Transition Age Youth (TAY)
This wheel shows that a young person’s success and well-being depends on a connected network of supports, not just one system or organization. Families are at the center, surrounded by the key areas that can impact a young person’s transition into adulthood—including education, workforce and youth development, housing and food, mental health, healthcare, child welfare, juvenile justice, and community/philanthropic support.
The shared framework puts the young person at the center and encourages these systems to work together, connect resources, and reduce gaps so young people have what they need to thrive.
Transition-Age Youth (TAY) are young people, generally ages 16–24, who are navigating the transition from adolescence into adulthood. This is an important time when youth are building independence, exploring education and employment, developing life skills, and connecting with supports that can help them reach their goals.
In Essex County, BRIEF (Building Resilience In Essex Families) is working to strengthen the system of support for TAY by connecting the dots between young adults, schools, workforce programs, community organizations, and available resources. BRIEF is not a direct service provider; our role is to help identify gaps, increase awareness of existing resources, and bring partners together so young people know where to turn and how to access support.
Goal: Connect young people with the people, programs, and opportunities already available in Essex County.
Youth Care Management
Adult Care Management
Essex County Single Point of Access (SPOA)
Adult and Children Single Point of Access provides support in the home and the community for children, adolescents, and adults whose emotional disabilities disrupt their capacity to function in educational, social vocational, and interpersonal areas. Support includes case management to identify needs, access, and monitor services in mental health, medicine, socialization, education, and financial entitlement. Transportation, respite, family support, and other services may be offered as well. To access SPOA services, please complete the appropriate adult or child SPOA application. Return the application to our Elizabethtown Office, located at (P.O. Box 8) 7513 Court Street, Elizabethtown, NY 12932.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law in 2014 to strengthen the nation’s public workforce system. Its goal is to help job seekers—including youth and people facing significant barriers to employment—access jobs, education, training, and supportive services, while helping employers find and retain skilled workers.
WIOA improves the workforce system by:
- Connecting workforce, education, and support programs so services work together.
- Supporting youth and individuals facing barriers to employment.
- Helping employers meet their workforce needs with skilled workers.
- Increasing accountability and transparency through measurable performance goals.
- Encouraging collaboration among local workforce areas and community partners.
- Strengthening American Job Centers as a central access point for workforce services.
WIOA is a federal partnership involving the Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services, along with state and local workforce agencies, nonprofits, and other community organizations.
In simple terms: WIOA brings workforce partners together to connect people with the education, training, employment, and support they need to succeed—and connect employers with the workers they need.
ACCES-VR
Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)
