What does 'aging out of the school system' mean in Virginia?

In Virginia, public school special education services end at the conclusion of the school year in which a student turns 22. After that date — often called the 'transition cliff' — families are responsible for arranging adult day support, employment, or community-based services on their own.

What is a DD waiver and which one funds adult day support?

Virginia's Developmental Disability (DD) Waivers — the Community Living (CL), Family and Individual Supports (FIS), and Building Independence (BI) waivers — can fund Group Day Support at a licensed adult day program like Gregory & Friends. Families apply through their local Community Services Board (CSB).

When should we start planning the transition?

Start at age 14, when transition planning becomes part of the IEP, and intensify it by age 18. Waitlists for DD waivers in Virginia can be long, so connecting with your CSB early matters even if services aren't needed for several years.

How is adult day support different from school?

Adult day support is not school. There is no IEP, no academic curriculum, and no school bus. Instead, day programs focus on community engagement, daily-living skills, social connections, and meaningful activities for adults — guided by an Individual Support Plan (ISP) rather than an IEP.

Aging Out at 22: A Virginia Family's Guide to Adult Day Support After School

The school bus stops coming. For families of young adults with autism and developmental disabilities in Virginia, that moment is often described as a cliff — sudden, disorienting, and rarely talked about in the IEP meetings that came before it. This guide is for the parents I wish I'd had coffee with ten years ago: a walk-through of what aging out actually looks like in Virginia, how DD waivers and Individual Support Plans (ISPs) fit together, and how to choose an adult day support program you'll trust on the hard days, not just the easy ones.

A note from our founder

My son Gregory is non-verbal and has autism. When he aged out at 22, I had a successful legal career, decades of advocacy experience, and I still did not know what to do on the Monday after graduation. He stayed home for several years while I searched. We tried three different adult day centers. None of them felt like the kind of place I'd want to spend my own day. That experience is why Gregory & Friends exists — and it's why I wrote this guide the way I wish someone had written it for me.

What "aging out of the school system" actually means in Virginia

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Virginia law, public special education services end at the close of the school year in which a student turns 22. The Individualized Education Program (IEP), the case manager, the related services, the daily transportation — all of it ends on a single date, usually in June. There is no automatic next step. There is no federal entitlement to adult services the way there is to education.

This is the "transition cliff." Families discover it at different moments. Some learn about it at the Age 14 transition IEP meeting. Many do not hear the words until their young adult is 17 or 18, and some of us only really understood it the week after graduation.

The Virginia adult services landscape, in plain English

Once school ends, adult support in Virginia is built around three moving parts: a DD Waiver (which pays for services), a support coordinator at your local Community Services Board (CSB) (who helps you navigate the system), and an Individual Support Plan (ISP) (the adult equivalent of an IEP). Each one is a piece of the same puzzle.

DD waivers

Virginia's Developmental Disability waivers — Community Living (CL), Family and Individual Supports (FIS), and Building Independence (BI) — are the primary way adult day support is funded. Group Day Support, the service category most adult day programs bill, is included in all three. Waivers are administered by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS).

The hard truth: Virginia's DD waiver waitlist is long. Get on it as early as your child is eligible, even if you don't think you'll need services for years. The right answer to "should we apply now?" is almost always yes.

Your Community Services Board (CSB)

Every Virginia locality is served by a CSB. For families in Dumfries, Manassas, Woodbridge, and the rest of Prince William County, that's Prince William County Community Services. Your CSB assigns a support coordinator (also called a case manager) who helps with waiver intake, screenings, and connecting you to providers like Gregory & Friends.

The Individual Support Plan (ISP)

The ISP is the document that drives adult services the way the IEP drove school. It captures your young adult's goals, daily routines, health and safety needs, preferences, and the specific outcomes each provider is responsible for supporting. You are still at the table. You are still the expert on your child.

A realistic transition timeline

Age 14: Transition planning becomes part of the IEP. Start naming what an adult life could look like, even loosely.
Age 16-17: Apply for the DD Waiver waitlist through your CSB. Begin guardianship or supported decision-making conversations.
Age 18: Apply for SSI and Medicaid. Re-confirm CSB and waiver status. Visit a few adult day programs informally — just to see.
Age 20-21: Tour programs you'd actually consider. Ask about their experience with non-verbal adults, complex medical needs, or behavioral support, whichever matters to your family.
Final school year: Lock in your top one or two programs. Begin the ISP conversation with your support coordinator so services can start the week after graduation, not months later.

What to look for in an adult day program

After visiting many centers, here is the short list I wish I'd had. Use it as a starting point, not a checklist — your family will know what matters most.

Real experience with autism, including non-verbal adults. Not all programs are equipped for it; ask plainly.
A meaningful daily schedule. Community outings, life-skills practice, creative activities — not television in a back room.
Person-centered planning. Goals built around your adult, not a generic curriculum.
Honest staffing ratios and visible direct-support professionals (DSPs) during your tour.
Family communication you can count on — daily notes, photos, real conversations at pickup.
A safe, dignified space. Look at the bathrooms, the quiet rooms, and how staff speak to the participants who aren't speaking back.

The emotional transition is real too

No one tells you that "aging out" is a grief, even when the next chapter is good. You will miss the bus driver who knew your child's name. You will miss the IEP team that, on the best days, felt like a village. Give yourself room for that. The right adult day program will become a new village — different, smaller, quieter — but a village all the same.

How Gregory & Friends fits in

We're a small, family-founded adult day support program in Dumfries, VA, serving Prince William County and the surrounding region. We work with families on the DD Waiver and partner closely with CSB support coordinators on each ISP. If your young adult is approaching graduation — or has already aged out and is home — we'd be glad to talk, even if you're not ready to enroll.

Read more about who we serve and our enrollment process, or submit a no-pressure family inquiry.

Frequently asked questions

What does "aging out of the school system" mean in Virginia?: Public special education services in Virginia end at the close of the school year in which the student turns 22. After that date, families arrange adult day support, employment, or community-based services on their own.
Which DD waiver pays for adult day care for autism?: Group Day Support is covered under all three Virginia DD Waivers — Community Living (CL), Family and Individual Supports (FIS), and Building Independence (BI). Your CSB support coordinator helps determine which one fits.
When should we start the Virginia adult day support transition?: Earlier than you think. Transition planning begins at 14, the DD Waiver waitlist application should be in by 16 or 17, and program tours are most useful in the final two years of school.
How is adult day support different from school?: Adult day support has no IEP, no academic curriculum, and no school bus. Programs focus on community engagement, life-skills practice, and meaningful activities, guided by an Individual Support Plan (ISP).