Project SEARCH to hold Jan. 21 Information Night
Session will explain internship program for students with disabilities
Students and parents, educators and members of the public are invited to an informational session on Project SEARCH, a training and education program for students with intellectual disabilities.
Project SEARCH Information Night will take place from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21 in the Kresge Center on the third floor of Bellin Hospital, 744 S. Webster Ave.
Session attendees will become acquainted with the one-year transition program, which is available to students during their last year of high school eligibility. Gov. Scott Walker announced the expansion of Project SEARCH to Green Bay in July 2014, and the program began in September 2015 at Bellin Hospital and HSHS St. Vincent Hospital.
“Project SEARCH has been an exceptional experience for our organization,” said Pete Knox, Bellin Health executive vice president and chief learning and innovation officer. “The interns have been outstanding in every way. Their warmth, caring and dedication have had a far-reaching impact. We are extremely appreciative of this opportunity and we look forward to having new interns join us in the future. Project SEARCH has truly had a positive impact on us, the interns and the community.”
Seven students make up the inaugural Project SEARCH class at Bellin and HSHS St. Vincent hospitals. Their days are split between classroom instruction and internship rotations in various hospital departments.
“Project SEARCH has been an invaluable addition to HSHS St. Vincent Hospital,” said Larry Connors, Chief Operating Officer at HSHS St. Vincent Hospital. “The interns have shown exemplary work ethic and have made a positive, direct impact — not only on the departments they work in each day, but also on the patients that our hospital cares for each day. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Project SEARCH in 2016 and welcoming a new class of interns with open arms.”
In addition to the two hospitals, ASPIRO, CESA 7, area high schools and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development-Division of Vocational Rehabilitation are partnering to present the program locally.
The agenda for Project SEARCH Information Night is as follows:
• 6 p.m. — Welcome
• 6:15 — Project SEARCH PowerPoint presentation
• 6:30 — Bellin/HSHS St. Vincent Project SEARCH video
• 6:45 — Internship opportunities
• 7 p.m. — Application and recruitment timeline
Those who wish to attend are asked to RSVP to Jean LeJeune, Jean.LeJeune@hshs.org or (920) 431-3235. Valet parking will be available at the Webster Avenue entrance to Bellin Hospital.
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About Project SEARCH (http://www.projectsearch.us)
Project SEARCH was developed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in 1996 by Erin Riehle, who was the director of Cincinnati Children's Emergency Department. Since its inception, Project SEARCH has grown from a single program site at Cincinnati Children’s to more than 300 sites across the United States and Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland and Australia. Project SEARCH's primary objective is to secure competitive employment for people with disabilities.
About ASPIRO (www.aspiroinc.org)
ASPIRO has been serving Brown County communities since 1957. We believe that when we work together, erasing preconceived notions of what’s possible, then no matter what challenges a person faces, he or she will find success. Very simply, we see people first and their disability second.
About Bellin Health
Bellin Health, www.bellin.org, is an integrated healthcare delivery system based in Green Bay, Wis. It has serviced people in Northeast Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula since 1908. Bellin Health has more than 3,600 employees and is known for its emphasis on preventive healthcare and is the region’s leader in cardiac, orthopedics, sports medicine, digestive health, mental health, and primary care medicine. It is comprised of Bellin Hospital, Bellin Psychiatric Center, 31 Bellin Health primary care physician clinics, and several retail health clinics known as Bellin Health FastCare. Bellin also operates Bellin Health Oconto Hospital, a critical care access hospital in Oconto, Bellin Fitness, and Bellin College. Through its Bellin-ThedaCare Healthcare Partners collaboration, the health system was a participant in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Pioneer Accountable Care Program, generating $14 million in savings since 2012.
About HSHS St. Vincent Hospital
HSHS St. Vincent Hospital has been delivering quality health care to Green Bay and its surrounding communities since 1888. Patients from Northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan benefit from a comprehensive range of services that include cancer care, women’s services, emergency and trauma care, preventive care across the lifespan, digestive health, orthopedic, cardiac care, neurosciences, rehabilitation and pediatrics. An affiliate of Hospital Sisters Health System, the hospital’s primary purpose is to continue Christ’s healing love through the delivery of competent and compassionate health care in an environment sensitive to the needs of all people. HSHS St. Vincent Hospital has been named one of the “100 Top Hospitals” nationwide and is accredited by the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. As an affiliate of Hospital Sisters Health System, we draw on the history of St. Francis of Assisi as we move to continue serving the health care needs of our area in Christ’s healing ministry, caring for all people.
About Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS)
Hospital Sisters Health System’s (HSHS) mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high quality, Franciscan health care ministry. HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our 13 Local Systems and physician practices in Illinois (Belleville, Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Highland, Litchfield, and Springfield) and Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan, and two in Green Bay). HSHS is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, and Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is the founding institute. For more information about HSHS, visit www.hshs.org. For more information about Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, visit www.hospitalsisters.org.