Staffing Made Easier – Tapping Into a Loyal and Capable Workforce –
People with Disabilities

Presented by:
Erin Riehle, RN, MSN & Susie Rutkowski, BS, M.Ed.

October is National Disability Awareness Month and Tri-State is excited to present Erin Riehle and Susie Rutkowski, co-founders of Project SEARCH, an international work transition program, successfully preparing young adults with significant disabilities for success in competitive integrated employment in the United States and around the world.

Project SEARCH started off in 1996 as a single program site at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, who currently employs over 60 people with disabilities in a variety of entry level jobs that are often hard for employers to fill.  Over the past 25 years, the program has grown into a large and continuously expanding international network of over 620 host sites in 47 states and 10 countries, including 13 locations in the Tri-State area.

Join Tri-State HRMA and come learn from Erin and Susie about the Project SEARCH Fidelity Model and this extremely innovative, successful, and well-supported approach that is breaking down barriers to secure competitive employment for thousands of people with disabilities each and every year.

The hallmarks of Project SEARCH are total workplace immersion through partnerships with the community, the education system, and state funding sources with a singular goal of achieving competitive employment for every program graduate. Almost 5,000 people complete this program each year with 70% successful employment outcomes, far surpassing nearly every other work transition program ever developed for this population.

“People don’t ask in an interview how long it took you to learn the job…they only want to know whether you can do the job.” – Erin Riehle

Approved for 1.25 SHRM PDCs
Pending HRCI Credit Approval

Erin Riehle, RN, MSN – Erin is a recognized authority and national leader in promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. She is a founder and Senior Director of Project SEARCH, an employment and transition program that has received national recognition for innovative practices pioneered under Ms. Riehle’s guidance.

Susie Rutkowski, BS, M.Ed. – Susie is the Co-Director and Educational Specialist for Project SEARCH. She is a nationally recognized transition expert with specific experience in program development in career technical education and job development for young adults with disabilities. She served as the Manager for Disability Education at Great Oaks Career Campuses for over twelve years. During that tenure she co-founded Project SEARCH.

Registration:

Members: $25
Guests: $30
Students: $10

Meeting Agenda: