Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement (PSAE) is a 10-month internship program for young adults who have exited high school, and whose goal is competitive employment.
This work-readiness program takes place in White Plains on NewYork NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health campus, where total immersion in the workplace facilitates the teaching and learning process as well as the acquisition of employability and marketable work skills. Interns work with a team comprised of the family, PSAE instructors/coaches, supervisors, and mentors.
PSAE is an OPWDD community-based prevocational service and runs Monday-Friday, from 8:30 am – 2:30 pm., from September through June. During these ten months, PSAE Interns can expect to:
- Work with a team comprised of the family, PSAE instructors/coaches, supervisors, and mentors
- Participate in 600 hours of internships in a variety of positions
- Acquire 300 training-room hours on competitive, transferable, and marketable job skills
The hallmarks of Project SEARCH are total workplace immersion and a singular goal of competitive employment for every program graduate. As interns prepare to graduate from the program, they begin working with The Arc Westchester’s Supported Employment Department. Interns transition from working with PSAE program staff to The Arc Westchester’s Supported Employment Department to obtain meaningful employment.
Applying to PSAE:
The application and screening process for this program is time-sensitive and begins with attending an Information Session. During these sessions, both the interested candidate and their parents or guardians will learn about the program and the application process for the upcoming cohort.
Information Sessions are held in January and February and are considered the first step toward applying to PSAE. Please register and learn more.
About PSAE:
Project SEARCH started as a single program site in the United States in 1996 at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and is now an internationally recognized employer-driven model with over 784 program sites worldwide. Visit www.projectsearch.us for more about the Project SEARCH model. Autism Enhancement refers to a supplemental curriculum for the program incorporating UNC TEACCH® methodologies to address the needs of individuals with ASD specifically.
PSAE was developed as a collaboration between The Arc Westchester and NEXT for AUTISM, in partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health and Center for Autism and the Developing Brain.
If you would like to receive more information about the program, please email Jacie Feuer, jfeuer@arcwestchester.org.
