at your IEP team meetings and share them with your student's academic and vocational training staff.


The Ohio Department of Education created the newly unveiled "Secondary Transition Roadmap for Families with Children with Disabilities, Ages 3-21." This visual checklist contains an overview and active links to further information for the entire span of a special education student's secondary transition journey.

GMATT AGENCY TEAM MEMBERS

The Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve (ESCWR) is dedicated to assisting schools in Geauga and Lake Counties to reach their educational objectives by providing administrative, curricular, instructional, instructional technology, pupil personnel and professional development services. These services are primarily designed to assist boards of education administrators, teachers and other staff members so that they may provide engaging work and services that help students learn and thrive to the best of their ability.
 
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) is the State of Ohio agency that partners with Ohioans with disabilities to achieve quality employment and independence. It also provides transition-specific services designed to meet students where they are on their career development path and help them successfully transition from school to work.
 
The Geauga County Board of Developmental Disabilities (GCBDD) serves individuals with developmental disabilities by helping them live, learn and earn in the Geauga community. GCBDD prides itself on helping to build a caring community where individuals are integrated, accepted and achieving.
 
Ohio Parent Mentors (Parent Mentor for Geauga County) are parents of children with disabilities who provide free peer-to-peer support to other families of children with disabilities. They use first-hand experiences to work with schools and guide families to increase the educational success of students who receive special education services. They help families navigate special education processes and services so that childrenwith disabilities get the most out of their educational experience.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mandi Baggett, M. Ed., CRC
Intervention Specialist/Teacher for Geauga ACHIEVE/STARS Program
ESC of the Western Reserve
419.378.1630
 
Parent Mentor for Geauga County
440.635.6713
 
Jaina Gandolfi
Director of Vocational Programs
ESC of the Western Reserve 
440.339.3606
 
Emiliano Lebron
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
OOD - Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities 
Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation
216.296.4226
 
Natalie Salay, M.Ed., LPC, CRC
Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor
OOD - Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities 
Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation
216.407.7150
 
Tami Setlock, MAIS, L.S.W.
Director of Community and Residential Services
Metzenbaum Center
Geauga County Board of Developmental Disabilities
440.729.9406 ext. 1501
https://www.geaugadd.org
 
Megan Thirion
Employment First Manager
Metzenbaum Center
Geauga County Board of Developmental Disabilities
440.729.9406 ext. 1301
https://www.geaugadd.org