RISEI Lab research · Also at riseilab.org/maine-p2p.html
$7.6M Federal Initiative · 2023–2028

Maine Pathways to Partnerships

Seven Maine agencies. One coordinated path from school to career for kids and youth with disabilities ages 10–24. Built on evaluation by RISEI Lab at Northwestern.

$7.6M
Federal Award
7
Partner Agencies
300–500
Youth / Cohort
10–24
Age Range
Our Collaborative

Seven agencies, one kid-centered mission.

Click any agency to see services, enrollment pathways, and success stories in the interactive directory.

Explore the Interactive Partner Directory

Flip cards reveal each partner's services, eligibility criteria, and enrollment links. Lead agency is Maine DVR; six other state partners contribute specialized expertise.

Open Directory →
Take Action · All Live

Enroll. Share your voice. Start the conversation.

Four ways in. Surveys open in a new tab; parent/guardian consent is built into each form.

Enroll a Student

Ages 10–24 with a documented disability, IEP, or 504 plan. One-page form to join P2P services.

Open Enrollment →

Student Voice Survey

Share your experience. Pick the form for your age — consent is built in.

Service Provider Survey

For educators, counselors, and P2P service providers. Share your perspective on training and service delivery.

Open Survey →

School District Interest

For districts outside the RSU 29/71 pilot exploring a P2P partnership. Email Michelle to start the conversation.

Contact RISEI →
Primary Outcomes

What Maine P2P is building.

Four intentional outcomes across five years.

Younger Participants
Ages 10–13

Career-readiness foundations for 300–500 younger kids.

Older Youth
Ages 14–24

Entry to or retention in Competitive Integrated Employment for 300–500 youth.

Professional
Development

All DVR counselors and transition providers trained across partner agencies.

Systems
Integration

One unified pipeline across DVR, Maine DOE, and Alpha One.

Featured Evidence

What VR delivers — in dollars and time.

Making Time Count · RISEI Policy Brief 2026

Young Mainers spend ~3 years in VR — but 40% of that time is waiting.

Yin & Guerrero (2026) quantify how VR time is spent and what it returns. P2P is built to close the waiting gap.

11.6
Avg. quarters in VR
40%
Of VR time spent waiting
84.5%
Post-service earnings lift
$21.5
Lifetime return per $1 invested
Policy Brief · 2025

Stronger Together: How Interagency Collaboration Transforms Youth Transitions

Yin, M. · RISEI Lab

How coordinated services across Maine agencies boost employment for transition-age youth with disabilities.

Read brief →
Policy Brief · 2025

The Economic Imperative of Vocational Rehabilitation

Yin, M. & Guerrero, D. · RISEI Lab

$2.55 personal return and $1.58 taxpayer benefit for every $1 invested in VR services within 3.5 years.

Read brief →
Data & Tools

See the numbers behind the mission.

Interactive Dashboard

Maine In-Focus

Education and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities in Maine, state-level data.

Open dashboard →
Interactive Dashboard

Maine In-Context

National comparison placing Maine outcomes in broader context, 2000–2022 census data.

Open dashboard →
News & Media

In the press.

May 29, 2025
Stronger Together: How Interagency Collaboration Transforms Youth Transitions
RISEI Lab →
Jul 8, 2024
Study Reveals Substantial Economic Returns from VR Services for Youth with Disabilities in Maine
Media release →
Jul 8, 2024
Recent Study Highlights Effective Employment Strategies for Youth with Disabilities
RISEI Lab →
Jan 8, 2024
Michelle Yin Receives $2.98M Grant for Disability Research
Read more →
Dec 8, 2023
Yin Secures Grant for Disability Transitions Project
Read more →

Questions about Maine P2P?

Email the RISEI Lab team — we respond within two business days.

Email RISEI → Visit RISEI Project Page