Importance of our Student Assistance Professionals

Since the inception of the SAP at Springfield Middle School and High School, there has been a profound influence on the physical and mental well-being of community youth.

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The Importance of Our Student Assistance Professionals

Dear Springfield Community:
On behalf of the Springfield Prevention Coalition and its Board of Directors I urge you to consider the vital role the Student Assistance Program (SAP) plays in the Springfield Community. The Student Assistance Program is one component of an over all community prevention and early intervention strategy aimed at keeping students alcohol, tobacco and drug-free.
Since the inception of the SAP at Springfield Middle School and High School, there has been a profound influence on the physical and mental well-being of you community youth. Alcohol consumption has declined 34.3% among 8th graders, 26.5% for 10th graders and 12.7% for 12th graders. Binge drinking among 10 graders is down 15.3%, and 20% among 12th graders. And driving under the influence reduced 37.5% for 10th graders and 30% for 12th graders.
Even more significant changes over the past ten years have involved tobacco and marijuana use: Tobacco use among 8th graders declined 55%, 41.9% among 10th graders and 58% among 12th graders. Marijuana use went down 47% among 8th graders and 20% among 10th graders.
This has been the result of close collaboration between the SAPs, the school system and SPC and in keeping with the School District’s belief that “Schools and community work together to create a supportive environment for young people”. Continuing to work collaboratively on a variety of projects SPC and SAP have been able to: 1) run social media campaigns aimed at raising awareness and reducing the risk behaviors of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use; 2) form a SADD chapter; 3) participate in Sticker Shock events; 4) conduct educational trainings on ATOD; 5) sponsoring motivation anti-drug performance artists such as Patrick Performance; and 6) supporting youth leadership development training and experiences (i.e. serving on the SPC Board).
It takes a combination of prevention, intervention, and support services to address all the influences on a student’s decision to use or avoid substances. Because Student Assistance Professionals are located in the schools they are able to have daily contact with students providing the regular support and counseling required. SAPs provide re-enforcement to the messages provided by parents and in some cases the only prevention advice. Students feel safe and comfortable enough to the extent that over 52% of Middle School students and 58% of High School Students self refer themselves for SAP counseling. In addition to those receiving services over 201 middle school requests and 74 high school requests went un-served because of insufficient SAP counseling time available. Successful counseling on behalf of the student assistance professionals is a direct contribution to the School District’s Goal #5: “providing structures and systems to support educators and school leaders to perform their best work.” Any further reduction in SAP hours and staff would further hamper the efforts to provide needed support.
This one-on-one contact is not the type of support students would receive from school nurses or general counseling staff, who already are unable to serve all the students and their needs. To cease the current Student Assistance Program would be equal to removing a leg from a three-legged stool, without it a successful youth risk behavior prevention program can not exist.
The SAPS are an important force in assisting the Springfield School District to meet its #1 goal of “100% of Springfield students will graduate from high school”. Student Assistant Professionals play a key role in the districts approved strategy of “early identification and intervention systems are in place and used to identify students who are at-risk of dropping out of school”. Findings show that students with the highest academic achievement and graduation rates are those with the fewest risk behaviors including alcohol, tobacco and drug usage.
When children do not learn how to make good choices, the results can be tragic for them, and the costly to the community. Every dollar spent now, saves ten dollars being spent in the future on treatment. Think of what could be done with the other nine dollars not spent on treatment. For this reason the Student Assistance Program is vitally necessary.
Student Assistance Professionals have a highly-regarded track record and are valued by we members of the prevention community. Since the “school district is accountable for positive and meaningful results” (School District Belief # 11) we trust that you will take into consideration these facts before imposing any action that might be a detriment to our youth and the Springfield community.
Sincerely,
Peter W Hayward, Executive Director
Springfield Prevention Coalition