1. Promoting Health and Leadership in Project SEARCH Programs
Julie Christensen & Melissa Pennise
ABSTRACT
Promoting Health and Leadership in Project SEARCH Programs
For people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, maintaining health and wellness is essential to achieving and maintaining independence, participating in society, and preventing the onset of secondary health conditions. Yet, people with disabilities (PWD) experience poorer health than the general population and alarmingly higher rates of obesity and related conditions.
The University of Cincinnati UCEDD and Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities at University of Rochester implemented and evaluated the evidence-based HealthMessages curriculum with Project SEARCH students. HealthMessages is a 12-week health promotion program which uses peer to peer facilitation to learn about physical activity and hydration; as well as making healthy choices, lifestyle changes, and setting goals. This presentation will provide a summary of lessons learned from the pilot project.
But, more importantly, we want to hear from you! Participants will engage in discussion about barriers, facilitators and strategies for supporting health literacy education in Project SEARCH classrooms. Feedback from session participants will help to inform the development of tools and resources for Project SEARCH instructors with the aim of increasing the number of programs that actively incorporate healthy living as part of the Project SEARCH curriculum.

2. Acknowledgements
Pilot study – partnership between University of Cincinnati and University of Rochester UCEDDs
Melissa Pennise, MPH & Julie Christensen, MSW, PhD – Rochester
Erica Coleman, MS & Ilka Riddle, PhD - Cincinnati

3. Why health & employment?
People with disabilities experience poorer health compared to the general population
High rates of overweight and obesity
Less likely to exercise regularly
Need for purposeful health transition plannign to be incorporated into high school transition

4. In support of employment outcomes
Goal for youth transition to a health and meaningful life
Optimize overall well-being
Prevention of secondary conditions
PS focuses on preparation to “get” the job
Employment skills preparation does not address health-related barriers to “keeping” the job

5. Project SEARCH High School Transition
Project SEARCH is a one-year, school-to-work program for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Goal of competitive employment
Total workplace immersion
Internship rotations for career exploration and job skills acquisition
Customized job-search assistance
12/4/2018
PS copyright

6. Outcome of Employment The Project SEARCH Definition of a
Successful Outcome:
Competitive employment in an integrated setting
Year-round work
16 hours/week or more
Minimum wage or higher
12/4/2018
PS copyright

7. Project SEARCH Key Concepts
Business-Led in collaboration with education, rehabilitation and long term support agencies
Braided funding
Immersion and impact
Training in real work settings
Low risk, low cost for business
Hiring students who are “good fit”
4/24/2012
PS copyright
All Project SEARCH programs are led by the business with the other organizations sending staff and supporting the students and programs. Braided funding implies that all the Project SEARCH partners use their existing funding streams to fund staff and other program materials, making it look seamless to the business. Students are immersed in the business all day, every day for an entire school year and positively impact the business through their contributions. They train each day in a real work environment, not simulated work. The program is low risk for the business – we are asking them to provide a training environment through the classroom and internships. We are asking them to be open to hiring students who might be a good fit for an open position.

8. Project SEARCH Prepare interns for challenging, complex jobs
Teach essential, marketable skills
Give interns a year to build stamina and skills
Add value to a workforce
Focus on hard and soft skills
Use a strategic, collaborative approach to internship training and employment

9. Project SEARCH Partners
Young Person With Disability
Education
Developmental Disabilities
Family
Other :
WIB, Union, Advocacy Group , etc.
Supported Employment Agency
Vocational Rehabilitation
12/4/2018
PS copyright

10. Program Description One school year
10-12 students with a variety of intellectual and developmental disabilities
Certified instructor and skills trainers
Immersed in host business culture
Rotations through unpaid internships with continual feedback
Outcome of employment in the community
12/4/2018
PS copyright

11. Annual Project SEARCH Calendar mirrors local school calendar
August
June
1st Internship 10 weeks
Graduate & Begin Work at Host Site or in Community
2nd Internship 10 weeks
3rd Internship 10 weeks
3 week Orientation
Transition Week
Begin PS Program
Regular Employment Planning Meetings
held twice each internship and led by intern

12. A Day in the life of a Project SEARCH Student
8:00 Employability Skills
9:00 Internship site
11:30 Lunch
12:15 Internship site
2:00 Review, Plan, Journaling
2:30 Depart
12/4/2018
PS copyright
Can be modified to meet business needs.

