WEBINAR #3: Student Assistance Program (SAP) Services |

Assessing Needs and Building Capacity

“Talk. They Hear You.”® Campaign SAP Webinar Series

January 26, 2022, 3 p.m. ET

Robert M. Vincent, M.S.Ed.

Associate Administrator for Alcohol 

Prevention and Treatment Policy,

SAMHSA

Erin L. Wick, M.B.A., SUDP

Senior Director, Behavioral 

Health and Student Supports, 

Capital Region ESD 113

Amity Noltemeyer, Ph.D., NCSP

Associate Dean of the Graduate School, 

Professor of Educational Psychology, 

Miami University
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Guest Experts

Emily M. Eckert, 

LPCC-S 

Assistant Director, Office 

of Whole Child Supports, 

Ohio Department of 

Education

Valerie Connolly-Leach, 

OCPS 

Behavioral Health/Prevention 

Administrator, Office of 

Prevention, Ohio Department 

of Mental Health & Addiction 

Services

Izzy Chavez

Student Assistance 

Professional 

Capital Region ESD 113,

Washington

Sara Ellsworth

Regional Administrator, 

Behavioral Health & 

Student Support

Capital Region ESD 113,

Washington
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Today’s Session Objectives

Today’s session will cover:

• Conducting a needs assessment

• Things to consider when developing SAP policies and procedures

• Staff development and training on all aspects of the SAP

• Building program awareness and promotion

• Considering other partnerships within the school and community
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SAP Webinar Series Overview

 Webinar #1: Student Assistance Programs

 Webinar #2: Standing Up SAP Services

• Webinar #3: Assessing Needs and Building Capacity

• Webinar #4: Planning and Implementation

• Webinar #5: Program Evaluation and Improvement
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Polling Questions

This presentation includes four short polls to help us learn 

more about today’s webinar participants.

• All answers will be presented as totals or percentages, and no one will 

be able to tell who answered each question.

• By answering the questions, you agree to have your answers 

anonymously included in the totals as percentages.
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Poll Question #1

What is your current role?

A. School administrator

B. District administrator

C. Student assistance program (SAP) professional

D. Educator

E. Health department employee

F. Prevention coalition staff member

G. Other (please specify)
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Review: 9 Critical Components of Effective SAPs

1. School Board Policy

2. Staff Development

3. Program Awareness

4. Internal Referral Process

5. Problem-solving Team and Case Management

6. Direct Services to Students

7. Cooperation and Collaboration

8. Integration with Other School-based Programs

9. Program Evaluation and Improvement
SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework: 5-Step Planning Process

There are many ways to get 

started depending on your 

existing infrastructure, 

resources, need, etc. 

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Conducting or Supporting a Needs Assessment

Assessing needs:

Identify school, district, and community-wide needs related to 

substance use and mental health issues and available resources 

and readiness to support promotion, prevention, treatment, and 

support efforts in the school setting.
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Needs Assessment Example: Ohio School Wellness Initiative
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Needs Assessment Example: Ohio School Wellness Initiative
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Washington ESD 113: Readiness to Benefit

8th Grade 

Depression

(students feeling 

sad/hopeless for 2 

weeks in past year)

HYS 8th Grade 

Anxiety (students 

feeling anxious, 

nervous, or on 

edge)

8th Grade 

Alcohol Use 

(past 30 day

alcohol use)

8th Grade 

Marijuana Use 

(past 30 day

marijuana use) NOTES ON HYS DATA

2020–2021 Student 

Enrollment

% of Students Who 

Are Low-Income

% of Students 

Meeting ELA 

Standard

% of Students 

with Regular 

Attendance

41% 53% 10% 10%

Bold numbers are higher than 

state average

32% 44% 4% 4% 645 55% 56% 95%

69% 60% 6% 18%

Darkened areas are elevated 

compared with county, ESD, and 

state averages 290 76% 34% 82%

*2018 HYS data supressed < 15 

valid surveys 208 *Missing 37% >90%

33% 56% 7% 7%

Bold numbers are higher than 

state average

32% 55% 8% 5%

Darkened areas are higher than 

ESD 113 average 617 35% 66% 94%
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Effective Policies, Procedures, and Practices

Things to consider:

• State- and federal-level laws and regulations

• Programmatic-level policies, procedures, and practices (foundational 

procedures all SAPs should follow)

• School board-level policies and procedures

• Will vary by state, program, building, etc.

• School’s role in creating a safe and secure learning environment
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Policies and Procedures Example
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Poll Question #2

Do you currently have an active SAP?

A. Yes, we currently have an active SAP.

B. No, we used to have an SAP, but it’s no longer active.

C. No, but we are currently in the process of developing an SAP for 

implementation.

D. No, but we plan to develop and implement an SAP at some point.

E. No, and we don’t plan to develop and implement an SAP.
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Staff Development and Training

Things to consider:

• Your needs assessment data — How does it inform staff training needs?

• Understanding/learning policies, procedures, and practices

• Confidentiality

• Regional learning communities

• Direct student assistance capacity building versus professional 

development

• Statewide and then scale up to service-based
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Training programs should be practical, experiential, and designed to increase the 

knowledge and skills necessary to provide educational support groups, agency referrals,

mediation, mentoring, and research-based prevention curricula.

