Impact of a Student Assistance Program.

Area of Science:

• School-based mental health services
• Adolescent substance use interventions
• Student support programs

Background:

• Urban high schools face challenges with student well-being and academic performance.
• Student Assistance Programs (SAPs) are designed to address behavioral and emotional issues in educational settings.
• Early intervention is crucial for addressing student mental health and substance use concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation and initial outcomes of a half-time Student Assistance Program in an urban high school.
• To identify trends in program utilization and the types of student issues addressed.
• To understand referral patterns to the Student Assistance Program.

Main Methods:

• A half-time Student Assistance Program was implemented over two semesters in an urban New Jersey high school.
• Student usage data and presenting problems were tracked throughout the implementation period.
• Referral sources were systematically recorded.

Main Results:

• Student utilization of the Student Assistance Program demonstrated a significant increase over the two semesters.
• Males utilized the program at a higher rate than females.
• Alcohol and drug-related issues were the most frequently reported problems for both male and female students.
• Educators represented the primary referral source to the Student Assistance Program.

Conclusions:

• The Student Assistance Program showed growing engagement among students over the study period.
• The program effectively addressed prevalent issues such as alcohol and drug use among adolescents.
• Collaboration with school educators is vital for successful student support program referrals and implementation.