Student Assistance Team Information
What is Student Assistance?
The Student Assistance Program (SAP) is a county-wide school- based substance use and violence intervention program under the auspices of the Montgomery County Public schools Safe and Drug-Free Schools Project. Student Assistance is focused on prevention through intervention and is not aimed at collecting evidence for criminal prosecution. The Goal of Student Assistance is to identify adolescents whose behavior, attendance or grades indicate that they may have problems related to alcohol and/or other drug use or violence. Through the different steps that comprise the Student Assistance process, these at-risk adolescents are referred for a professional assessment and directed to appropriate services.
How does it work? CONFIDENTIALLY.
Any individual, either staff member, parent, or student can inform a member of the SAP team about his/her concern for a student. Students may even refer themselves. For those concerned with anonymity, a Concern Form can be submitted to the Student Assistance Team in one of the locked SAP boxes found next to the main office and upstairs adjacent the media center entrance. Boxes are checked daily. Additional referral forms may also be acquired at each of the lock boxes. Then the data collection process begins. Information is studied to determine any possible indicators, such as a drop in grades, increase in absences, frequent visits to the nurse or behavior concerns. If there are insufficient indicators of a problem, the matter is dropped and all information is destroyed. If, however, the data collected indicates the need for further assessment, the information is then shared with the student’s parent(s)/ guardian. Any information concerning who made the original referral is strictly confidential.
How and when are parents/guardians involved?
Alcohol and other drug use or violence by students is a family issue. Intervention in alcohol and/or drug use or violence by students requires the support and involvement of their parents/guardians. Based on these core concepts and observations of our program, parental involvement in the student assistance process is necessary. Parental involvement has proven to strengthen the intervention process, to improve the likelihood of a student being assessed, entering and completing treatment, if recommended, and remaining drug/alcohol-free. Given the diversity of students who receive help through the student assistance teams and the complexity of the many cases, no single model explains the timing and the nature of parent involvement. Rather, the school team will need to examine each student’s case to determine at what point to involve parents/guardians. Generally, the earlier the parents are involved, the greater the likelihood of favorable outcomes. If you have any questions regarding this program, email Dr. Neighbors, the SAP Team Leader.