The Response Winter 2020-2021 - 18

FEATURE

Student Assistance Programs
During a Pandemic

by Corey Trevena, Caron Treatment Services, Senior Director of Education

Google Classroom?
Zoom?
Webex?
Google Meet? Class Dojo?
Bitmoji Classroom?
Skyward? Schoology? Power Schools?
Asynchronous vs. Synchronous Learning?

ost of these technical platforms and educational
concepts were vaguely known terms that Student
Assistance Program (SAP) liaisons knew little
about... prior to COVID-19. COVID changed the way
everyone does business today and working with students
and families in schools is no exception. Over the past 9
months, SAP liaisons learned everything possible about how
to connect to students and families in all different types of
learning environments using multiple different platforms.
But learning how to connect through a screen does not
necessarily eliminate the obstacle of how to truly engage
with students in a meaningful interaction.

THE RESPONSE // WINTER 2020-2021

Before diving into how SAP liaisons are actively trying to
engage students and families in a meaningful way, it might
be helpful to give a quick overview of the Student Assistance
Program. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, all schools
are mandated to have a student assistance program with a
primary goal of reducing barriers to learning. Using a fourphase process, SAP teams comprised of teachers, school
counselors, school nurses, administrators, and SAP liaisons
from behavioral health organizations identify observable
behaviors of concern and connect students and families to
resources both in school and in the community to address
those concerns. In Berks County, Caron Treatment Centers,

The Response Winter 2020-2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Response Winter 2020-2021