School Based Prevention Staff

What is a Student Assistance Program?

The Student Assistance Program (SAP) of Vermont is modeled after the Employee Assistance Program developed during World War II to assist employees in dealing with whatever mental health issue is surfacing in one’s life. In the late 80’s Ellen Morehouse developed SAP, which VT adopted. The first SAPs worked part-time in area high schools reaching out to high-risk students. As time progressed the program became much more uniformed, guided by prevention needs and student data. There are now 53 elementary, middle, and high schools that have an SAP, either part-time or full-time.

According to the Department of Education Vermont is serving 79,782 students across the 305 public schools for the 2024-25 school year (there are 141 private schools, serving 13,422 students. 86% of all K-12 students in Vermont are educated in public schools.

Student Assistance Programs are a response to the many and varied personal problems that students bring with them to school, including alcohol and other drug-related issues.

The basic tenet of the program is hiring a counselor with a background in Substance misuse and mental health who is available to all students to guide them in whatever their mental health issues are, a diagnosis is not needed nor is treatment provided, rather they screen, assess, refer and offer resources. SAP works as part of a comprehensive team in supporting students in a variety of issues including school struggles, substance misuse, violence, neglect, sexual abuse, depression, and suicidality. SAPs are one more link in the continuum of care: Prevention, Intervention, Treatment/Support & Aftercare.

SAPs provide prevention education to classrooms, facilitate prevention groups, offer staff and parent/Community training, and work with administrators in developing and updating school policies.

The Six Core Components of a Student Assistance Program

The SAP model allows schools and communities to develop programs compatible with their current methods of operation and emerging needs. However, the most successful SAP Programs accomplish six basic tasks:

Identify students with academic, personal, and social concerns before their problems impact their chance for a successful and rewarding school experience.
Take initial action towards an effective, positive process of change.

Conduct a pre-assessment * to determine how best to help students examine and sort out their lives, and move in a positive direction.
Refer for help, either within the school or in the community, to provide students the assistance they need to overcome whatever personal problems interfere with their education and overall development.
Support access to appropriate care, doing as much as possible to ensure that students take advantage of the opportunities given to them within the school and community.
Support change through educational student support groups, where students learn to make behavioral changes, develop skills, and regain their ability to learn.

*A preliminary assessment (or pre-assessment) does not provide an in-depth description of students and their problems; a pre-assessment process gathers the minimum amount of information needed to determine

Can the child/teen’s problem be assisted by present in-school services
Is it necessary to make a referral to an outside agency for a formal assessment of the child/teen’s issues and /or for a possible treatment recommendation?

Taken from Help is Down the Hall, A Handbook on Student Assistance, a SAMHSA publication.

Recommended Training Opportunities For New SAPS

For new Student Assistance Professionals (SAPs), the following training is recommended to build a strong foundation in substance misuse prevention and intervention:

•Substance Misuse Prevention Essentials: Core concepts in substance misuse prevention.

•Special Topics in Prevention of Substance Misuse: In-depth exploration of complex prevention issues.

•Adolescent 6-Part Webinar Series: Insights into youth-specific substance misuse challenges.

•SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment): Practical tools for early identification and intervention.

•Safety Planning for Youth Suicide Prevention: Strategies for preventing youth suicide.

•Preventing Underage Cannabis Use: Risk/Protective Factors & Effective Communication: Addressing cannabis use among youth.

•Pharmacology for Prevention Specialists: Understanding the effects of substances and pharmacology basics.

All pieces of training can be found at www.healtheknowledge.org

For Supervisors

All SAP counselors are encouraged to have outside ongoing supervision

Supervision is an intensive learning experience providing counselors feedback on, and assessment of, counselors’ clinical skills.
The quality of supervision directly impacts job satisfaction and ultimately service delivery.
Emotional support is provided, and clinical responsibilities are shared.
Professional development is enhanced. A forum for personal growth is provided.
Aids counselors in dealing with the emotionally latent content of counseling.
Provides an internal monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

Aids in staffing/managerial functions: hiring, evaluating, promoting, and disciplining.

You have an ethical and legal responsibility to your students to get weekly supervision.
Regular evaluation is a key part of the process of supervision.

Pacific Southwest PTTC

What Research Shows Does NOT Work in Substance Misuse Prevention.

“SHEDDING LIGHT ON INEFFECTIVE STRATEGIES IN SUBSTANCE MISUSE PREVENTION

There are many evidence-based prevention programs and practices available to families, schools, and communities that focus on preventing substance misuse and its associated harmful consequences among youth and young adults. Over time, evaluations of these programs and practices have also identified which ones are ineffective and in some cases, have adverse effects (e.g., increasing substance use). As prevention practitioners, it is critical to identify ineffective approaches so that resources are better invested, we can mobilize communities to implement effective prevention programs and practices, and we do no harm. While the prevention field has begun to move away from some ineffective strategies, it is important to continue identifying ineffective and in some cases, harmful (e.g., unintentionally leading to increases in use2) strategies being implemented in communities. The science of prevention is advancing, and so is our understanding of what works and what does not work in substance misuse prevention. This report focuses on more recent research that describes what does not work in substance misuse prevention. Specifically, the work summarized in this report is taken from research that has been either peer-reviewed (i.e., evaluated by other experts in the field) or published in the form of white papers (i.e., another research-based document) where the findings did not establish any significant impact on preventing key substance use or risk factor outcomes. For more information on how to find other research on what does and does not work in prevention, review this resource from the Pacific Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center, ” How to Conduct a Thorough Literature Search.”

Job Descriptions

Student Assistance Program (SAP) job descriptions typically include roles that support the mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being of students. SAP professionals collaborate with school staff, parents, and community organizations to identify and address students’ needs, helping them overcome barriers to academic success. Responsibilities may involve assessing students’ needs, providing brief counseling or interventions, coordinating with external resources, and leading prevention programs on topics like substance abuse, mental health, and bullying. Key skills often required include strong communication, empathy, and the ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team. These roles aim to create a safer, more supportive school environment, promoting resilience and overall student wellness. The following documents are a guide to the role.

Sample job description HERE