Lee Health: We join NCH to honor workers with disabilities

Larry Antonucci
·2 min read

This month, in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Lee Health and NCH Healthcare System are working to highlight the vital role people with disabilities play in making our workforces diverse and inclusive.

Larry Antonucci
Larry Antonucci

Together, we are hosting a “Celebration in the Park,” set for Oct. 15, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Estero Community Park. We are inviting the community to join us to visit with local resources from Collier and Lee counties that help individuals of all ages, but particularly young adults (and their families) who are seeking a meaningful career or assistance. This family-friendly event will also feature music, food trucks, a kids’ Halloween costume contest and more.

Lee Health takes diversity and inclusivity seriously, and we are committed to creating and sustaining an environment, a workplace that enables people of all ages, ethnicities, religious and cultural backgrounds, and with various skills and abilities to succeed. We do this in many ways, but one example is Project SEARCH.

A one-year transition from school to work program, Project SEARCH helps high school students with intellectual or developmental disabilities cultivate and develop life and work skills appropriate for competitive employment. The School District of Lee County, Center for Independent Living and Vocational Rehabilitation also support Project SEARCH.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is recognized each October to commemorate the many contributions of people with disabilities to America’s workplaces and economy. This year’s theme, 'America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion,' reflects the importance of ensuring people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project SEARCH follows the calendar for The School District of Lee County, so the newest cohort of interns joined our team in August and are currently working at HealthPark Medical Center and Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Throughout the year, the students receive education through the school district, and they learn about the “five Ps,” which include being polite, prompt, prepared, productive and positive. While with us at Lee Health, they gain experience working in Guest Services, Food and Nutrition Services, Central Supply and Sterile Processing. They also work in service roles in patient care areas, like the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Pediatric Sedation, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Inpatient Pediatrics, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and Endoscopy.

We are proud to host and participate in the Project SEARCH program. It is rewarding to empower these students to gain valuable and transferrable skills that will help them earn meaningful, competitive employment and independence. We are excited, too, to join NCH Healthcare System and other community partners to help connect people with opportunities while also honoring and celebrating the important contributions of workers with disabilities.

Larry Antonucci, M.D., MBA is the president and CEO of Lee Health, Southwest Florida’s major destination for health care offering acute care, emergency care, rehabilitation and diagnostic services, health and wellness education, and community outreach and advocacy programs. Visit LeeHealth.org to learn more.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Lee Health: We join NCH to honor workers with disabilities