As part of the Idaho Pathways to Partnerships grant, the Idaho Competitive Integrated Employment (ICIE) Center works with the Idaho Department of Education (IDE) and its community partners to improve interagency collaboration. Our team of Regional Secondary Transition Coordinators support six pilot districts/charters across the state to build Local Interagency Leaderships Teams (LILTs). Pilot LILTs work together to build strong partnerships that support youth with disabilities in their journey to adult life.

Local Interagency Leadership Teams (LILTs) bring together important partners like families, youth, school staff, vocational rehabilitation professionals, Centers for Independent Living, and community service providers. They work as a team to understand and organize services in a way that makes sense and helps students with disabilities move smoothly into adult life. This kind of teamwork helps everyone stay on the same page, avoid doing the same work twice, fill in any missing services, and make sure students get the support they need to reach their goals.

Local Interagency Leadership Teams (LILTS) play a vital role in creating strong, collaborative networks that support students with disabilities. By bringing together schools and community agencies, LILTs help ensure that services are well coordinated, communication is clear, and students receive the support they need. They:

• Connect schools and community agencies to support students and families more effectively.
• Coordinate services so students don’t fall through the cracks.
• Build shared goals and clear communication between partners.
• Save time and resources by working smarter together.

Forming a LILT takes time and commitment, but the payoff is big: better planning, stronger support, and smoother transitions for students with disabilities. Explore our Local Interagency Leadership Teams: What to Expect When You're Connecting resource to learn more about what it takes to build a LILT.