Late last summer, when she enrolled in Project SEARCH, Leesha McBrayer had no idea what kind of job she'd end up with in the medical field.

But today the 18-year-old works part time in Lancaster General Health's downtown outpatient pavilion, drawing blood in the lab testing area and performing EKGs.

"I love my job," said McBrayer, who is in training and hopes to obtain full-time hours. "It's amazing."

McBrayer is one of the first two graduates of the local Project SEARCH program, which trains students with learning disabilities and other handicaps for jobs in health care. The school-to-work initiative is a partnership among LGH, Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 and the York Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.

While OVR provides funding, IU-13 handles the educational aspect of the program, and Lancaster General supplies classroom space and on-the-job supervision.

Project SEARCH of Lancaster County is closely modeled after a program started at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in the mid-1990s by registered nurse Erin Riehle. Since then, it's been replicated in many states and even worldwide.

Locally, the 2009-10 class has 11 students, representing Conestoga Valley, Cocalico, Donegal, Ephrata, Hempfield, Lampeter-Strasburg, Lancaster, Manheim Township and Solanco school districts.

Gordon Allen, IU-13's school-to-work supervisor, said the pilot year has been so successful, Project SEARCH is expanding to accept 13 students for 2010-11.

Participants must apply for the program and be accepted, he said. The York Office of Vocational Rehabilitation came up with grant money to start Project SEARCH, and funds also come from the school districts which have students enrolled, Allen said.

The program follows the school year calendar. He said the students start by spending five to six weeks in the classroom, learning Lancaster General Health's rules and regulations and life skills such as budgeting and banking.

They also undergo employment orientation.

Then, over an eight-week period, the students serve up to three internships, or rotations, in different areas. Lancaster General Health has 14 departments mentoring Project SEARCH participants.

Before they're hired, they must have their high school diplomas, Allen said. In some cases, the students will face competition for available jobs, he said.

So their employment "is not a given," Allen said.

Students may get follow-up services from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and from the Lancaster County Mental Health/Mental Retardation/Early Intervention Program if they're eligible.

If they can't secure work through LGH, efforts will be made to place them with another employer — such as a retirement community — where their skills are well-suited, Allen said.

Leesha McBrayer was chosen over 11 other applicants for her job at Lancaster General. She did quite well in her phlebotomy (blood-drawing) class before being hired.

Originally from Cocalico School District, McBrayer said she now lives with her grandparents in Lancaster so she can be closer to her job. She also looks forward to getting her driver's license soon.

Brittany Martin, from Conestoga Valley School District, is the second Project SEARCH alumnus. She works full time in the renal dialysis department at the suburban outpatient pavilion (formerly the health campus).

Martin said she sets up and cleans the machines, checks supplies and handles other duties.

Her supervisor, Scot Shrom, said she's "picked up things really quickly" and is assuming more and more responsibility.

James Spires, from Hempfield School District, is still doing his rotations. When it's time to apply for a job, Spires said he wants to work in sterile processing at LGH.

That involves sterilizing surgical instruments, and occasionally working in the decontamination room. "I'd love to do that," Spires said.

Sonya Wallace, LGH's director of diversity and inclusion, said she became quite familiar with Project SEARCH when she was employed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

"It's a real nice fit" for Lancaster General, she said.

People often assume diversity refers to race, ethnicity or gender, Wallace said, but individuals with disabilities fall into that category, too.

Project SEARCH, she said, "is a perfect example of diversity being alive and well."