SAP 101: Implementing Student
Assistance Programs to Enhance
Community Schools
2012
Dale Gasparovic
Student Assistance Center Administrator
Traditional
Education Model
Instruction Governance
Riley: 8th grade – self referred to SAP
Incarcerated father, Spends a lot of time in
Mother deceased, independent reading,
Lives with 23 year old sister Often dresses inappropriately
that doesn’t want her for school,
there, States that her boyfriend is 18
and out of school, jealous and
Riley reads at grade level, sometimes scares her when
Math skills are above grade he is smoking weed. She is
level, afraid he will stop wanting to
Riley often does not have spend time with her and then
money for lunch, has not she would be alone again,
had breakfast, doesn’t Wants a lot of adult attention,
know where lunch card is, Difficulty identifying emotions
Is often distracted in class, Possible older sister gang
States she feels alone most affiliation
of the time,
Does not interact well with
other girls,
Support
Additional 3rd
Component
Model*
*Based on Information from The Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA
Instruction Governance
Traditional
Education Model
Student Assistance Programs
(SAPs) Provide:
A comprehensive school-
based framework for the
delivery of K-12
prevention, identification,
intervention and support
services.
SAP Much like Community
Schools are collaborative
efforts among students,
parents, schools and
community resources.
Focus of Student Assistance
Programs
Reduce barriers to learning including:
Mental health issues Health needs
Substance use issues Teen pregnancy
Basic life supplies Conflict problems
Relationship issues Violence including
Academic problems bullying, dating
relationships, and
Attendance problems overall school
Stress violence issues
Family issues
SAPs Reduce Barriers to Learning
in order to Increase School and
Life Success
SAPs Assist:
Students to achieve academic
and social success by
promoting healthy
development,
building resiliency,
reducing barriers to
learning and
developing strengths.
Student Assistance Programs
that have been in existence for
ten plus years say the greatest
benefit of SAP is…
Creatively Collaborating to intervene to
reduce barriers to learning by:
Setting up prevention and wellness programs
Empowering staff in identification and
intervention for barriers to learning
Creating an early identification and intervention
system
allowing staff to feel a sense of ownership in
helping students succeed
Developing support systems
STUDENT ASSISTANCE IS A
BRIDGE
Prevention Identification Early Intervention Support
Policies, procedures, Empowering Staff to be Good Eyes Developing policies, procedures, programs and Developing systems
programs, strategies that and Ears in looking for indicators strategies with school staff to help students of support to
impact all students. that kids are struggling with non- develop skills to deal with life issues impacting reinforce the gains
academic barriers to learning. their ability to be fully focused in the academic made in treatment or
environment. other community
services enabling
students to be
successful in school
and in life.
For Students &
Schools Families from the Community
school to getting help Services
from community
partners.
Student Assistance strategies
fall into three categories:
Universal –impacting all students
Selected –groups of students identified
as having common risk factors
Indicated – students who show signs of
academic, behavior, attendance, and
or health problems
Universal Population
Efforts focused on all students.
Preventive in nature.
•Policies, procedures, programs, strategies
that impact all students
•System change improving school climate /
learning environment.
•Staff empowerment and training to support
students who are struggling with non-
academic barriers to learning.
Selected Population
Selected group of students with common characteristics
(risk factors)
•grief and loss
•students with changing families
•military connected students
•pregnant teens
•students with relationship issues
•students with ATOD policy violations
•educational support groups
•after school programs
•tutoring groups, etc.
Indicated Population
Individual student demonstrating identifiable
characteristics: behavior, academics, health, and
attendance
•school-based resources such as the social worker,
school nurse
•behavior contracts
•opportunities for service
•recognition for skills and competency
•connecting with community resources already
provided within the community school and elsewhere
when indicated
SAP Strengthens the Connections
Between the School and Parents /
Families
Engage parents in the Student Assistance
process.
Connects families with appropriate internal and
community resources in the least restrictive
manner.
Facilitates communication between parents,
students, school and community resources.
Prevention & Education
Role of Role of
School Community
Personnel Agencies
Identification Intervention Support Diagnosis Treatment
Student Assistance Programs are
beneficial to more than just students.
Schools reported the following as a
result of their SAP:
78% improved staff morale
77% improved school climate
85% improved identifying at-risk
students
Research on
Student Assistance
Programs
SAP increases
Study outcomes show that:
access to behavioral health services at
a higher rate than is reported nationally.
(U.S. Surgeon General, 2001)
Retrospective Analysis of the Pennsylvania SAP Outcome Data: Implications for Practice
and Research- November 2003
Research conducted for the National Student Assistance Association and the Center for
Substance Abuse Prevention
THE ROLE OF
STUDENT ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS
IN EDUCATIONAL
SUCCESS
Illinois SAP Data for
School Year 2004-2005
117,261 students participated in SAP
sponsored prevention programs
10,140 were identified and received early
intervention services
The data shows 72% of SAP referred
students either maintained or improved in
the area(s) of concern.
SAP referred students
showed
improved attendance
decreased discipline problems
advancement to next grade
higher graduation status
Contact Us
Dale Gasparovic, MSed., CSAP
Administrator
Student Assistance Center at Prevention First
623 Jefferson
Quincy IL 62301
217-299-8803
[Link]@[Link]
[Link]