13. Internships Marketable Skills 4 – 5 hours of day, 910 per year
Work/ Social Skills
Integrated
Cascading skills
For the benefit of the student, not the benefit of the host employer
12/4/2018
PS copyright

14. Project SEARCH Curriculum
Team Building
Workplace Safety
Technology
Self-Advocacy
Maintaining Employment
Financial Literacy
Health and Wellness
Preparing for Employment
12/4/2018
PS copyright

15. Our guiding questions How can content best be delivered without:
creating a burden on instructional staff?
taking time away from employment readiness curriculum?
Will PS students understand the relationship between health and employment?
Will this effort be a distraction or a disconnect from the rest of their training experience?

16. Pilot project goal
Evaluate the delivery of health promotion information in a transition- to-work employment program
Process and outcomes evaluation

17. Approach
Implement 12-week, peer-to-peer curriculum (HealthMessages) in PS classrooms
Building on established structure of classroom-based PS activities
PS instructors and students to implement w/ supports from UCEDD health staff

18. What is HealthMessages?
12-week peer-to-peer health promotion curriculum
Focus on increasing physical activity and hydration
Seondary focus on promoting leadership skills and goal-setting
Taught by students w/ IDD who are supported as Healthy Lifestyle Coaches (peer educators)
Mentors (teachers, support staff, family members, etc.) provide support

19. Evaluation plan Multi-site / multi-state approach 6 PS classes
Collaboration between UCEDDs at University of Cincinnati (OH) and University of Rochester (NY)
6 PS classes
3 in Cincinnati – Xavier, Fifth Third Bank, CCHMC
3 in Rochester – URMC, Wegmans, City of Rochester
Adhered to full human subjects protections and protocols

20. Data collection activities
Pre-project surveys (students and instructors: paper survey)
Peer weekly self review (starting at Week 3; HLC assessed progress on previous week’s goals)
Post-project survey (students and instrutors: paper survey)
Focus groups (six participant focus groups; two teacher focus groups)

21. Project implementation
Day 1: Brief introduction and participant consent
Month 1: Making Healthy Choices
Month 2: Changing Lifestyles
Month 3: Keeping our New Lifestyle

22. Project data: Demographics (N=53)

23. Student survey results
13 questions assessing general knowlede about physical activity and hydration concepts (e.g., sugar & caffeine content, dehydration)
Improvement demonstrated for 62% of those who took both pre- / post- surveys (N-42)

24. Student satisfaction (post-) (N=45)

25. A few student comments What were your favorite expeiriences?
Teaching the class
Learning how to eat better, drink more water, and learn different exercises
Sharing my goal with others, completing my goal each week
The health snacks, the good messages, the positive inflluence it has given me

26. More student comments
Please tell us what would improve your experience?
Show us more exercises
Trying more new food items
Walking more
Make it more challenging
Going into further detail during class and including a wake-up exercise

27. Instructor comments Need to plan for a wide variety of abilities
Accomodating multiple learning styles
Need to augment for “higher functioning” students
Desire to broaden content
Nutrition, managing health care (e.g., making doctor appointments)
Peer as teacher component was of value
Reinforces leadership and self-advocacy skill development

28. Additional findings / Lessons learned
Instructor’s engagement in physical fitness as a factor
What additional resources/strategies might be provided to instructors who are not as comfortable or experiences with this topic?
Impact of business commitment to health & wellness on delivery and results
Look for ways to engage with host business wellness activities

29. On feasibility This is doable!
30-minute lessons are adequate; easy to fit into PS structure
Need for a champion to coordinate and facilitate
May not be the instructor – who might you partner with?
NOTE: UCEDD staff “pushed in” to support this project
No “single” approach – need to customize implementation based on the flow of your project and culture of your host business
Consistency from week to week (and accountability) is important

30. Recommendations
Raise awareness of existing work-based resources (e.g., wellness programs)
Making connections to community-based resources
Broaden topics covered

31. Next steps
Adapting Health Matters curriculum to more closely fit the structure of HealthMessages
Partnership between PS, University of Illinois, the Ohio State University, University of Iowa
Presentation this afternoon on this project!
Please come – we need your input!!!

32. Questions for Practitioners
What are you already doing to promote healthy living in your PS class?
What resources have you found helpful that you can share with the group?
How likely are you to include a focus on health as part of your PS program? (Why or why not?)
What potential barriers to implementation do you worry about?

33. Comments and Questions?

34. Pilot Project Contact Information:
Erica Coleman, MS, CHES, TTS (UC UCEDD) Melissa Pennise, MPH (Rochester UCEDD) Julie Christensen, LMSW, PhD (Iowa UCEDD)