students and teacher gathered around a laptop at table

The Upgraded and Improved TexasYouth2Adult

BridgingApps’ TexasYouth2Adult website got a major upgrade in 2024, thanks to a generous grant from UnitedHealthcare (UHC). UHC’s support has allowed us to make a number of much-needed site updates and other improvements to this unique resource for youth with disabilities and their parents. Our first major program using the updated software and content was at the 2024 AACPDM (American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine) meeting in Quebec, where we led a hands-on Youth2Adult (Y2A) demonstration for healthcare providers and case managers from around the world.

About Youth2Adult

TexasYouth2Adult was “created to empower youth with special health care needs and disabilities to transition successfully into adulthood.” For many young adults, especially those with intellectual disabilities, the world beyond high school is a culture shock. They become legally responsible for:

  • Requesting their own reasonable accommodations;
  • Making their own medical decisions;
  • Approving (or rejecting) parental access to personal information;
  • Finding their own health insurance by age 26;
  • Managing their own money;
  • Registering to vote;
  • “Behaving like adults” as they seek employment and higher education.

Organized “transition planning” can lessen the shock by preparing youngsters for this new stage in life; and Youth2Adult (Y2A) is one of the few comprehensive resources for such planning. The site provides assistive-app recommendations (with help from the App Search Tool database), checklists for planning, and searchable information in seven categories:

  • Legal and Advocacy
  • Social and Recreational
  • Medical
  • Independent Living
  • Education
  • Financial Management
  • Employment

With this tool, families can find everything they need for transition planning—which can start as early as elementary school.

(There is also a VirginiaYouth2Adult tool, recently launched in partnership with Sentara Health Plans.)

About UnitedHealthcare

A company specializing in health insurance plans, UHC prides itself on being “there for what matters.” It works with over 6,700 care facilities and over 1.3 million health professionals, advocating for more effective health systems across the United States and helping clients live healthier lives. It also provides “global mobility solutions” to clients in 150 countries.

Other UHC services include:

Y2A and UHC Together

In 2024, new content on the TexasYouth2Adult website included these co-sponsored articles, thanks to UHC’s support:

BridgingApps also presented a 2024 Lunch and Learn program (4 virtual workshops, March–April) to introduce TexasYouth2Adult to UHC staff. The purpose: help professional transition specialists find resources for their clients, particularly 15–20-year-olds with disabilities and their families (a traditionally under-served population).

Bonus: How to Create a Y2A “App” on Your Smartphone or Tablet

While TexasYouth2Adult is not technically a mobile app, you can easily create a screen-icon shortcut to the site (or any website of your choosing):

  • Open your device’s internet app (usually Safari on an iOS device or Chrome on Android).
  • Go to the website you want to create a shortcut to.
  • Tap the Share button on an iOS device, or the Menu button on an Android.
  • Tap Add to Home Screen.
  • Enter a name for the shortcut. It will post an icon on your home screen.

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