An analysis of student assistance programs: Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York

A questionnaire, designed to determine the process for identifying and providing assistance to students who demonstrate a variety of problem behaviors that interfere with learning or co-curricular performance in school, was mailed to school superintendents (N = 1526) in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. Four hundred and fifty-one responses (29.6%A) were received; the majority (84.7%) indicated that a formal written policy exists for helping students and most (82.5%) also have a formal written procedure. The assistance program, most frequently called student assistance, is predominantly found at high school level. A full-time student assistance counselor paid by the school district (43.2%) or a grant funded position (18.9%) conducts the program. Students in the three states use the services of the program for alcohol problems, drug problems, family problems, school behavior problems, academic problems, etc. The major referral sources to the assistance programs are teachers, guidance counselors, and the students themselves. The survey findings indicate that assistance programs for students in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York play a significant role in helping students who are experiencing problems and also positively impact on the school and the community.