Jan Burmood - Transition Specialist Assistant - jburmood@tmcsea.org
Richye Herlihy - Transition Specialist Assistant - rherlihy@tmcsea.org
Angela Wallace - Transition/STEP Secretary - awallace@tmcsea.org

Secondary Transition Experience Program (STEP):

TMCSEA, in conjunction with the State of Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services (DHS/DRS) offers a program in coordination with the secondary schools of Tazewell and Mason Counties in Central Illinois, to adolescents with disabilities who wish to seek employment. This is called the Secondary Transition Experience Program (STEP), and is in place in all high schools in these two counties, as well as in most other counties in the state.

Through the schools and various agencies, we offer a variety of services, depending on each child's disability, to orient himself/herself to the working world. This may be through job shadowing, a paid stipend for a specific job training period, as well as being employer paid and supervised through the program. Our end goal is to get students with disabilities gainfully employed in a field that matches their interests and abilities within their communities with the level of support necessary for independence.

Transition:

Transition services are also available to all students with disabilites. These services would be for students who may benefit from DRS services as they get ready to exit high school, and who have not been involved with the co-op (STEP) portion of transition services while in school. These services are individualized to assist DRS customers with open files reach their vocational goal. Some services include guidance and counseling, job placement and follow-up services, training, information and referral.

Transition Directory