Project SEARCH Provides Opportunities for Everyone

Since its inception, Project SEARCH has been a program with one main objective - to secure competitive employment for people with disabilities. The program has been a mainstay in the community for more than a decade, helping to provide interns with occupational skills, personal growth opportunities, and job placements.

“Project SEARCH is all about training our students, also known as interns, to achieve competitive and integrated employment,” said Becky Armstrong, USD 497’s LMH Health Project SEARCH coordinator.

The district brought Project SEARCH to the community in 2011 as part of a collaborative process to pilot the program in Kansas. The current program maintains a partnership with LMH Health and the University of Kansas.

“A lot of our former and future interns are hands-on learners. They really grow in an environment where they explore and practice trades,” said Tracey Norris, USD 497’s KU Project SEARCH coordinator.

Once candidates enter the program, they complete three internships over the course of 10 weeks. This allows them to try to different things that they are interested in and learn an array of skills. Current Project SEARCH interns at LMH Health work in these departments: materials management, central supply, education, facilities, admissions, therapy, food and nutrition, environmental services and on patient floors.

Kelsey Leonard and Chris Tomei were a part of the first class of interns at LMH Health in 2012 and are currently employed with LMH Health. Leonard’s journey started after she graduated high school. She wanted to do more, so after completing another USD 497 transition program called “C-Tran,” she applied for and was selected to participate in the Project SEARCH program. She split time between three rotations at LMH Health, working on the fourth and second floor, as well as with therapy services and environmental services. After completing her internship, Leonard was hired as an environmental services technician. She has worked at LMH

Health for over 10 years and looks forward to continuing to grow her career.

Chris Tomei is a no-nonsense type of guy when it comes to work. He is often found livening up the halls of LMH Health as he delivers boxes from materials management. He completed two rotations in the cafeteria and calls his favorite the one he completed in materials management with his mentor and family friend, supply clerk Bob Lagerstrom.

Project SEARCH has not only opened doors for former interns like Leonard and Tomei, but for countless other interns who have worked at LMH Health and KU.

(Excerpt reprinted with permission from LMH Health from https://www.lmh.org/ news/2023-news/project-search-providesopportunities-for-everyone/, story and photo by Kade Han, April 10, 2023.)