Health Transition Wisconsin

Supporting Youth to Adult Health Care Transition
Scrabble tiles spelling out the word "future"

Healthcare Transition is the change from pediatric to adult healthcare services. This transition can be very complex for youth with disabilities or special healthcare needs. This transition typically takes place between the ages of 12 and 26 years.

The Wisconsin Youth Health Transition Initiative aims to make healthcare transition easier for youth with special healthcare needs in Wisconsin. We do this by developing and sharing healthcare transition resources with families and healthcare providers. We also work with healthcare providers to support best practice transition care for patients with disabilities and special healthcare needs.

Our Initiative is based out of the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center.

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For families: Statewide Transition Table Talks (online) 3rd Wednesday and Thursday of the month from 12-1PM Transition Table Talk is casual, low-pressure Zoom Chat where parents and caregivers can connect, shared what’s working, exchange ideas, ask questions, and support each other through the ups and downs of raising kids. No experts, no lectures-just families helping families. Resource Sheets from previous Talks are available!

Transition Talks Tuesdays: September – December 2025 . We are switching things up a little bit this fall and inviting in some different partners to answer the question “how do you support adolescents moving into adulthood and their families?” and then tell us a bit more about their work. All sessions will be at noon. Flyer TTT Fall 2025 More information, Recordings, and Resources

New: Basics of Health Insurance for Families of Children with Special Health Care Needs/Disabilities  Recording Covering WI Resource Sheet Basics of Insurance Slides

More Videos

We have a quarterly newsletter with healthcare transition stories, events, and resources.

Quarterly Newsletter Sign Up

Have you joined the Transition Transmission? YHTI (Wisconsin Youth Health Transition Initiative) sends a few emails a month to keep families and champions updated on what we are doing and other events, articles, research and more.

Transition Transmission Sign Up

 

Quarterly Learning Community

The Youth Health Transition Learning Community provides networking opportunities for anyone who wants to learn more about transition and how to move transition forward in their organization. This statewide group comes together virtually to share ideas and best practices around youth health transition. Our next webinar is Thursday, November 20, 2025 — Healthcare Transition for Pediatric Patients with Diabetes: Getting READDY at School. Details available at https://healthtransitionwi.org/health-transition-learning-community.  Registration is open.

These webinars are for :

  • medical providers
  • parents and caregivers
  • service providers
  • school staff
  • others interested in supporting youth as they transition from adolescent to adult health care.

2025 Learning Community registration links, dates, times, and topics are available at https://healthtransitionwi.org/health-transition-learning-community/

Transition Talks Tuesdays Fall 2025 is open for registration!

Transition has many pieces! Learn about what those pieces are and how you can stay a step ahead so every child can be successful.

Transition Talks Tuesdays Fall 2025 is going to mix things up a little bit and invite in some different partners to answer the question “how do you support adolescents moving into adulthood and their families?” and then tell us a bit more about their work. And to keep switching things up, we will gather during the day — all sessions will be at noon.  Flyer TTT Fall 2025

Recordings and Resources from completed sessions are available.

We have lined up Family Voices of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Independent Living Centers, Wisconsin Transition Improvement Grant, Wisconsin Statewide Parent Educator Initiative, Wisconsin Technical Colleges, WI FACETS, and hopefully two more to be decided!  You can keep up on what is happening at our TTT page and/or join the Transition Transmission.

Previous Transition Talks Tuesdays Slide and Resource Sheets are Available

Transition Talks Tuesdays Spring 2025 (TTT Spring 2025) was planned in partnership with the Mount Horeb Area School District Transition team.

Topics: Housing; Supported Decision-Making and Guardianship; Aging and Disability Resource Centers; Health Care Transition; Vocational Rehabilitation (Finding a Job);  Recordings and resources from past sessions are at TTT Spring 2025.

Transition Talks Tuesdays 2024 (TTT Fall 2024) included 10 different sessions. All sessions were recorded. They also have resource sheets and slides. To access all resources, go to the TTT Fall 2024 page.

Topics: What’s After High School?; Preparing for Higher Education; Aging and Disability Resource Centers; Supported Decision Making and Guardianship; Special Needs Financial Planning; Health Care Transition; Disability Work Benefits; Ready to Work with DVR; Planning for Transition while in High School (PTP and Beyond 18); Independent Living Centers and Board for People with Developmental Disabilities.

We thank the Autism Society Affiliates of Wisconsin (Greater Wisconsin, South Central Wisconsin, Southeastern Wisconsin) and the Children’s Resource Center-South for their partnership in the Fall 2024 edition of Transition Talks Tuesdays. All Transition Talks Tuesdays (TTT) will be recorded and resource sheets will be made based on the recording.

Health Care Transition for I/DD ECHO

Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes

Health care transition (HCT) is the process of preparing youth and young adults for the transition to a healthy adulthood. For many, this means moving from a pediatric to an adult model of health care. A lack of HCT preparation guidance is associated with gaps in care, worsening health conditions, dissatisfaction with care, and increased rates of hospitalization.

Previous Sessions and Topics (Mar-May 2024)

  • Health Care Transition Basics (3/8/2024)
  • Supported Decision-Making and Other Decision-Making Options (3/22/2024)
  • Strategies for Promoting Self-Advocate Independence with Health Care (4/12/2024)
  • Sexuality and Reproductive Health (4/26/2024)
  • Assessing Transition Readiness & Making a Plan (5/10/2024)
  • Communication and Technology (5/24/2024)

View Recordings

 

 

Previous Sessions and Topics(Jan-May 2025)

  • Working with Schools on Health Care Transition
    (1/14/25)
  • Payment for Health Care Transition Services (3/11/25)
  • Role of Families from Different Cultures in Health Care Transition (4/8/25)
  • Mental Health Barriers and Options during the Transition to Adult Services (5/13/25)
  • Transition Services for those with Medical Complexity (6/10/25)

 

Integrated Transition Planning

WITPP logo - Blue text in front of purple map of Wisconsin "Wisconsin Integrated Transition Planning Project"

We actively participate in the Wisconsin Integrated Transition Planning Project, also based out of the UW Waisman Center.

This Project brings together self advocates, family members, and people who work in education, employment, and healthcare. They work together to improve and simplify the transition planning process by promoting integrated transition planning.

Integrated transition planning is when youth with disabilities, their family members and service providers thoughtfully map out and prepare for the youth’s life as an adult.  It integrates planning for the youth’s education, work, and healthcare to achieve their goals as an adult. Ideally, this planning occurs throughout childhood with more focused planning as the child becomes a teen.

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