Oklahoma

A partnership that focuses on assisting individuals with disabilities to find and maintain employment. Nationally, the unemployment rate for adults with disabilities is nearly 70% and the majority of these individuals want to work.

It provides a framework for an unpaid internship program for young adults with disabilities at a host employer building upon the success of the national Project SEARCH originated at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.  

What is Project SEARCH?

• A school• A host employer• Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS)

• University of Oklahoma National Center for Disability Education and Training (OU-NCDET)

• Provider

Who is involved?

• 8-10 students report to the employment site for each school day.

• AM classroom instruction on employment related topics by instructor.

• 4 hours spent on a rotation (three 10-week rotations in a year). Two job coaches training interns (varies by location).

• PM classroom instruction/debrief.• Monthly progress meetings.• Independent Employment!!!

What does it look like?

Who provides what?

School Full-time teacher’s

salary and benefits

Transportation (possibly)

Lunches (possibly) Materials and

supplies National Site

License Part of uniform

expense Student liability

insurance

Employer Classroom space Access to Internet and

phone Access to staff and

departments Internal marketing

DRS Funds for 1-2 job

coaches Part of uniform

expense Contract with OU-

NCDET for technical assistance

Role of OU-NCDET

● Provide liaison with National Project SEARCH ● Assist to identify, connect, and coordinate partners● Assist the team to develop a project plan with

timeframes● Assist partners with initial steps of implementation● Provide ongoing training and technical assistance● Evaluate the success of Project SEARCH● Maintain model integrity

●Identify areas of interest●Write cover letters to department●Send letter and resume/data sheet●Interview for position●Department calls student to confirm●Notify instructor & department of absences●Departments evaluate students●Give two weeks notice ●Participate in exit interview●Write thank you letters●Update portfolio

Student Role in Internships

●Unpaid●Identified through a continuous collaborative

process involving the instructor, the employer liaison, and worksite supervisors.

●Student and instructor work together to choose worksites based on student’s previous work

experience, interests, & skill assessment.●Time spent on rotations is flexible.●Students may participate in more than one work

rotation at a time, depending upon the scheduling needs of the host employer & the student.

Internships

Key Concepts of Project SEARCH

Not the “Easiest” JobsBut

“Complex and Systematic” Jobs

Benefits for Students

● Postsecondary training and internship experience. ●Opportunity to work in high-status organization.●Develop strength areas.●Work toward independence in many areas such as transportation, daily

living skills, etc. ●Employment after graduation

Key Concepts of Project SEARCH

●Career exploration in a variety of entry level positions

● Participation in “Employability Skills” curriculum

● Practice in interviewing, feedback and assessment with PS and host business staff

● Attainment of competitive, marketable, transferable job skills

● Job placement in a competitive job matching their skills and interests

Valley View Regional Hospital

St. John Medical Center

How has this looked in Oklahoma?

2 years

Valley View Regional Hospital (VVRH)

• Partners• VVRH, DRS, and OU-NCDET

• OJT internships• Young adults between the ages of 18-24

Examples of Internship Rotationsat VVRH in Ada

1. Purchasing/Storeroom (e.g., filling and delivering orders throughout the hospital; answering telephone and door)2. Sterile Processing and Distribution (e.g., Pick up and deliver throughout the hospital, disinfecting equipment, prepping surgical carts)3. Physical Therapy (e.g., room prep and prep hot packs)4. Wound Care and Family Health (e.g., prepping rooms, stocking supplies, vitals, preparing patient for nurse or doctor)5. Lab (e.g., restocking specimen cups, monitoring temperatures, filing paperwork)6. Linens (e.g., folding and stacking washcloths, gowns, physical therapy towels, bathing towels, bath mats, bath blankets, and bedspreads; assist operation of press machine for linens)

Examples of Internship Rotationsat VVRH in Ada

7. Housekeeping (e.g. clean and disinfect patient rooms and work areas)8. Oncology (e.g. filing within charts,  cleaning chairs between patients, moving patients to exam rooms, x-ray, or anywhere else needed, and basic cleaning; take lunch orders for the cafeteria and deliver trays; keeping patients comfortable with blankets and drinks; take vitals on patients as they enter)9. Café Worker (e.g. stock food and drink items, serve proper portions in serving line as customer ordered, basic cleaning)10. Food Patient Rep. (e.g. Delivers trays to patients making sure of proper diet, prepares Meals on Wheels trays, stocks nursing stations with food and drink items, delivers and picks up menus)

