Giving Back: Sentara Community Benefits Report December 2010 

Project SEARCH Program at Sentara CarePlex Hospital Gives Job Experience, Confidence to Young Adults with Disabilities

HAMPTON, VA (November 17, 2010) – Young adults with disabilities are finding new keys to success as they gain job experience and hone workplace skills through a program at Sentara

Young adults participate in Project SEARCH to train  for  the workforce.

CarePlex Hospital.

Project SEARCH was created through a collaborative partnership with Hampton City Schools, Newport News Public Schools and Sentara CarePlex Hospital for adults ages 18 to 21.

“The students move beyond the disability label to learning jobs skills, and they bring value to a diverse workplace,” says Rebecca Burkart, a special education specialist with Newport News Public Schools and lead instructor at the Sentara CarePlex site.

Burkart coaches students through the 10-month program. Hospital department managers at the worksite also mentor the students to orient them to the workplace.

Sentara CarePlex was the first site within Sentara Healthcare to collaborate with local school systems to pilot the program. Since then Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center have initiated Project SEARCH sites at their hospitals to provide a hand up toward employment.

This story and others are available in the December 2010 Sentara Community Benefits Report.  The report highlights Sentara Healthcare's activities with various non-profit organizations it supports in Hampton Roads in order to fulfill its mission of improving health every day.

Read more details about Sentara's dedication to the Hampton Roads community  through various programs and financial contributions. Also view past versions of Community Benefits reports.

For more health information and the latest press releases, go to the Sentara news page on Sentara.com.