Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH was developed in 1996 as a partnership between Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Great Oaks Career Campuses, and the Hamilton County Board of Developmental Disability Services in Ohio. These agencies worked together to create a program to fill employment needs in high-turnover, entry-level positions at the hospital while offering developmentally disabled people from the area the opportunity to learn new and marketable skills and have gainful employment.
The program has since expanded to include over 500 sites within the United States and ten countries. Community Bridges is a proud partner of the Project SEARCH Program at Concord Hospital which is one of five in the state of New Hampshire.
Project SEARCH is a two-year program for individuals with disabilities whose goal is to obtain competitive employment. The two-year program consists of a one-year internship experience and a second year focusing on any needed long-term employment support. Internships take place in a healthcare setting where total immersion in the workforce facilitates the teaching and learning process of marketable workforce skills. Students participate in three internship rotations, each focusing on workforce skill sets and explore a variety of career paths. The students work with a team that includes their family, a special education teacher, skills trainers, and rehabilitative service providers.
Benefits of Project SEARCH for students:
- Acquire competitive, transferable, and marketable job skills
- Gain increased independence, confidence, and self esteem
- Obtain work based individualized coaching, instruction and feedback
- Develop linkages to Vocational Rehabilitation and other adult service agencies
Project SEARCH at Concord Hospital is created through the partnership of Concord Hospital, Community Bridges, Concord School District and NH Vocational Rehabilitation.


