Nurse's role in promoting health transitions for adolescents and young adults with developmental disabilities

This article describes and delineates the nurse's role in promoting healthy and culturally competent transitions for adolescents with developmental disabilities. Transition planning for youth with developmental disabilities based on culturally competent approaches fosters more positive youth and family outcomes. Culturally competent transition planning addresses not only the better known issues of values, beliefs, and attitudes associated with ethnic and racial factors, but also those associated with living with a disability. Youth- and family-centered transition plans begin with a comprehensive assessment of needs that fosters acquisition of skills required for long-term disability management, access to adult health care, health care coverage, employment, and independent living.