Jobs by 21 partnership project: impact of cross-system collaboration on employment outcomes of young adults with developmental disabilities.

In 2007, the low level of young adults with developmental disabilities who were employed in the 3 months postgraduation from high school led the Washington State legislature to authorize and fund the Jobs by 21 Partnership Project. The intent of the project was to identify and demonstrate best practices in sustainable partnerships among Washington State's school and adult service systems. Results indicated that participants in the project were more likely to be employed following school exit and had stronger employment outcomes than students who did not participate. Further, data suggest that improved employment outcomes were supported by the leveraging and maximization of financial and in-kind resources and the strengthening of collaborative relationships across project stakeholders.