Notice of Opportunity-Project SEARCH Pilot Steering Committee
Under the leadership of Commissioner Jordan Scheff, the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS) continues to vigorously promote its Employment First Policy. This includes being creative and persistent in establishing programs that provide supports to help people with intellectual disabilities find, get and keep community-based, competitive wage jobs. This cannot be accomplished without increasing the capacity of private providers to ensure meaningful competitive employment outcomes for the individuals we support.
DDS is pleased to announce that it will continue its collaboration with national Project SEARCH to expand the number of providers by one (1) per region. Project SEARCH is a unique, business-led employment preparation program that takes place entirely at the workplace and is a collaboration between the provider agency and host business. The focus of the program is on serving young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who can benefit from personalized support in an intensive year of career development and internship experience. Total workplace immersion facilitates a combination of classroom instruction, career exploration and hand-on training through worksite rotations with the goal of individuals finding competitive, integrated employment.