Themes to emphasize in training and ongoing support for effective SAP implementation include:

• Reducing risk and enhancing protective factors

• Improving school climate and student connectedness

• Identifying students who are contending with risk conditions and presenting early and more advanced 

signs of difficulties

• Delivering prevention and intervention services within schools

• Working with community partners to coordinate services for students presenting more intensive needs

Staff Development and Training
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Staff Development and Training Example: Ohio

Regional Learning 

Communities

Online Training 

Platform

In-Person Direct-toSchools Training

Foundations Introduction to SAP Students with 

MH/BH Concerns

Prevention 101

Preparing for 

Implementation

Building Your SAP 

Team

How to Triage 

MH/BH Concerns

Prevention Module 2

Implementation 

and Refinement

Leveling Up SAP 

Continuum of 

Services

Toolbox of MH/BH 

Skills

Prevention Module 3

Training Roadmap:

Examples of Topics Covered
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More Staff Development and Training Examples

Student Assistance 

Framework

Motivational 

Interviewing

Multi-Tiered 

Systems of Support

Cognitive 

Behavioral Therapy

Brief Intervention 

(e.g., Teen 

Intervene)
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Poll Question #3

How did you hear about this webinar?

A. “Talk. They Hear You.” Campaign E-newsletter/E-blast

B. SAMHSA Facebook

C. SAMHSA Twitter

D. SAMHSA LinkedIn

E. Other (please specify)
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Building Capacity

Components of capacity-building:

• Program awareness and promotion

• Cooperation and collaboration

• Integration with other school-based programs
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Strategies for Program Awareness and Promotion

• Disseminating program flyers throughout the school and local 

community

• Developing posters and newsletters

• Holding community awareness and training events

• Including it in the parent/student/teacher handbooks

• Conducting homeroom presentations

• Using local media outlets
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Program Awareness and Promotion Example: ESD 113
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Program Awareness and Promotion Example: Ohio
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Poll Question #4

Did you attend SAP Webinar #1 and Webinar #2?

A. Webinar #1

B. Webinar #2

C. Both

D. Neither
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Cooperation and Collaboration 

Build bridges between schools, parents, and community resources 

through referral and shared case management.

• Community agencies and counselors working together can help students 

with assessment, evaluation, and counseling for educational, substance 

use, mental health, or family concerns.

• Parents, community agencies, law enforcement, and private practitioners 

can help schools with prevention activities, consultation, technical 

assistance, and support.

• Parents are key partners in the success of all student assistance services.
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Cooperation and Collaboration Example: Ohio

Cooperation and Collaboration Best Practices

❏ The SAT or district or building representative has investigated and arranged linkages 

with services within the community.

❏ Community-employed mental health, behavioral health, and/or substance abuse 

staff participate regularly on the SAT.

❏ Relevant community service organizations working with students in the school 

receive information concerning the SAP and services offered.

❏ The SAT has developed guidelines on how caregivers and students will become 

involved in the SAP process.

❏ Clear and consistent caregiver consent processes and procedures are in place.
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Cooperation and Collaboration Example: Ohio

Priorities?

Areas for improvement?

Going well?

Self-Assessment
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Integration with Other School-based Programs

Depending upon your needs assessment, consider integrating these additional 

student assistance services:

• Classroom Prevention Curriculum

• Parent Education

• Character Education

• Identification of Learning Styles

• Career Exploration

• Conflict Resolution

• Peer Mediation

• Mentoring; Service-Learning

• Community Mobilization

• Asset Development

• Violence Prevention and Crisis 

Response Team
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Integration with Other School-based Programs Example: Ohio
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Integration with Other School-based Programs Example

Hoquiam HOPE Squad 
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Q&A
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Student Assistance: A Guide for School Administrators

Purpose: This document provides school leaders and 

administrators with key information about student assistance 

services for substance use and mental health initiatives.
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Student Assistance Resources Guide

Purpose: This document describes some student assistance 

resources and provides tangible ways school administrators 

and student assistance teams can implement the strategies.

It also assists school leaders and student assistance teams to 

increase awareness of student assistance services by 

providing guidance on resources available for this critically 

important work.
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Student Assistance Discussion Starter Video

Purpose: This video describes some student assistance resources and provides tangible 

ways school administrators and student assistance teams can implement the strategies.

It also assists school leaders and student assistance teams to increase awareness of 

student assistance services by providing guidance on resources available for this 

critically important work.
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Other Helpful Resources

• “Talk. They Hear You.” Campaign SAP Resources

Includes guides, a discussion starter video, public service announcements, fact 

sheets, and posters

• Prevention First Student Assistance Guidebook

• Pennsylvania Network for Student Assistance Services Website

• School Mental Health Quality Guides (e.g., Needs Assessment &

Resource Mapping Guide, Early Intervention and Treatment

Services & Supports guide)

• School-Wide Universal Screening Guidance
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What’s Next

WEBINAR #4: Planning and Implementation

• Quality implementation

• Internal referral process steps

• Direct services to students

• Understanding risks and protective factors

DATE: February 23, 2021
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Final Poll

Did this presentation cover the intended objectives?

A. Yes

B. No
Thank You

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