Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the role of the classroom teacher in the program?
The best student assistance happens in the classroom. Every day teachers identify
students with behaviors of concern and use their professional judgment, knowledge
and experience to intervene. Most of the time, the classroom teacher is able
to help the student get back on track. However, when the behaviors persist, the
teacher can refer the student to the Student Assistance Program. The teacher
completes the referral form, which includes information about the student's strengths,
behaviors of concern and interventions tried. In some schools, the teacher attends
the meeting when an action plan is developed for the referred student. The teacher
may be asked to implement some of the strategies developed for the student, to
monitor the student's progress and to report to the team.
2. What is the role of the student in the program?
The student is an important resource to the team. Once the team has received
a referral on a student, that student is interviewed, usually by a team member.
The interviewer uses a strengths-based approach that seeks to discover what the
student enjoys; the student's competencies, activities and positive relationships
with adults and peers; opportunities to feel likable, capable and important; and
the student's perception of the problem and desired outcomes. All of this information
is taken into consideration when developing an action plan to address the behaviors
of concern. Once the action plan is completed, a team member will review it with
the student and family. Because the student has given input into the creation
of the plan and the purpose of the plan is to support rather than punish the student,
the student is likely to agree with the plan.
3. What is the role of the family in the program?
The family is an important resource, as well. A team member contacts the family
to inform them that a referral has been made and to set up an appointment to interview
them. This, too, employs a strengths-based format. Questions similar to the
ones asked of the student are posed to the family members including their perception
of the student's strengths, the problem and their desired outcomes.
4. What research supports Student Assistance Programs?
There is a tremendous amount of research that has examined what young people
need to grow up to be safe, successful and drug-free. Some of this has focused
on resiliency, the ability to bounce back from adverse circumstances. Some research
has looked at the assets that young people need to develop in healthy ways and
how parents, schools and communities can build those assets in youth. Other research
has focused on bonding as the primary vehicle for healthy behaviors and the best
ways to promote healthy relationships and bonding to positive adults, peers and
institutions. All of this research has been used to develop the Student Assistance
Program and its strength-based approach.
5. If my school wants to start a Student Assistance Program, how do we get started?
Contact the staff of The Governor's Prevention Partnership to discuss your school's
interests and needs. If it seems that our training is appropriate, one of our
staff members will schedule a pre-training meeting. We will meet at your school
with the principal, the team members and other interested staff to describe our
training and model of student assistance. We use this model as the basis for
our training, with the expectation that each team will adapt the model to fit
their school's needs and culture.
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