FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — An innovative partnership with the Fayette County school district and Piedmont Fayette Hospital is finding success in putting adults on a career path that accommodates their differences while leveraging their inherent talent.
Project SEARCH has a 100% job placement rate, securing employment for people with disabilities who are essential to the community.
Ronald Deavers is a shining example of its success.
The 22-year-old does his job with precision and is proud of his work as a procedure support tech in the surgery division at Piedmont Fayette Hospital.
"It made me feel like I had a purpose. A lot of people saying that they like school more than getting a job, but I was different," he said.
Jenny Bellamy leads the Project SEARCH program that bridges the gap for students with disabilities in Fayette County Public Schools and meaningful employment for them when they graduate.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in three adults in Georgia are living with some degree of disability. That's about 29% of Georgia's population, with a majority either having mobility or cognitive difficulties, data shows.
Many of those adults are searching for meaningful work that will accommodate their differences, Bellamy explained. That's where Project SEARCH comes into play with a program that celebrates those differences and welcomes them into the hospital wings.
"Without the Project SEARCH program, they wouldn't have had their foot in the door; they wouldn't have been able to prove themselves," Bellamy said.
Project SEARCH said its primary focus "is to secure competitive employment for high-functioning individuals with learning differences." The partnership is now in its fifth year.
The program recently received a national award for its 100% job placement of students as members of the 2021-2022 cohort are now Piedmont Fayette employees.
Since its 2018 launch, Project SEARCH students have worked in numerous departments, including rehabilitation and fitness, dietary services, nursing units, central sterile, patient experience, and human resources. Those who have joined the staff at Piedmont Fayette now work in dietary, pre-op, environmental services, and the operating room.
"The way their self-esteem grows, their communication skills, their advocacy - they advocate for themselves - and that's what we teach here," said Bellamy.
Around eight students each year take classes at the hospital and then do internships with different departments to find the best fit.
"Every morning, it just makes me excited to wake up and say hello to people," said Nelson White. He is one of the first graduates of the program.
He found his home in pre-op - and now mentors other students.
"I also help the kids out, train them - that's the most important part of my job because they might not have a job," he said.
Bellamy said it all helps encourage a different narrative.
"They have a lot more abilities than disabilities, and it really changes the culture," Bellamy said.
This changes the expectations the kids have of themselves. Last year, the program had a 100% job placement rate for its students -- Deavers hopes that's a statistic they'll be quick to keep up.
"I am part of that team; I am contributing; it makes me feel like I am doing good," Deavers said.