Examples of Internship Rotationsat VVRH in Ada

11. Dishwashing (e.g. Monitor temperatures on dishwasher, wash dishes in conveyer style dishwasher; washing with proper chemicals per items being washed, empty food carts)12. Admitting (e.g. sorting papers by dates of procedure then alphabetizing by name. Input into computer to assure date)13. Pediatrics (e.g. answer telephone; allow visitors in the area)14. OB (e.g. answer telephone; allow visitors in the area)15. MIS (e.g. erasing hard drives, removing software and adding new software)

• Partners• SJMC, DRS, Jenks Public Schools, Central Tech, and OU-NCDET

• Unpaid internships• High school seniors between the ages of 18-22

St. John Medical Center

Examples of Internship Rotationsat SJMC in Tulsa

1. Admissions 2. Endoscopy (e.g. transport patients, clean/prepare patient beds and put together admission packets)3. Medical Records (e.g. clerical assistance; scanning and making folders, filing, archiving records)4. Patient Transport (e.g. transport patients and equipment throughout the hospital)5. Women’s Center (e.g. putting packets together, escorting patients, putting kits together, cleaning the rooms)6. Health Club (e.g. straighten/Clean women’ locker room, helps in child care area, stocks supplies, variety of duties as they arise in a day)7. Labor and Delivery

Examples of Internship Rotationsat SJMC in Tulsa

8. Emergency Room (e.g., clerk; fold linen, and place blankets in warmer, stocking supplies in the IV carts and nurses’ carts; stock Pyxis supplies and the linens, takes charge of equipment organization and preparing patients’ rooms)9. Cafeteria (e.g. trayline; Worker I, Dietary; dish room)10. IT (e.g. cleaning equipment, updating software, replace broken equipment as needed)11. Foods and Nutrition12. Hospitality (e.g. Respond to patients call lights)13. Building Services (e.g. fulfilled duties of Worker I job description)14. Surgical waiting room (receptionist)15. Gift shop

Oklahoma Outcomes to Date

Ada # began # completed

# employed

% Employed

Year 1 6 4 4 100%

Year 2 6 5 5 100%

Tulsa # began # completed

# employed

% Employed

Year 1 8 6 5 83%

Year 2 9 8 1 11%

Oklahoma Outcomes to Date

2009 Jenks Project SEARCH Class

• Six Completers

• 29 HPW Average

• Average Hourly Wage of $8.66

2010 Project Search Class• Eight completers

• One student will be continuing her education in Arkansas.

• One student obtained her CNA Certification.

Oklahoma Outcomes to Date

Potential & Success

Project Search Video

Matthew Jones

Dairy Stocker - Wal-Mart Earns $7.65 per hourWorks 35 HPW

Lane Stansifer First United Methodist Church

• Earns $7.25 per hour

• Works 15 Hours Per Week

How will this look for Francis Tuttle?

Mercy Health Center

Job Coaches (FTTC)

DRSNCDET

Francis Tuttle Tech Center

(FTTC) Students with

Disabilities

Partnerships for Project SEARCH Transition Implementation

Partners of Project SEARCH

National Project SEARCH

Job Coaching

● Job Coaches, under contract with Francis Tuttle Technology Center, will provide quality, on-site

supported employment services●Maintains a 1:4 ratio of coaches to students●Supervised by instructor to facilitate training and integration of students in the worksite rotations●Facilitates placement in employment at the end of Project SEARCH, either in the host business or elsewhere in the community

Francis Tuttle Technology Center

Student Eligibility Guidelines

● At least 18 years old● High school graduate● Completed at least one year in a career tech program at Francis Tuttle● Be able to communicate effectively● Meet eligibility requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation● Appropriate personal hygiene, social & communication skills● Ability to take direction ● Willingness to change behavior ● Pass drug screen, background check, immunizations ● Have transportation to/from site● Desire to work!

