Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Career Path Receives Access Achievement Award from Mayor's Commission on People with Disabilities (CHOP PA LEND)

December 23, 2014

Individuals with disabilities are over-represented among the chronically unemployed and underemployed. In response to this challenge, Philadelphia LEND faculty Symme Trachtenberg developed a post-high school internship and job training program for youth with chronic illness and disability, CHOP Career Path (CCP) in 2007. Career Path is an interdisciplinary program that assists these young adults in transitioning from a school-based setting to a competitive work environment utilizing rehabilitation and supported employment approaches.

The CHOP Career Path program evaluates youth with disabilities, offers work trials within various departments at CHOP, and helps them find competitive employment at CHOP or in the community. CHOP Career Path is an integral part of the LEND Program. Working with Ms. Trachtenberg, LEND fellows have been involved in program development, clinical assessment, and program evaluation as part of their LEND program activities.

CHOP Career Path program received the Access Achievement Award from the Mayor's Commission of People with Disabilities on Oct. 30. The award is given to businesses, organizations and nonprofits that have made outstanding efforts to improve and increase access for people with disabilities throughout the Delaware Valley.

The goal of Career Path is to help young adults between the ages of 18 and 22 who have chronic illness and/or disabilities bridge the gap between high school and the working world.

"Getting this award recognizes the outstanding work done by our team," says Symme Trachtenberg, M.S.W., L.S.W., director of Community Education, CHOP Career Path and LEND Community Outreach at CHOP. "It sends the message to all our patients and their families that youth with chronic illness and disabilities have employment in their future."

A portion of this article first appeared in At a Glance, the employee newsletter of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and is reprinted with permission.