Project SEARCH

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Allows students with autism and related disabilities in their final year of entitlement to attend a full-day, 10-month program onsite at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital or at Novo Nordisk in Plainsboro, NJ. Applications are now being accepted for Fall 2025 in both programs.

Learn more below and see our event info here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8juNYG6nP1U

Project SEARCH | Cincinnati Children's (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8juNYG6nP1U)

Project SEARCH interns participate in work rotations, learn transferable skills, and acquire hands-on knowledge.

The Y.A.L.E. School Project SEARCH program at Jefferson Health in Cherry Hill has been recognized internationally for exemplary employment outcomes since its launch in 2016, including 100% employment outcomes in 2020. Y.A.L.E. School is joined by Jefferson Health, NJ DVRS, NJ DDD, and Samost Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern New Jersey (JFCS) in a collaborative partnership that makes such extraordinary outcomes possible.

In September 2024, Novo Nordisk in Plainsboro, NJ, a leading global healthcare company, became the host business for Novo Nordisk Project SEARCH, partnering with Y.A.L.E. School, NJ DVRS, NJ DDD and Best Buddies International to serve students referred by school districts in Middlesex, Mercer, and other New Jersey counties.

Transition Option	Ages Served	Level of Student Independence	Locations	Goal
Project SEARCH	20-21 final year of public education	High	Jefferson Hospital - Cherry Hill Novo Nordisk Plainsboro, NJ	To obtain competitive employment with supports lessening over time

Project SEARCH applicants include students already enrolled in Y.A.L.E. School as well as new students referred to Y.A.L.E. by their sending school district to participate in Project SEARCH at either Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital or Novo Nordisk.

Accepted students in Project SEARCH receive training in 10-week work rotations in three different company departments. At Jefferson, departments have included Health Information Management, Patient Transport, Pharmacy, Storeroom, Food Service, Facilities, and Environmental Services. At Novo Nordisk Project SEARCH, departments such as Legal, IT, Marketing, the Innovations Lab, as well as Food Services and the Conference Center have all provided rotations to Project SEARCH interns.

At the end of the program year, interns transfer the skills gained to competitive employment in the community, and possibly at the host company, based on available openings.

For more information about Project SEARCH at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital, including 2025-2026 application and guidelines, see below.

Email kslater@yaleschoolnj.com with questions.

For additional information about Novo Nordisk Project SEARCH in Plainsboro, and 2025-2026 application, and guidelines, visit the Novo Nordisk Project SEARCH page.

Coming Fall 2025! – Learn about Project SEARCH at Jefferson Stratford Hospital for young adults with DDD funding, ages 22 – 30, opening in September ’25 through the Y.A.L.E. Clinic, an approved NJ DDD Provider.

See Application and Guidelines below or email mchapman@yaleclinic.org with questions.

Resources

Project SEARCH brochure
Project SEARCH Info Sessions Recorded Events Passcode: 8NohU=2D
Project SEARCH Lunch and Learn Recorded Event Passcode: jKc6Gk@=
Project SEARCH Lunch and Learn Recorded Event
Project SEARCH Aspirational Employment Flyer

Newsletters

2024-2025

Project SEARCH at Jefferson Health Fall 2024 Newsletter