Helping Disabled Students Reach Their Full Potential
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How Project SEARCH Began
It all started 13 years ago when Erin Riehle, MSN, RN, who was Director of the Emergency Department at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, was approached by a colleague who was trying to find a job in the hospital for someone with a disability.
When she hired the person for a high-turnover position, and they excelled at the job and stayed in it long-term, Riehle had an idea: Why not hire more disabled people to work in the hospital to utilize their talents, to make the hospital staff more diverse and to make the organization more efficient in the process?
At that moment, Project SEARCH was born. Guided by Riehle, who is now Senior Director of Project SEARCH, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital found community organizations to support the program and created a model for Project SEARCH that worked well.
“When you look at any hospital, many patients are people with some sort of disability or chronic illness and, at that time, our workforce didn’t reflect that,” said Michael Behrman, Business Manager at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. “If you’re a patient with a disability, it’s nice to see other people with disabilities working at the hospital. It lets people know that some organizations will give everyone the same chances for employment.”
In addition to leveling the playing field for employment, hiring talented people with disabilities is a solid business decision. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital experienced outstanding efficiency and job retention from people with disabilities.
Nationally and internationally, hospitals and businesses have used the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital model to implement Project SEARCH. In 2004, the program was awarded the U.S. Secretary of Labor’s New Freedom Initiative Award
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Lancaster General Health is committed to creating an extraordinary place to work and learn. As a result of our desire to have a workforce of outstanding employees from diverse backgrounds, we are collaborating with local community organizations to implement a high school transition program for young adults who are cognitively and physically challenged.
Through Project SEARCH, LG Health is partnering with the Lancaster Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 (IU 13), the York Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), and Lancaster County Mental Health//Mental Retardation/Early Intervention to provide employment opportunities for high school juniors and seniors who have not had the opportunity to participate in competitive-wage employment. The Project SEARCH program prepares students with cognitive disabilities to transition into adulthood by providing them with real-life work experience, and employability and independent living skills.
“IU 13 will be the educational service partner for Project SEARCH,” said Brenda Kauffman, Supervisor for School-to-Work Program/Transition Services at IU 13. “Our role will be to provide a teacher and job trainers as well as a support team that consists of a supervisor, a special-education consultant, a psychologist and a social worker. We’ll provide the educational program at LG Health and support for the students while they’re in the program.” The program will commence in September and continue through the school year. Student orientation will occur this summer.
Creating an Extraordinary Place to Work
“Just because these students have disabilities, doesn’t mean that they can’t work in challenging and rewarding jobs,” said Sonya Wallace, Director, Diversity & Inclusion at Lancaster General Health. Project SEARCH students will work in various LG Health departments.
“Lancaster General Health’s Vision is to create an extraordinary experience... every time, and that’s exactly what we want these students to experience while they work here,” said Wallace. “We firmly believe that they should have the opportunity to not only realize their full potential, but also make a valuable contribution to any organization.”
Students involved in Project SEARCH at other institutions have held jobs in radiology, laboratory and customer service. As students develop their skills, they may take positions that are important to the overall healthcare delivery system.
A Community Partnership
Project SEARCH’s utilization of vocational rehabilitation, job-coaching and community employers to provide professional jobs and personal life skills for students is an important element of SEARCH’s success. In addition to receiving onsite classroom instruction and on the job training, participants in the program will walk away with the knowledge of accomplishment and success in the workplace.
“There are many talented students participating in Project SEARCH and the program will give them the opportunity to succeed at meaningful jobs within LG Health,” continued Wallace. “In addition, we’re helping them to obtain credentials on their resumés so that when they go out and look for their next positions, they can show that they’re not limited, that they can do much more.”
Community partners collaborating on the Project SEARCH initiative include
(seated left to right): James Laughman, Executive Director, Lancaster County
MH/MR/Early Intervention, Brenda Kaufman, Supervisor, School-to-Work
Program/Transition Services, Lancaster Lebanon IU13 and Jamison Collins,
Lancaster County Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Standing in rear is
Sonya Wallace, Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Lancaster General Health.