Pursuing a Secure Economic Future for Youth with Disabilities—Lessons from PROMISE

Youth with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) face the threat of a lifetime of economic insecurity. One of the most substantial efforts to improve the prospects of these youth as they become adults was the Promoting Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income (PROMISE) demonstration, funded by a collaboration of federal agencies led by the U.S. Department of Education. Six PROMISE programs in 11 states sought to improve coordination between agencies that offer services to youth who receive SSI. The programs also provided key services to youth and their families that showed the potential to improve youth’s education, employment, and financial outcomes.