3. CalABLE

This may be our biggest “Why didn’t we do this years ago?” resource.

CalABLE is California’s ABLE program.

ABLE accounts were created so eligible people with disabilities can save and invest money for qualified disability expenses while maintaining eligibility for certain means-tested public benefits, subject to applicable rules and limits.

Think about all the expenses that can come with building an independent adult life.

Housing. Education. Transportation. Employment training. Assistive technology. Healthcare. Personal support. And potentially other qualified disability-related expenses.

As we’re now researching transition programs for Avery, we keep thinking about how helpful it would have been if we had started putting money into an ABLE account years ago.

Even relatively small contributions over time could have created a dedicated pool of money for this next chapter.

And family and friends can potentially contribute too, subject to the applicable contribution limits.

What we wish we knew sooner?

Don’t wait until transition.

If your child is eligible for an ABLE account, learn how these accounts work while they’re younger.

We wish we had.

4. SSI + Medi-Cal

Turning 18 isn’t just another birthday when you have a child with a disability.

It can change how certain government benefits are evaluated.

That’s why we’re learning much more about Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medi-Cal as Avery approaches adulthood.

SSI is a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration that provides monthly payments to qualifying people with limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older.

One particularly important transition for families to understand is that the rules used to evaluate a child for SSI are different from the adult disability rules.

At 18, eligibility is evaluated under the adult rules.

Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program and provides healthcare coverage to qualifying Californians. Depending on an individual’s circumstances, SSI and Medi-Cal can also intersect with other disability services.

This is an area where details matter enormously, so we wouldn’t recommend relying on a social-media post — including ours — to determine eligibility.

What we wish we knew sooner?

Start learning about adult benefits before the 18th birthday.

You don’t need to become an expert overnight. But knowing what SSI and Medi-Cal are, what documentation may be needed, and which questions to ask makes the transition much less mysterious.

5. In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)

IHSS was another acronym we heard long before we really understood what it meant.

In-Home Supportive Services, or IHSS, is a California program designed to help eligible people remain safely in their own homes.

Depending on an individual’s assessed needs, authorized IHSS services can include assistance with certain personal care and household tasks, accompaniment to medical appointments, and other approved services.

For some eligible recipients, a family member — including, in certain circumstances, a parent — may be able to serve as the paid provider.

IHSS is administered locally by counties and is connected to Medi-Cal eligibility. Its funding structure includes federal, state, and county dollars.

That last point can be confusing: IHSS is a California program, even though federal Medicaid funding helps fund it.

For us, the bigger question isn’t simply whether Avery qualifies for something.

It’s: What support will allow Avery to be as independent as possible while still having help in the areas where she genuinely needs it?

That’s the question we’re carrying into adulthood.

Why We’re Learning All of This Now?

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that turning 18 isn’t a finish line.

It’s the beginning of an entirely different system.

For years, school was at the center of Avery’s support structure. As high school ends, we’re starting to build something different around her:

Regional Center → Self-Determination → transition programming → benefits → financial planning → daily living supports → greater independence.

And we’re figuring it out as we go.

There are applications. Eligibility requirements. Assessments. Meetings. Acronyms. Funding rules. And plenty of moments when my mom and I look at each other and say, “Wait…how did we not know about this?”

That’s exactly why we’re sharing it.

Not because we’ve mastered the system.

Because we haven’t.

We’re a mom and daughter going through the transition to adulthood in real time, sharing what we’re learning in case it helps another family know which questions to start asking.

Where to Start

If your child is younger, you don’t have to figure out all five programs tomorrow.

But you can put them on your radar:

• Regional Center: Are we connected, and do we understand what’s available now and in adulthood?
• Self-Determination Program: Would more individualized control over services make sense for our family?
• CalABLE: Should we begin saving for future disability-related expenses now?
• SSI + Medi-Cal: What changes at 18, and when should we begin preparing?
• IHSS: Could this become part of the support system that helps our child live safely and more independently?

And if your child is already approaching 18 like Avery, you’re not too late.

We’re learning right alongside you.

This Is Part of Avery’s 10

This conversation is much bigger than five California programs.

It’s about the question our family is asking more and more:

What’s next after 18?

Over the coming year, we’ll continue sharing what we’re learning about transition programs, Regional Center funding, SDP, SSI, Medi-Cal, CalABLE, IHSS, college and transition options, independent living, employment, and the everyday life skills Avery is working on along the way.

Because adulthood with autism shouldn’t feel like falling off a cliff at the end of high school.

There should be a roadmap.

We’re working on ours — and sharing it as we go.

Avery’s 10 | #9 What’s Next After 18? + #10 Resources & Advocacy

This article shares our family’s personal experience and is for educational purposes only. Program rules, eligibility, funding, and available services vary by individual and can change. Always verify current information with the appropriate agency, Regional Center, county, or qualified professional.