The Power of Support and Community on the Path to Employment Success

Project SEARCH graduate Gracie Thomas poses for a photo.

Known for her outgoing personality and strong community ties, Gracie Thomas has been making her mark in the Lake Mills area for over a decade.

“People say I am very social and many people in my community know me,” Gracie said. “My dad said when he used to take me to school, it was like walking Paris Hilton down the hall!”

Now 25 years old, Gracie has been working since her mid-teens, building a diverse skillset through various jobs and supportive programs that began in high school.

In Wisconsin, three state agencies prepare students like Gracie for success in the workforce. Together, the Department of Health Services (DHS), Department of Public Instruction (DPI), and Department of Workforce Development (DWD) collaborate to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to competitive integrated employment opportunities.

Competitive integrated employment (CIE) refers to work in which an individual with a disability is paid no less than the customary rate earned by other employees performing similar work in an environment where they regularly interact with people both with and without disabilities and have access to the same benefits and advancement opportunities as their peers without disabilities.

Gracie first applied for services with DWD's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) when she was 15 years old. With her mom’s help, she soon secured her first job at Lake Mills Family Restaurant, where she rolled napkins, filled condiment containers, and did light cleaning. Her coworkers were immediately supportive, which proved helpful as she did not have a job coach at the time.

Gracie also participated in Students Age 18-21 Continuing Schooling, a program initiated by the local school district at her parents’ urging. During this period, she took on a seasonal job cleaning and ushering at Town Cinema, her local theater, with job coaching support provided through DVR. She later worked at Culver’s, a job she particularly enjoyed.

“I liked this job the best because I saw so many people I knew,” she noted. However, her time there was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her final year of school, Gracie joined the Project SEARCH program at Marquardt Village in Watertown. During her internship rotations, her tasks included laundry, stocking, housekeeping, delivering room service, and engaging with residents.

Following her graduation from Project SEARCH, DVR’s job placement services helped Gracie secure a position at Optimal Physical Therapy in Lake Mills. Her responsibilities include cleaning the clinic and maintaining equipment. Initially supported by a full-time, DVR-funded job coach, her support has since scaled back to 30 to 60 minutes per shift, just enough to ensure she stays on track.

Reflecting on Gracie’s employment journey, her mom said it “took a village” to support her along the way. Over the years, Gracie has engaged with Children’s Long-Term Support, DVR, her local high school, and the IRIS program, each playing a unique role in helping her grow and succeed.

Throughout her career, Gracie has gained valuable skills that she uses both at work and at home.

“I learned a lot of life skills at my jobs, especially laundry. I use these skills at home to help my mom. I have also learned communication skills,” Gracie said.

Over the next five years, Gracie plans to increase her hours at Optimal and continue living at home with her parents.

Individuals with disabilities who would like to learn more about CIE opportunities can contact DVR toll free at 800-442-3477, via email at dvr@dwd.wisconsin.gov, or learn more at Wisconsin Competitive Integrated Employment: Act 178.

Gracie is one of thousands of individuals across the state who benefit from Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) in Wisconsin – a joint effort of DHS, DPI, and DWD-DVR formalized in 2017 through Wisconsin Act 178.

Project SEARCH was developed in 1996 at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and is now offered at over 750 sites worldwide. Wisconsin's Project SEARCH program began in 2008 with a single site located in Madison and has since expanded to 29 active sites across the state.

Special thanks to the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin for partnering with Think Ability Wisconsin, Gracie, and her family to share her employment story.