The CHOP Career Path Program is a supported employment program for individuals with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses. Services take place in Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). To be considered for the program, a referral to the PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation or NJ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services is needed. You can be referred by your medical team, your social worker, your school or another agency.

What does the program provide?

• Vocational Readiness Assessment:
  • Cooperative assessment to determine an individual’s strengths and challenges in a situational work environment
  • Neurofunctional assessment completed by a multidisciplinary team, including:
    • Vocational support coordinator 
    • Physical therapist
    • Occupational therapist
    • Speech/language pathologist
    • Social worker
• Vocational counseling and career planning and mapping
• Interview skills/resume writing
• Internship placement for skills training
• Job-seeking strategies and techniques
• Correspondence with community agencies, schools and potential employers
• Communication with medical team regarding specific recommendations or accommodations related to employment goals

What are the eligibility criteria?

• Chronic illness and/or disability. Some examples are: learning disability, intellectual disability, ADHD, sickle cell disease, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injury
• Desire to work in the community
• Appropriate social skills to learn how to integrate into a community setting 
• Basic communication skills/strategies
• Basic reading skills
• Independent self-care skills (restroom use, self-care, feeding)
• Able to access transportation to and from CHOP or placement site (funding for transportation can be provided)
• Can work unsupervised for up to four hours, without one-on-one supervision
• Able to commit to a regular weekly schedule, up to 20 hours
• Medically stable and has updated immunizations
• Able pass a drug screen, criminal background check and child abuse clearance

* Full program participation is dependent on completion of a Vocational Readiness Assessment and approval by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation or the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. In addition, in order to participate in the full program, you must have some form of health insurance.

More information

If you have any questions or for more information, please call 267-426-9858 or email CHOPcareerpath@email.chop.edu.