“Is SAP considered counseling?”
The Student Assistance Program is similar to counseling services, however, our Student Assistance Specialists provide short term services, 6-8 weeks in length, and refer students and families out to off site resources for continued long term care.
“Is SAP cost effective?”
Center for Human Services pays for trainings, workers compensation, and benefits for Student Assistance Specialists. We also have a trained Supervision Team to answer questions that may arise and to offer consultation on difficult cases. SAP has had a positive impact on school attendance which in the long run saves schools money.
“How do other sites pay for SAP service?”
School sites use a variety of funding sources to pay for Student Assistance Program. Sites can use funding from School Improvement Fund (SIP), Title I, Title IV, Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) entitlement, among other funding sources. Some creative funding sources other school districts have used to fund SAP include: gathering business sponsors in your school district such as real estate firms, PTA sponsorships or combining with other schools in your district to share a Student Assistance Specialist. The school contracts vary from 5 days a week to ½ days per week of service.
“What students can use this service?”
Any student enrolled at your school site is eligible for services with signed parent/guardian permission.
“How are students referred to SAP?”
Student referrals vary depending on school site. Teacher, parent, staff, administrator, and student referrals are all welcome. Depending on the needs of your school, referrals can go directly to the Student Assistance Specialist, or be filtered through the site contact person.
“What are examples of SAP services?”
Services include one-on-one individual sessions, group sessions, conflict mediations, classroom presentations, teacher trainings, community referrals and parent contacts. Student Assistance Specialists can be utilized for suspension reduction programs (a reduction of the suspension time for a student in exchange for completing services) so that your students are in school, making every day count.
“Will this person take up a lot of my time?”
A Student Assistance Specialist is a trained individual who is ready to start on day one to help your students and staff. Your Student Assistance Specialist will keep you informed of the students on his/her caseload, and consult with you as frequently as you feel necessary. He/she is trained and supervised by our Student Assistance Program supervision team, requiring minimal administrative duties on your part.
“What are the qualifications to be a Student Assistance Specialist?”
Student Assistance Specialists are required to have a BA in the Human Services field. Every Student Assistance Specialist is fully trained prior to starting at your school site, and is ready to begin on day one. Center for Human Services provides opportunities for ongoing trainings to ensure that your Student Assistance Specialist is well versed in up to date information to guarantee top notch services for your students.
“Can my Student Assistance Specialist meet with a student without a signed permission slip?”
Your Student Assistance Specialist can meet with students in crisis situations one time without a signed permission slip. In this instance, the Student Assistance Specialist will call to receive verbal consent from the parent over the phone.
“What if a student is suicidal or homicidal?”
A Student Assistance Specialist is able to meet with a suicidal or homicidal student to do a preliminary screening. If an assessment for suicidal or homicidal ideation is needed, the Student Assistance Specialist will refer to their site contact person or their designated representative to make the decision about how to proceed.
“Can my Student Assistance Specialist meet with parents?”
A Student Assistance Specialist is able to meet with parents to give support and referrals that will benefit the student and family. Many of our Student Assistance Specialists are trained to facilitate a Brief Risk Reduction Interview and Intervention Model (BRRIIM) Family Conference, where the Student Assistance Specialist meets with the guardian and the student, conducts an interview, and creates an action plan tailored to the individual family to best meet their needs. The Student Assistance Specialist will connect the family with outside resources and agencies as needed to help the family be successful. Follow-up to the Family Conference includes individual student sessions and brief family contacts.
“How can I get SAP services at my school?”
If you’d like to have the Student Assistance Program at your school, please have your site administrator call us to discuss the details. |
