Not everyone can say that the work that they do on a daily basis is rewarding – truly rewarding. Here at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI), I believe that many can say this is true at least some of the time. As an associate in human resources, I have the pleasure of helping associates on their first days at the company; getting them oriented to the company, the building and the culture.

I make it easy for associates to develop themselves through a mentoring program, online and in-person trainings, and by administering the tuition assistance program to name a few. I am heavily involved in community relations work, which allows me to work in the community and raise funds and awareness for agencies that make a difference in the lives of Rhode Islanders.

All of that is great work – feel-great work.
But at work, there’s something I find more rewarding – my role as the BCBSRI liaison for Project SEARCH.

For those unfamiliar with the program, Project SEARCH was developed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in 1996 when Erin Riehle, director of Cincinnati Children’s Emergency Department, felt that - because the hospital served individuals with developmental disabilities - it made sense to commit to hiring people with disabilities. She wondered if it would be possible to train people with developmental disabilities to fill some of the high-turnover, entry-level positions in her department. Riehle presented her ideas to Susie Rutkowski, the special education director at Great Oaks Career Campuses, and together they launched Project SEARCH.

Since its inception, Project SEARCH has grown from a single program site at Cincinnati Children’s to a large and continuously expanding international network of sites. Three years ago, BCBSRI was the first program site nationally not hosted within a hospital or a hotel.

Project SEARCH’s primary objective is to secure competitive employment for people with disabilities. At BCBSRI, Project SEARCH interns from the Cranston and Johnston school districts learn on-the-job skills and gain real-life work experience during their three rotations in areas such as food services, facilities management and office services. Many of the interns with whom BCBSRI has had the pleasure of working have secured part- and full-time work upon graduating from the program.

On June 12, five 18- to 21- year-old post-secondary students with disabilities were honored at BCBSRI’s Providence office for completing the Project SEARCH program and for receiving their high school diplomas. This event is always well attended – by the graduates; their families and close friends; former Project SEARCH interns; representatives from the Office of Rehabilitation Services; Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals; Perspectives Corporation; school committee members and faculty; and BCBSRI colleagues. This year’s ceremony was no different, and the outpouring of pride, gratitude, celebration and community is overwhelming.

In late August 2018, BCBSRI will again open our doors and welcome seven new Project SEARCH interns. I can’t wait to start working with them.

For more information about the national Project SEARCH program, visit www.projectsearch.us, or contact me at 401.459.5037 or trish.ginnetti@bcbsri.org.

Trish Ginnetti is the organizational development consultant for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island.