TIL
The TIL Program
by Juan Ochoa
The Transition to Independent Living Program, better known TIL Program, at Taft College started in 1995. The program had its first graduating class of sixteen graduates was in June of 1997. According to Tracine Hallum, the program director, the objective of the TIL Program is to teach adults with developmental disabilities to live on their own.
The program is a 22 month program from August 1st to the last Friday of June. To be eligible a student must be mild to moderate developmentally disabled and a client of Regional Center, which is an ongoing support program. There is no automatic acceptance. The student has to understand why they are going to the program and the families of the students have to be on board. Not all pass the interview processes. A successful TIL student gets to participate in a Taft College graduation and a TIL Program graduation.
The TIL program gives students a collegic experience. “Taft is the perfect situation for the program due to it’s size” according to Transition Specialist Jamia Marcell. Jamia also said that the community embraces the students and helps provide jobs with them. TIL students work eight hours a week and are paid minimum wage, and are categorized as college student workers.
A few stats about the 125 tracked graduates are that 95% live independently, 90% are employed, 51% live alone, and 49% live with a roommate. 99% of TIL Program graduates have the skills to live independently.