The Student Assistance Center (SAC) at Prevention First opened in October 2006 in response to identified needs by SAPs in Illinois. Through a two-year assessment and design process conducted by a team of Illinois SAP experts, a plan for building the capacity of SAPs to become sustainable was developed.

The SAC’s mission is to build the capacity of Student Assistance Programs in Illinois to become more sustainable through training, technical assistance, and resources. The SAC includes in its mission the development of collaborative partnerships with other Illinois organizations and associations working toward greater success for Illinois’ students and schools.

The Illinois Association of Student Assistance Professionals (IASAP) voluntary year-end report data identifies over 450 SAPs functioning in the state. By seeking support through partnering with IASAP, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and other organizations, the SAC furthers SAP efforts to optimize opportunities, mobilize resources, and foster a long-term vision of sustainability for SAP in Illinois.

Contact the SAC’s director by calling 800.252.8951 Ext. 109 or 124.

Illinois Sustainability Definition for SAPs
Defining Student Assistance
Approaches to the Delivery of Student Assistance Services
Student Assistance Targeted Strategies
Student Assistance Continuum of Care

Illinois’ Sustainability Definition for SAPs
Illinois’ sustainability definition is based on literature reviews of program and practice sustainability factors grounded in developing the capacity of the program or practice to maintain a healthy existence and perform functions. SAP sustainability in Illinois constitutes ongoing establishment of the SAP’s capacity for the creation, utilization and retention of the program and its practices. It is the ability of the Student Assistance Program collectively to identify and to perform the functions of their SAP, solve task and maintenance problems, set, achieve, monitor, evaluate and adapt referral and program goals (performance and governance).

Back to Top

Defining Student Assistance
Student Assistance is an infrastructure of proven, school-based practices that brings help to students, families, schools and communities.   Student Assistance provides an integrated system of care, including prevention, early intervention and support services that address mental health and substance use issues that otherwise result in barriers to student learning and success.

Student Assistance Programs address barriers to learning, particularly behavioral health issues affecting attendance, academics and school behaviors, that impact both the individual student and the school with the intent to increase student success while improving school climate. SAP staff utilize effective practices, principles, and strategies along with a systems approach to respond to student problems. SAPs partner with parents, students, school resource officers, other school faculty, community coalitions, agencies and services in seeking to remove barriers that impede student success.

Student Assistance Programs utilize both individual strategies for identified students and environmental approaches to improve the educational opportunities for all students and educators.

Back to Top

Approaches to the Delivery of Student Assistance Services
Delivery of Student Assistance services has historically been categorized into three approaches: the external approach, the internal approach, and the core team approach. Each approach is characterized by both strengths and drawbacks leading a number of school districts to utilize a combined approach.

External Approach: An agency-based individual contracted through a district to provide on-site services is categorized as an external SAP Counselor or Coordinator. Specialized training and certification in at-risk issues such as substance abuse and mental health problems are the strengths of this approach. The external SAP Counselor is trained to conduct initial screening and assessment for these problems offering more readily available connections to community professional services. This approach may be limited by funding in the number of hours per week allotted to work directly with students with little or no time devoted to directing prevention efforts or coordinating the continuum of SAP services within the building.

Internal Approach: An individual hired by the district to work directly with students and coordinate prevention efforts is categorized as the internal SAP Counselor or Coordinator. The SAP Coordinator approach often utilizes the core team approach; and as the Director/Coordinator, may provide direct student services, supervise others providing the services or utilize a combination of both. Specialized training along with a background in counseling are often the primary advantage of the internal SAP Counselor. More time devoted to student needs along with coordination of all SAP efforts in the building make this a strong approach for many schools.

Core Team Approach: A team of individuals representing a variety of disciplines within the building who work with identified students to implement school-based strategies and connect students and their families to community resources categorizes the SAP core team approach. Core team members represent administration, education, and health interests in implementing the SAP process. The core team approach often does not depend on outside funding for services, but time is typically not dedicated to work with students in the program.

Combining approaches can offer more comprehensive SAP services addressing the entire continuum of care.

Back to Top

Student Assistance Targeted Strategies
Student Assistance Programs direct efforts in three targeted areas reflecting the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM’s) delineations. Universal SAP strategies are directed to the entire student population and include prevention programs, policy and procedures, and environmental changes affecting all students.

Selective SAP strategies focus on students who are deemed at higher risk by virtue of their membership in a particular population segment such as children of alcoholics, students with anger or grief issues, students who violate school policy or students who are failing academically. Biological, psychological, social, or environmental risk factors may constitute the basis of risk for selective strategies. Education-based support groups, mentoring, tutoring programs and targeted after-school programs focusing on life skill development are commonly used strategies to address students in the selective target group.

Indicated SAP strategies are designed for individuals who do not meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV) criteria for addiction or mental health problems, but who are showing early danger signs such as failing grades, negative individual and peer behaviors, or using alcohol and other drugs. The mission of indicated SAP services is to identify individuals who are exhibiting early signs of problem behaviors and target them with special programs and services within the school as well as connecting the student and family with community resources and services when appropriate.

Back to Top

The Student Assistance Continuum of Care
Prevention: Prevention includes evidence-based and standards-based programs and strategies that offer age-appropriate alcohol, tobacco, and other drug education, interpersonal and behavioral skills training, violence prevention strategies, and social norming strategies. Prevention efforts may also include community prevention strategies focused on increasing understanding about risk and protective factors, alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, and providing positive youth activities and service opportunities. Strategies that change the environment or systems within the school also may be classified as preventive in nature.

Click here to learn more about effective prevention principles.

Identification and Referral: Adults in the school community are trained to identify common warning signs of barriers to learning so that students may be referred to the Student Assistance Program. Warning signs include declining academic performance and attendance, increased behavioral problems, and health concerns. Identification may also come through referral by students and parents, policy violations, or through common risk factors such as teen pregnancy or geographic location.

Early Intervention: The Student Assistance Program gathers relevant information in a fact-finding process to determine whether this is an appropriate Student Assistance referral. Typically, parents are also contacted as part of the fact-finding and solution process, and the student is interviewed to understand his or her perception of the problem. The SAP screening process is typically not considered the special-education pre-referral process due to special education legal requirements.

Problem Solving and Recommendations: A plan is developed to help the student and family address the barriers to learning and improve the student’s chances for success. The plan attempts to link the student to appropriate in-school resources such as meeting with the school counselor, tutoring, mentoring, peer mediation, or participation in a life skill education or support group. Linking the student and family with needed community resources to assist with problems beyond the scope of school services may also be part of the plan.

Support and Follow-Up: As the student receives school and/or community services, the Student Assistance Program can coordinate the exchange of important information to increase the probability of success. For those students receiving treatment and support from community agencies, a school support plan may be implemented as well. The Student Assistance Program may provide monitoring of the student’s progress along with additional strategies over a period of time to facilitate continued progress.

Back to Top