The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Student Assistance Program is designed to assist personnel in identifying issues including alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and mental health issues which pose a barrier to a student’s success.

The primary goal of the Student Assistance Program is to help students overcome these barriers in order that they may achieve, remain in school, and advance. The Student Assistance Program is a systematic process using techniques to mobilize school resources to remove barriers to learning.

The core of the program is a professionally trained team, including school staff and liaisons from community alcohol and drug and mental health agencies. Student Assistance Program team members are trained to identify problems, determine whether or not the presenting problem lies within the responsibility of the school and to make recommendations to assist the student and parent. When the problem lies beyond the scope of the school, the Student Assistance Program team will assist the parent and student so they may access services within the community.

For those students receiving treatment through a community agency, the Student Assistance Program team, in collaboration with parents and the agency, can assist in helping plan in-school support services during and after treatment.