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47-950 Dune Palms Road, La Quinta, CA 92253 760-777-4200
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Home > Educational Services > Student Assistance Program > Field Collaboration
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Field Collaboration
Desert Sands SAP Model is replicated in seven districts including county school with funding from the Safe Schools Healthy Students Initiative. The Safe Schools: Healthy Students (SSHS) Initiative titled "Connect to Achieve" was a partnership between Desert Sands Unified School District Student Assistance Program and three county services: Substance Abuse Programs Prevention Services in the Department of Mental Health, Sheriffs, and the County Office of Education serving as the fiscal entity. The funding source for this grant came from a collaboration of three federal agencies: 1) the U.S. Department of Education; 2) Health and Human Services; and 3) the Department of Justice. Both the local and federal collaboration were designed to address mental health services, safety, policy, early childhood, and academic reform. The grant's key strategy was to replicate the DSUSD SAP model as the integrated service delivery model in eight sites with the result of providing access to services for over 93,000 students.
Jan Ryan and Jim Rothblatt, developers of the SAP model and its innovative "Family Conference" component, were contracted to work within the structure of county education to help identify and train multi-disciplinary district teams. Each of the eight teams combined a school counselor and bilingual aide with one alcohol and other drug specialist from county Prevention Services and one counselor from a local community-based organization. By agreeing to use a common tool, each member of the team was able to work effectively out of the district office to provide support for students who receive alcohol and other drug and violence-related suspensions. One family, one student, and one SAP team member for 90 minutes yet the expertise of others immediately available. This is a "one-family-at-a-time" approach to identify strengths, goals, needs, and resources and then to design a plan together that uses all the available school and community resources.
Sustaining after the money ends is the challenge and just as this structure was innovative compared to others in the country, its sustainability is proving to be innovative again. First, although only RCOE remains funded, most districts have successfully kept the process and some or all of the team. Recently Banning Unified School District, a standout district in their implementation, made headlines with a large grant from the Morongo Tribal Council. Second, the Department of Mental Health/Substance Abuse Prevention Services retained and moved the trained Behavioral Health Specialists and placed them in county clinics to bring "indicated prevention" into communities. Now these skilled staff are bringing their rare experience working inside a school district to their work with clients so more people benefit from prevention and fewer are referred for assessment for treatment. Currently, Jim Rothblatt and Jan Ryan are under contract to the DOMH to continue to work on the design and training. Bob Alkire at Riverside County Prevention Services is the key contact for more information about this developing model.
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Disclaimer of Liability: Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information
on this web page is accurate, neither DSUSD nor any of its employees make any guarantee regarding
the accuracy of information contained herein. We do not assume any legal liability or responsibility
for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information. All pages linked from these pages
are the responsibility of their creators.
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© 2009 Desert Sands Unified School District. All Rights Reserved.
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