About the Program

The Student Assistance Program is a an extension of the school counseling program. The goal of the program is to enhance the student's educational experience by providing intervention and support to students experiencing a variety of personal problems..

Problems are a part of life. During the time that children are in middle/high school, they will be faced with many issues-maybe a drop in grades, boyfriend/girlfriend problems, an eating disorder, anger, pressure to smoke or drink-or any other difficulty common to teens.
Student Assistance Programs train the staff at each school to recognize the signs of these problems. When a teacher sees a student displaying possible signs, he/she passes the information to the school's SAP Coordinator who is a trained mental health professional.
The SAP Coordinator has an extensively trained CORE team that follows up on the problem by gathering information confidentially. If it is needed, a CORE Team member, who may be a teacher, counselor, or school nurse, will casually talk to the student to see if there is any way they can help or to begin to identify the problem. Then recommendations for assistance are made.
If the student seems to need additional assistance, CORE Team members may meet with the student and parents. A referral to an in-school support group, counseling, or an outside agency may be made. The SAP Team is dedicated to doing what it takes to get the student back on track.

About the Coordinator

SAP Coordinator: Jill Blackwelder
email: jblackwelder@iss.k12.nc.us
Credentials: Mrs. Blackwelder has 20 years of experience in the mental health field. Additionally she has the following certifications/licenses.

Licensed Professional Counselor
Nationally Certified Counselor
NC Certified Clinical Addiction Specialist
NC Certified Clinical supervisor

Services

The Student Assistance Program at SIHS provides:

* For students: case management, individual counseling, support groups, brief family counseling, referral service, education, peer mediation, athlete programs, field trips, and placement in outside agency resources.

*For parents: brief family counseling, family conferencing, parent education, referral sources, and liaison both with teachers and parent.

*For staff:ongoing training, staff support programs, retreats, a referral process, consultations, and referral resources.

Programs sponsored by SAP at SIHS:

I. Peer Helpers- students trained intensively in peer mediation.

Peer mediation, buddy system for new students, and TATU-Teens Against Tobacco Use-These teens prepare presentations for elementary students on anti tobacco use.

II. Peer Athlete Team Helpers (PATH)

Upper classman athletes are placed one on one with freshman-at-risk-athletes as a mentor. These mentors are provided with intense training and ongoing monitoring. Activities are arranged monthly.

III. Core Team

15 to 20 staff members trained in student case management who meet weekly to review referrals and offer services to students.

IV. Support Groups for students during the school day in the following areas:

Grief issues, children of alcoholic parent, divorce/separation issues, stress management, self-esteem issues, substance abuse, recovery issues, senior wellness, sexual abuse, anger management, and adjustment to new school issues.

Links

Specific Behavior Problems
Attention Deficit Disorder
National SAP Association
Adolescent Depression