Project SEARCH

Monroe County's Project SEARCH is a dynamic internship program designed to help young adults with disabilities transition from school to competitive employment. This program is a collaboration between the Monroe County Intermediate School District (MCISD), ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital, and several community partners, including Goodwill Industries of Southeast Michigan, Lake Erie Transit, and Monroe County Community Mental Health Authority Monroe County ISD.

Program Overview

Project SEARCH offers a total workplace immersion experience, combining classroom instruction with hands-on internships across various departments within ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital. Interns rotate through departments such as Dietary, Operating Room, Emergency Room, Ambulatory Surgery, Logistics, Human Resources, Housekeeping, Warehouse, Infusion, Laboratory, Daycare, Outpatient Rehabilitation, and the gift shop Monroe County ISD. This exposure helps participants develop competitive, marketable, and transferable skills essential for achieving their employment goals.

The program is modeled after the original Project SEARCH initiative that began at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in 1996 and has since expanded globally Project SEARCH.

Recent Achievements

In June 2025, seven interns graduated from Monroe's Project SEARCH Class of 2025, marking another successful year of the program.

Eligibility and Application

Project SEARCH is open to all Monroe County residents. Families interested in the Project SEARCH program should discuss this as an educational option with their child's teacher.