Project Search at Newton Medical Center

03/14/2023

NEW PROJECT SEARCH SITE OPENING

Hackettstown Medical Center

Virtual Open House

Project SEARCH is a one-year, business-led, unpaid internship program for students with disabilities in their last year of high school that takes place entirely at a host business site. It provides students who want to work a chance to explore careers and develop transferable job skills. The combination of instruction and immersion in the workplace prepares young adults with disabilities to make successful transitions from school to productive adult life.

March 22nd Virtual Open House
1:00pm to 2:00pm
Zoom link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/87051194829?pwd=bGZVTEx5ZkZBN1d1K0lQTDVFdDZFZz09

Please contact John O’Hara with any questions:
973-222-1671
johara@sussexesc.org

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

12/20/2022

And here is Tim's EPM meeting......he is working hard in several areas of NMC. He has a mentor who is a graduate of our program- Patsy. He is working on sanitizing touch spaces at the hospital. He works with his colleagues on the Friday Cart that is used for employee appreciation. He is doing an outstanding job as an intern!

12/20/2022

Today's is a big day at Project Search at Newton Medical Center. Our interns will be hosting their employment planning meeting. This is where they tell us about their internsips and what they have learned about themselves.

The picture is Johann talking about his internship!

10/20/2022

During National Disabilty Employment Awareness Month the interns at Project Search at Newton Medical Center were able to experience many really cool activities.

The Diversity and Inclusion programming at Atlantic Health affords our community some of the best opportunities. Thank you Atlantic Health!

07/01/2022

Last night I had the greatest experience at Rita's Italian Ice in Lopatcong. I ran into Kevin Cody. He shared with me all of his updates at the Crayola Factory- his place of employment and all of the things he has learned.

His use of technology with Apple Pay, the friendships he has made with colleagues and his dedication to his job.

It was great seeing you Kevin!!!!

06/13/2022

Tomorrow is the big day- Project Search Interns at Newton Hospital will be graduating from the program.

This is a super exciting time of year!!!

Congratulations to all involved in the program.

05/27/2022

So Kevin Cody was honored as a 1 year employee from Crayola Experience in Easton. Kevin Cody was part of our first year of PS students to graduate of our program at Newton Medical Center.

He still participates as an alumni. He speaks to the current interns and discusses the positives and challenges of working.

Kevin Cody- we are so proud of you. Keep rocking the job!!

04/29/2022

WOWZERS!! Erin Q. one of our most recent Project Search Intern Graduates has been named April Employee of the Month at her position in Overlook Hospial.

This program is amazing and interns like Erin are why we continue to offer the program.

Sussex County ESC congratulates Erin!!!

04/04/2022

Applications for the Class of 2023 are due!!

Sussex County Educational Services is pleased to announce their partnership with Atlantic Health System’s Newton Medical Center and Project SEARCH Program is entering our 4th year. Intern rotations thus far include Materials, Environmental Services, Food Service, Wound Care, Physical Therapy, The Heart Center, Patient Access, and Patient Transport.

The interns first rotation ended in December, and they have started their new rounds with a new mentor. Mentor relationships and responsibilities are an integral part of the growth process. Mentors were chosen by department leaders and paired up with Project SEARCH interns for each rotation. Interns are not only building relationships, but feel part of the team they are working with.

Project SEARCH model involves an extensive period of training and career exploration, innovative adaptations, long-term skills training, and continuous feedback from mentors, teachers, skills trainers, and employers. As a result, at the completion of the training program, students with significant intellectual disabilities can be employed in nontraditional, complex and rewarding jobs.

The total workplace immersion facilitates a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, and hands-on training through worksite rotations. The program culminates in individualized job development. SCESC, partnered with New Jersey Department of Labor- Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Developmental Disabilities. Additional partner agencies include NJ Transit, Abilities of NWNJ, and other transition agencies supporting students with special needs.

Applications are due on April 15, 2022. They can be found at www.sussexesc.org.

