Four years ago, Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnatiwas having increasing trouble filling entry-level positions. Locatedin a largely African American community, the hospital also wasstriving to increase the diversity of its workforce.

Today, it is working with six other hospitals in Ohio and Kentuckyand businesses as large as Federated Department Stores to replicatea training and employment program that has placed some 170 disabledand low-income residents in entry-level health care jobs.

Further, the hospital hopes to expand a new training programfor licensed practical nurses into a health care academy offeringcareer-ladder training in the clinical, clerical, diagnostic andinformation technology areas.

Program co-director Erin Riehle was director of the hospital'semergency department when she contacted a local technical highschool in 1997 to investigate the possibility of employing peoplefrom the community with disabilities. The school, Great Oaks Instituteof Technology and Career Development, was enthusiastic and linkedRiehle with a young woman with Down syndrome, whom she hired asa stock clerk in her department.

The employee excelled, leading Children's to join with theschool to create Project SEARCH, a program that trains and/orplaces disabled and low-income adults in health care jobs at Children'sand other providers in the city.

The program trains disabled students aged 18-22 for entry-leveljobs in health care, trains disabled adults and adults transitioningfrom welfare for jobs as unit coordinators and nursing assistants,and trains low-income employees and residents as licensed practicalnurses.

As a result of the program, about 70 people with mental orphysical disabilities are employed in entry-level jobs in thehospital's emergency room, operating room, materials management,environmental services and other departments.

Children's wants to be a role model for employing the disabledin jobs other than food service and housekeeping, where nationallyabout 60% of disabled hospital employees work, Riehle notes.

More than 150 women have completed the program's welfare-to-worktraining since it started two years ago. To date, 100 of themhave been employed in the community, about 30 at Children's. Theprogram has received $500,000 a year in grants from the state,which helps pay for teachers, a case worker, a job developer tohelp with placement and rented classroom space about two blocksfrom the hospital.

Program participants receive an initial uniform, on-the-jobsupport and coaching, remedial coursework if necessary, and helpwith job placement and career advancement.

Enrollment in the 17-month LPN class launched this month totaled35 women, exceeding expectations. All but 10 of the women areemployed at the hospital as clerks, nursing assistants and otherlower paid support staff, Riehle said. Many of them could notafford to take advantage of the hospital's tuition reimbursementprogram or needed remedial help in reading or Math, which thisprogram provides, she said.

For more information, including a nine-minute video or helpin replicating Project SEARCH, contact Riehle at (513) 636-8729.

-- Mary Ann Costello