Student Assistance Program
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Student Assistance Program (SAP), which is administered by the PA Department of Education’s Division of Student and Safe School Services in partnership with the PA Department of Health’s Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs, and the PA Department of Public Welfare’s Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, is designed to assist school personnel in identifying issues including alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and mental health issues which pose a barrier to a student’s success.
SAP is a systemic process using techniques to mobilize school resources to remove barriers to learning. The core of the program is a professionally trained team, including school staff and liaisons from community alcohol and drug and mental health agencies. SAP team members are trained to identify problems, to determine whether or not the presenting problem lies within the responsibility of the school and to make recommendations to assist the student and the parent. When the problem lies beyond the scope of the school, the SAP team will assist the parent and student to access services within the community. The student assistance team members do not diagnose, treat or refer children for treatment; however, they may refer them for a screening or an assessment for treatment.
Parents have the right to be involved in the process and have full access to all school records under the applicable state and federal laws and regulations. Involvement of parents in all phases of the student assistance program is expected. This partnership is integral to the successful resolution of problems.
Interested????
Reach out to your Advisor or any of your teachers or administrators and let them know you would like your child to be supported by the Student Assistance Program (SAP) Team. You may also contact the SAP Coordinator, Maegan Bregenser at mbregenser@insightpa.org.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
National Suicide Prevention Hotline
- 800-273-8255
- https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
