P.R. Laws tit. 24, § 3566
Persons with an autism spectrum disorder are hereby guaranteed that the Department of Health, in conjunction with the Case Manager, through the Programa Avanzando Juntos (Moving Forward Together Program) or a similar program, shall devise along with their families a transition plan for infants and toddlers: from birth to age 36 months to transition to preschool age services; from preschool-age to school-age services in the Department of Education, through special education; and from school-age to services geared to the acquisition of skills that promote independent living and employment by exposing them to experience real situations of everyday life and at the workplace in coordination with other Government agencies.
Transition processes shall be implemented as provided in the IEP and identified within the pertinent areas included in the IEP of each student, during the following stages:
(a) From the early Intervention System to the preschool-age system;
(b) from the preschool-age system to school-age system, and
(c) from the school-age system to postsecondary or university education, the workforce or independent living.
To implement the transition process there shall be used inter and trans- disciplinary models aimed at encouraging the functionality of persons with autism spectrum disorder. Said models shall pursue the following objectives:
(1) To guarantee the participation of persons with an autism spectrum disorder in the processes required by law.
(2) To provide training to special education teachers on the design and/or creation of the functional objectives and goals in the IEP for the autism spectrum disorder population.
(3) To use, within the vocational assessment process, an ecological approach in order to strengthen the skills that will enable this population to be employed.
(4) To guarantee that the population will have real job experiences inside and outside of the school setting in order to strengthen the skills that will ultimately lead them achieve a job-related goal, as established in the IEP.
(5) To develop independent living and financial self-sufficiency skills.
(6) To develop community projects geared to train and employ youths and adults with autism spectrum disorder.
(7) To develop university programs whose curricula includes autism spectrum disorder-related subjects to prepare the academic environment and the faculty prior to the admission of youths and adults with an autism spectrum disorder.
History —Sep. 4, 2012, No. 220, § 8.