What is the Student Assistance Program?
The Student Assistance Program (SAP) was developed to help students who are experiencing barriers to learning. Barriers to learning can include:
- depression and/or anxiety
- the use of drugs and/or alcohol
- relationship problems
- emotional disorders
- grief due to separation or death
- other disruptive life changes
SAP is an intervention program, not a treatment program or disciplinary alternative. SAP's goal is to help students overcome barriers they may be facing in order to be successful in both the academic setting and in life.
A team of trained school personnel meet regularly to discuss the best course of action for students who are referred to SAP. This may include gathering information from teachers and support staff who work with students. This information may then be shared with students and parents to determine the best course of action. With both parent and student permission, students can receive a free in-school assessment(s) completed by a consultant who sits on the Lower Dauphin SAP team. These consultants are from Keystone Mental Health Services and the Dauphin County Department of Drugs and Alcohol.
Students can be referred by the team to both in-school support, such as mentoring, tutoring, meeting regularly with a SAP team member and/or out-of-school support, such as an assessment from one or both of our team's consultant's recommendations.
Assessments are completed to determine if there is a need for support services outside of the school setting.