Annual Internship Calendar

AUG JUNE

Begin PS Program

1st 10 week rotation

2nd 10 week rotation

3rd 10 week rotation

Graduate & begin work at host site or in Community

Up to 1 month Student

Orientation

FTTC Daily Schedule

School Day: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

● 8:00 – 8:45 am: Classroom - Independent Living / Employability SkillsLessons are based on daily living/employability skills, i.e., problem solving, team work, decision

making, budgeting, check writing, nutrition, resume writing-instruction. Follows an approvedProject SEARCH Curriculum.

● 8:45 – 9:00 am: Transition from classroom to internship site● 9:00 - 2:15 pm: Internship Site (includes 30 minute lunch)

Students participate in non-paid job internship sites throughout the Mercy Health Center to learn job specific and employability skills. They rotate through three different internships throughout the school year spending 10 weeks in each rotation.

LunchStudents are allowed 30 minutes for lunch and follow the lunch schedule of the department in which they are interning. Students may brown bag or purchase a lunch at the hospital. Students are

encouraged to eat with their co-workers and peers at the internship site.

● 2:15 – 2:30 pm: Transition from internship site to classroom● 2:00 - 2:30 pm: Classroom - Refection/Planning/Journal Writing Students sign out at 2:30 pm and if available take public transportation home.

Mercy Health CenterDepartments Signed Up To Host

Interns

Fitness Center Care Management

Recycle Tech SPD/Materials Management

Marcomm Instrument Room

Mercy Physicians Physical Medicine – Occupational Therapy

Rehab Therapy Inpatient Physical Medicine/Acute Rehab

Emergency Department Radiology

Cafeteria/Dish room Environmental Services

Human Resources Finance

Family Birthplace Pediatrics

NICU Lab

Sleep Lab – Respiratory Health Information Management

Home Health – Medical Records

How will this look for Metro Tech in the future?

The Metro Tech Plan

FIRST YEAR Will apply for Project SEARCH as Junior

and attend MTC as Senior and host business as adult

Attend MTC ½ day and partner high school ½ day

Curriculum will focus on career readiness and soft skills

Transportation will be addressed Interaction with DRS throughout the

year for seamless transition

The Metro Tech Plan

SECOND YEAR Full-time at host business 3-ten week rotations in departments

of business with job coaching Instructor/Facilitator assist with any

skill deficits and soft skill training Host Liaison will work with

Instructor/Facilitator and Department heads to gain insight and work through any concerns that develop.

Partners of Project SEARCH

Southwest Integris

Hospital OKC

Job Coaches (MTC)

DRSNCDET

Metro Technology

Centers (MTC)

National Project SEARCH

Job Coaching

● Job Coaches will be Metro Technology Center employees, will provide quality, on-site supported employment services●Maintains a 1:3 ratio of coaches to students (this will allow for times when coaches are absent)●Supervised by instructor to facilitate training and integration of students in the worksite rotations●Will work with Director of Transition to facilitate placement in employment at the end of Project SEARCH, either in the host business or elsewhere in the community

Metro Technology Centers

Current Status of Metro Tech Plan

Have Verbal commitment from Southwest Integris in OKC, working toward signing of MOU documents and plans to start Project SEARCH August 2011.Talking with Chesapeake Energy about opening second site

Francis Tuttle Technology CenterDennis J. Moore, Instructor405-717-4386dmoore@francistuttle.edu

Jenks Public SchoolsHolly McVay, Instructor918-361-7385holly.mcvay@sjmc.org

Site Contact Information

Enid Public SchoolsAnn Williams, Instructoradwilliams@enidk12.org

Byng Public SchoolsJoni Moore, Instructor580-421-6523

Metro Technology CenterDenise North, Director of Disability Services405-605-4418Denise.north@metrotech.org

Central Technology CenterShelly Rentz, Workforce Transition Instructor918-227-9260shellyr@centraltech.edu

Additional Contact Information

Department of Rehabilitation ServicesKimberly Osmani, Transition Coordinator405-635-2768kosmani@okdrs.gov