Employment and Independence for Georgians with Disabilities Project SEARCH

What is Project Search 2 High School Transition Program The Project SEARCH High School Transition Program is a unique, business-led, one-year, school-to-work program that takes place entirely at the workplace. Total workplace immersion facilitates a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, and relevant job- skills training through strategically designed internships.

3 *GIB Program Change = operating expenses **RWS Program Change= transition to Georgia Regents University and Health System What is the Goal The goal for each student participant is competitive employment. The program provides real-life work experience combined with training in employability and independent living skills to help youths with significant disabilities make successful transitions from school to productive adult life.

4 *GIB Program Change = operating expenses **RWS Program Change= transition to Georgia Regents University and Health System Project SEARCH Model The Project SEARCH model involves an extensive period of training and career exploration, innovative adaptations, long-term job coaching, and continuous feedback from teachers, job coaches, and employers. Core Components Employment in an integrated setting (that is, working alongside coworkers with and without disabilities). Year-round work (not seasonal employment) 16 hours/week or more Minimum wage or higher

5 *GIB Program Change = operating expenses **RWS Program Change= transition to Georgia Regents University and Health System What it takes to work True collaboration among partner agencies is essential. This leads to seamless transition services and sustainability through braided funding streams. True collaboration requires a willingness among partner organizations to share resources and adapt policies and procedures. The following are active partners: Businesses Education / Schools Vocational Rehabilitation Community Rehabilitation Providers Long-term Support Agencies Families Social Security Administration

6 Who is eligible Project SEARCH serves students with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities. Typically, these are students who are on an Individual Education Program (IEP) and in their last year of high school eligibility. The most important criterion for acceptance into Project SEARCH is a desire to achieve competitive employment Student Selection Students are referred to the program through their schools, family member, or Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and apply in the winter and spring in the year prior to entering the program. A team representative of all the partners: Project SEARCH teacher, host business liaison, VR Counselor, community rehabilitation provider staff and other appropriate staff carry out the selection process which includes tours, student interviews, hands-on assessments at the host sites and scoring on a rubric related to entrance considerations.

7 *GIB Program Change = operating expenses **RWS Program Change= transition to Georgia Regents University and Health System What it looks it looks like The first few weeks of the program are focused on new employee orientation, hands-on skill assessment, and familiarization within the business environment. Students develop a career plan which guides the internship selection process and individualized job search Employment Skills Curriculum: Throughout the school year, the students work on employability and functional skills for approximately one hour of their day. Classroom activities are designed around these focus areas: Team Building Keeping a Job. Getting Around your WorkplaceJob Search Skills Workplace SafetyHealth and Wellness TechnologyMoney Management, Social SkillsInterviewing Skills CommunicationPresentation Skills

8 Internships/Worksite Rotations: Through a series of three targeted internships the students acquire competitive, marketable and transferable skills to enable them to apply for a related position. Students also build communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills which is important to their overall development as a young worker. Worksite examples in a hospital setting: Emergency Room Patient Care TechNutrition Worker Sterile ProcessingCafeteria Worker/ Cashier Plant Operations Cafeteria Floor Stock Imaging Center Patient Care LiaisonMailroom Tech Materials ManagementInpatient Rehab Tech Transport Patient CareER Patient Registration Employee Health Medical Library Clerk

9 Job Placement and Community Connections: During the last few months of the program the emphasis is on refining skills, achieving the career goal, and carrying out individualized job placement. Job development and placement occurs based on the student's experiences, strengths, and skills. Upon satisfactory completion of the program (95% or better attendance, good attitude, successful skill acquisition at each job site) students receive a Career Portfolio. The contents of the packet will vary among replicated program sites, but generally the packets contain a resume, letters of recommendation, a competency profile, any awards or special recognition received while in the program.

10 Project Search in Georgia There are 19 Sites currently in Georgia  Archbold Medical Center/John D. Archbold Memorial (Thomasville)  Candler Hospital (Savannah)  Cartersville Medical Center (Cartersville)  Coffee County Regional Medical Center (Douglas)  Colquitt Regional Medical Center (Moultrie)  Dalton State College (Dalton)  Dorminy Medical Center? (Fitzgerald)  Effingham Health Systems (Springfield)  Emory Midtown Hospital/Emory Healthcare (Atlanta)

11  Grady Health System (Atlanta)  Hamilton Medical Center (Dalton)  Hutcheson Medical Center (Ft. Oglethorpe)  North Fulton Hospital/Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Roswell)  Northeast Georgia Health System, Inc/Northeast (Gainesville)  Northside Hospital-Cherokee (Canton)  Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (Albany)  Satilla Regional Medical Center (Waycross)  Shaw Industries (Dalton)  St. Joseph's Hospital (Savannah)

12 Georgia Statistics For SFY sites had 100% placement 3 Sites had between 80-89% placement 1 Site had 70-79% Placement

13 Interested in starting a program Please Contact: Dottie Adams, Project SEARCH State Coordinator Jeff Allen, Statewide Coordinator for Transition services, Vocational Rahbilitation Keep in mind your Key partners: LEA Vocational Rehabilitation Community Rehabilitation Partner Developmental Disabilities Agency or Mental Health Provider Host Business

14 Questions?