The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49359

BA Laris, MPH¹, Joie M Carvalho, BS¹, and M Ruwin, MS². (1) ETR Associates, 1515 Quintara St, San Francisco, CA 94116, 415-242-2615 ext 3226, balaris@mindspring.com, (2) School Health Programs Department, San Francisco Unified School District, 1515 Quintara St, San Francisco, CA 94116

The San Francisco Unified School District implements the Safe School/Healthy Student Initiative and the Middle School Coordinator grant. ETR Associates is the local evaluator for this project. SFUSD is working to establish comprehensive plans to address: safe school environments; alcohol, drug and violence prevention, and collaboration of services. These programs work specifically with seven high schools and seventeen middle schools in an urban and ethnically diverse district. Student Assistance Programs (SAP) are a key component of both programs. The SAP is designed to coordinate the early identification, assessment, referral, support and service coordination for students experiencing academic, health, attendance or behavior problems that impact school success. School Health Programs Department has been instrumental in assisting the school sites with the SAP process by providing guidelines, technical assistance and extensive professional development in this area. As part of the evaluation, SAP coordinators have been asked to fill out a summary two times per academic year detailing the number of students who have been discussed in the SAP and the outcome(s). Direct observations of the SAP by members of the evaluation team and SHPD are on- going throughout the academic year, with extra focus on schools sites that are struggling with the SAP process. The results are shared with SHPD and the district to guide this program. Through the evaluation, the SAP process has been shown to be an effective tool in helping students who are experiencing difficulty succeeding in school.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will recognize tools to evaluate the effectiveness of Student Assistance Programs.
• Participants will be able to identify the components of a successful collaborative effort by a school staff team.
• Participants will be able to identify key stakeholders with whom to share the data to ensure its use in program planning.

Keywords: School-Based Programs, Adolescent Health

Related Web page: www.etr.org, www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/health/shpd.html

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: ETR Associates and San Francisco Unified School Districts' School Health Programs Department
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.