A care team for the move to adult care

Our program supports young adults age 18 to 30 with disabilities or complex medical conditions. A care navigator handles your referrals, refills, insurance renewals and equipment requests.

A young woman in a wheelchair by a lake, looking up at the trees in the morning sun.

Example: a request for a new power wheelchair moves from insurer review to approved, and Jordan, the navigator, texts that the vendor will call to schedule delivery.

What changes between 18 and 26

This period is full of changes, but Parea is here to help you keep track of them. We are here every step of the way, and we can help you plan for what comes next.

  1. Age 18

    You make your own medical decisions

    At 18, you transition to adulthood, which means you are responsible for your own medical decisions. Parents or guardians are only allowed under proxy. Social Security will review SSI again under adult rules.

  2. Age 18–21

    You move to adult care

    Children's hospitals discharge you to adult doctors, who may not know your condition. It is necessary to find a new care team and follow up on referrals.

  3. Age 21

    School services end

    The Division of Developmental Disabilities takes over, and eligibility and a service plan need to be in place to move forward.

  4. Age 26

    You come off of your parent's insurance

    Dependent coverage on private insurance ends at age 26. Medicaid, Medicare or your own plan has to start before that lapses.

How it works

You are matched with a care navigator. Here is what they will do for you, and how you will work with them:

A young man in a wheelchair reads his tablet in a kitchen while a friend washes up behind him.

How is your energy?

Tap an answer. Each one has a picture and a word, there are no timers, and a supporter can answer for you if you say so.
  1. Intake call

    Your care navigator calls to learn your communication style, what a normal day looks like for you, what you want help with, and who else is involved in your care.

  2. Text us, call us, or use our app

    Your care navigator works by text and phone. Our app is there too, if you want your requests and visits in one place.

  3. Insurance and benefits

    We track Medicaid renewals, the SSI review at 18, and any work-requirement exemptions, with due dates noted, so you never have to worry about losing coverage.

  4. Your care plan

    Your navigator writes it with you: your goals, what's coming up, who's involved, and the warning signs to watch for. You can change it any time.

  5. Check-ins

    Rate your energy, eating, sleep, mood and pain with pictures, daily, weekly, or only when something changes. Your responses are used to track your journey over time.

  6. Same-day review

    If something is different from normal, your navigator looks at it the same business day and helps you reach your doctor when you need to.

  7. Requests tracked to the end

    Referrals, refills, equipment, and approvals each show the step they're on and how long they've been stuck there. We will always work to move things along as fast as possible.

Your care team

  • Care Navigator

    Does your intake, handles your requests, and is your first point of contact.

  • Social Worker

    Helps you navigate state benefits, housing and guardianship, and with the stress that comes with them.

  • Peer Facilitator

    A young adult with a disability who runs video groups twice a month.

  • Medical Advisor

    Reviews how the team works and helps when something needs a clinician.

Sharing with family and friends

Add a parent, sibling, friend or attendant. For each person, you choose what they can see: updates, appointments, medicines and check-ins. New people only see updates until you change it.

If a guardian or health care proxy signs for you, we still record what you want.

Someone pushes a person in a wheelchair across a city street at sunset.

What Elena sees

About Maya

  • Updates, Today

    Her new wheelchair was approved by the health plan.

  • Appointments, Thursday, 3:00 PM

    First visit with Dr. Chen, adult neurology.

  • Check-ins, 7:40 PM

    Checked in tonight. Her usual day.

Not shared: medicines.

Example: what Maya shares with her mom and her brother. Try the switches.

Ways to join

We're starting in New Jersey, Connecticut and New York and aren't taking sign-ups yet. To hear when we open, email hello@parea.care.

  • Through your health plan

    No cost to you

    For Medicaid and Medicare members aged 18 to 30. We're starting with health plans and state programs in New Jersey, Connecticut and New York. Where yours takes part, it pays and you pay nothing.

  • Paying for it yourself

    Price to come

    A navigator who sees every referral, refill and renewal through, for ages 18 to 30 when your coverage doesn't pay for care coordination: private insurance, a parent's plan, or none yet. We'll share the price when the pilot opens.

  • Before 18, and for parents

    Ages 14 to 17

    Transition planning for ages 14 to 17. Planning sessions for parents on guardianship and supported decision-making, letters of intent, and what comes after.

Questions

Who is Parea for?

Young adults 18 to 30 in New Jersey, Connecticut and New York who have a disability or a rare or complex condition and are leaving pediatric care. We also do transition planning from age 14, and planning sessions for parents.

What does it cost?

Nothing, if your health plan or state program works with us. For people paying themselves, we'll share the price when the pilot opens.

Is my health plan one of them?

We're starting with health plans and state programs in New Jersey, Connecticut and New York. Email hello@parea.care with the name of your plan and we'll tell you when it's on board.

Do I have to use the app?

No. Your navigator works by text and phone. The app is there if you want your care plan, requests and visits in one place.

Will I keep my doctors?

Yes. Parea doesn't replace your doctors. We help you find adult doctors, get you booked, and follow up after the visit.

Can my parent or guardian be involved?

Yes. You decide what each person can see, and you can change it at any time. If a guardian or health care proxy signs for you, we still record your own choices.

Will it work with my screen reader or switch?

Yes. The website and app meet WCAG 2.2 AA and are tested with disabled people, who are paid for their time. They work with VoiceOver, NVDA, JAWS, TalkBack, switch access and eye-gaze. Nothing depends on color, sound, speech or fine motor control. You can change text size, contrast and motion at the bottom of any page.

What if it's an emergency?

Parea isn't an emergency service. Call 911. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988.

Opening soon

We're starting in New Jersey, Connecticut and New York and aren't taking sign-ups yet. Email us to hear when we open, or to talk about working with your health plan, agency or hospital.