What is the practice?
Project SEARCH has been defined as “a high school program school-to-work transition model, which includes rotating internships for a school-year; experiences combining real-life work; employment and independent living skills training; assistance with vocational placement through active collaboration with employers, school systems; and vocational rehabilitation; and entire school-days spent in the workplace (Wehman et al., 2012).”
Originally designed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital as a 9-month internship model, youth participating in Project SEARCH are embedded into community businesses (e.g., hospitals, government complexes, or banking centers) rotate through three 10–12 week internships logging approximately 720 h learning marketable hands-on skills ad 180 h or classroom time learning job skills and social skills at the business. Stakeholders (e.g., family members, local education agency members, local community rehabilitation program members, state vocational rehabilitation members, and community business partners) collaboratively support students with developmental disabilities in this endeavor. Wehmeyer et al. (2014) described the possibility of adding ASD supports (i.e., on-site, intensive, systematic instruction using the principles of applied behavior analysis; on-site support and consultation from a behavior/autism specialist; and intensive staff training in ASD and the Project SEARCH Model) to promote student success in employment settings.
Where has it been implemented?
- Community business settings (i.e., hospitals)
Where is the best place to find out how to do this practice?
References used to establish this evidence base:
- Wehman, P., Schall, C. M., McDonough, J., Graham, C., Brooke, V., Riehle, J. E., Brooke, A., Ham, W., Lau, S., Allen, J., & Avellone, L. (2017). Effects of an employer-based intervention on employment outcomes for youth with significant support needs due to autism. Autism, 21(3), 276–290. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361316635826
- Wehman, P., Schall, C. M., McDonough, J., Kregel, J., Brooke, V., Molinelli, A., Ham, W., Graham, C. W., Riehle, J. E., Collins, H. T., & Thiss, W. (2014). Competitive employment for youth with autism spectrum disorders: Early results from a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders, 44(3), 487–500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1892-x