This exciting new program is now accepting applications for the September 2022 School Year. For more information or please call John O’Hara 973-222-1671 and/or email johara@sussexesc.org and ask to speak to Project SEARCH Coordinator or speak with your child’s case manager at their local public school.

04/04/2022

PS News from March 2022
This month was about marketing and student employment meetings. Supervisor John O’Hara has been busy with weekly information sessions flyers for Project SEARCH. These informational sessions have been sent to CST members to send to their parents/students. Project Search offers an info session every Wednesday from 10am-11am and again in the evening from 7pm-8pm. Directly Mr. O’Hara has established connections with new supervisors and directors of special education.

Marketing for the program continues to be 1:1 visits and tours of the program by families and potential candidates. Mr. O’Hara completes these tours and then follows up directly with the school staff and/or parents. Out of the 5 tours given, 4 of the students have applied. The 1 student did not apply because of the COVID vaccine mandate. We now have seven applicants for the Program for the 2022-2023 school year.

Currently the interns started their third and final rotation for the year. The Project Search interns just completed the financial literacy section of the classroom training. The students ended this larger unit with check endorsement. Health and fitness along with time management will continue through the end of the classroom instruction year.

Interns have continued putting patient admission bags together for Patient Experience & Volunteer Services and the interns feel great that they are helping the hospital care for the patients. If Hackettstown Medical Center needs further assistance they will contact us. At Newton Medical Center, the Materials Department had a luncheon for the assigned intern who had positive compliments reported both verbally and through email. Employee recognition is essential and Atlantic Health Services does a beautiful job in including our interns. We are still involved in visiting each department with a cart full of free snacks for employees with Reverend Randy. The administration has this initiative to thank all employees for their hard work and dedication.

As for the fidelity of the program and for the sustainability of candidate success, one adult intern was hired at Hackettstown Hospital in Food Services. He is in the onboarding process now and will be starting April 28th. An additional adult intern in the program will be getting interviewed for Environmental Services this week. The supervisor already told me they want him to work at Newton Medical Center. This is two examples of the win-win collaboration of Atlantic Health, Abilities and Sussex County ESC. When discussing the transferability of skills, we had two interns attend a job fair with our skills trainer from Abilities at Crystal Springs. One intern was hired on the spot and will start part time weekends ASAP and for the other intern, Crystal Springs reported they will be getting back to him this week.

Additional support for the program include Supervisor John O’Hara conducting a Parent training Webinar with The ARC of NJ called “Planning is Vital.” He also attended OSHE Career Accelerator Internship Grant Informational Session and The Facing the Future Virtual Event through The BOGGS Center. Mr. O’Hara led an Information Session in Phillipsburg with Abilities to promote Project SEARCH. Both Supervisor and Superintendent attended the Project Search Statewide meeting virtually. Finally, International Project Search has requested that our program complete an abstract proposal for the Project Search National Convention in July 2022 in Baltimore. The request was made to the Superintendent to outline the successful journey of an intern to sustainable employment, based on a recent graduate of our program.

The best part of the month would have to be the six intern Employment Planning Meetings. These planning meetings showcase the interns and what they think about their performance on the job. It includes Mr. O’Hara, Superintendent Romano, parent, DVR counselor, Abilities Skill Trainer, their Mentor from Newton Medical Center and the intern. Each intern reflects on how their strengths and weaknesses led to performance reviews. The interns speak to their successes and/or their challenges. They round out the meeting by discussing their final rotation.

04/04/2022

Still taking applications for Project Search at Newton Medical Center. Reach out to johara@sussexesc.org for more information!!!

12/16/2021

Today is an exciting day at Newton Medical Center Project Search. Today is our first Employee Planning Meetings. The interns have completed their first round of rotations and today will be sharing in their perspectives how it went.

We are all super excited to listen to them discuss their strengths and what they liked about the rotations!

Stay tuned....