Community School Assistance Teams for Students (C/SATS) : An Overview Gene Jacquez, PsyD Licensed Clinical Psychologist Program Manager, Office of Safe

Community School Assistance Community School Assistance Teams for Students Teams for Students (C/SATS)(C/SATS) : :

An OverviewAn OverviewGene Jacquez, PsyDGene Jacquez, PsyDLicensed Clinical PsychologistLicensed Clinical PsychologistProgram Manager,Program Manager,Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities Department of Student ServicesDepartment of Student ServicesDenver Public SchoolsDenver Public Schools

Denver Public Schools

Prevention & Intervention Initiatives

Bob Anderson

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C/SATS: DefinitionC/SATS: Definition

C/SATS are groups of professionals in C/SATS are groups of professionals in specific school buildings whose function is specific school buildings whose function is to identify, intervene with and refer students to identify, intervene with and refer students exhibiting patterns of risky behaviors.exhibiting patterns of risky behaviors.

The team provides students with a The team provides students with a prevention intervention process.prevention intervention process.

C/SATS at DPS are funded by the Office of C/SATS at DPS are funded by the Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities.Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities.

C/SATS: ImplementationC/SATS: Implementation

C/SATS are developed, trained and maintained by C/SATS are developed, trained and maintained by the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools and the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities.Communities.

C/SATS intervene with high risk youth in C/SATS intervene with high risk youth in kindergarten through twelfth grade.kindergarten through twelfth grade.

As a As a prevention processprevention process, C/SATS work with , C/SATS work with students before they experience social, emotional students before they experience social, emotional and academic failure, and to promote literacy at all and academic failure, and to promote literacy at all grade levels.grade levels.

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C/SATS: Screening FunctionsC/SATS: Screening Functions

Identification of,Identification of, intervention with,intervention with, and/or further referral of:and/or further referral of:

high risk youth.high risk youth.

Including pre-referral screening for attendance problems.Including pre-referral screening for attendance problems.

C/SATS: When to use TeamsC/SATS: When to use Teams

No one person has all the skills, knowledge, No one person has all the skills, knowledge, experience or creativity to get the job done.experience or creativity to get the job done.

There is enough time for the team to be put There is enough time for the team to be put together and to act.together and to act.

Benefits outweigh the costs.Benefits outweigh the costs.

C/SATS: When C/SATS: When NotNot to use Teams to use Teams

Task must be completed immediately.Task must be completed immediately. Benefits do not justify costs.Benefits do not justify costs. Motives are purely political.Motives are purely political.

C/SAT Pre-Referral TeamsC/SAT Pre-Referral Teams

C/SATs provide social, emotional and academic C/SATs provide social, emotional and academic assistance to students who are at-risk for school assistance to students who are at-risk for school difficulty. difficulty.

The team process is a screening mechanism for the The team process is a screening mechanism for the identification of intervention with and/or further identification of intervention with and/or further referral for high risk youth.referral for high risk youth.

C/SAT ChallengesC/SAT Challenges

C/SATs are actively contributing to the C/SATs are actively contributing to the continuing decline in suspensions and continuing decline in suspensions and dropouts DPS is experiencing.dropouts DPS is experiencing.

C/SATs are ideally placed to assist youth in C/SATs are ideally placed to assist youth in the effort to reduce Colorado’s high level of the effort to reduce Colorado’s high level of Marijuana use.Marijuana use.

““The three benefits of a team approach The three benefits of a team approach are:are:

a better product produced;a better product produced; faster; andfaster; and more cheaply than that produced by a more cheaply than that produced by a

group of individuals...group of individuals...

Use a team approach whenever a task is Use a team approach whenever a task is too complicated for one person to too complicated for one person to complete within the time allotted”complete within the time allotted”

From: Douglas H. Mealy in Effective Team Building for Managers, From: Douglas H. Mealy in Effective Team Building for Managers, American Management Association, 1984American Management Association, 1984

Successful TeamsSuccessful Teams

A shared goal/mission that everyone A shared goal/mission that everyone knows and agrees on and is committed to knows and agrees on and is committed to accomplishingaccomplishing

A climate of trust and opennessA climate of trust and openness Open and honest communicationOpen and honest communication A sense of belongingA sense of belonging Diversity valued as an assetDiversity valued as an asset

Successful TeamsSuccessful Teams

Creativity and risk-taking are encouragedCreativity and risk-taking are encouraged Ability to self-correctAbility to self-correct Members who are interdependentMembers who are interdependent Consensus decision-makingConsensus decision-making Participative leadershipParticipative leadership

WE KNOW THE ENEMYWE KNOW THE ENEMY

AND IT IS AND IT IS

HOURSHOURS

TEAM KILLERS:TEAM KILLERS:

– Long, unproductive meetingsLong, unproductive meetings– Lack of clear team mission or Lack of clear team mission or

purposepurpose– Lack of team coordinationLack of team coordination– Lack of concrete decisions reachedLack of concrete decisions reached

TEAM KILLERS:TEAM KILLERS:

– Involve only a few in decision-Involve only a few in decision-making processmaking process

– A significant time gap between the A significant time gap between the team’s training and its first program team’s training and its first program or activityor activity

– Ineffective use of resources availableIneffective use of resources available– Covert normsCovert norms

Every Meeting Has Two Every Meeting Has Two ElementsElements

Con ten t(task )

W hat

P rocess(m eth od )

H ow

G oa l/O b jec tive

Responsibility Continuum

Members Leader Facilitator

Everyone is responsible for the effectiveness of the meeting

C/SAT Team RolesC/SAT Team Roles

C/SAT Coordinator.C/SAT Coordinator.

Schedules C/SAT meetings, arranges place and time of meetings on a Schedules C/SAT meetings, arranges place and time of meetings on a regular basis, keeps records of the C/SAT process, and assists the case regular basis, keeps records of the C/SAT process, and assists the case manager in contacting parents and outside agencies for needed manager in contacting parents and outside agencies for needed services.services.

He/She He/She coordinatescoordinates the functioning of the team. the functioning of the team.

C/SAT Case Manager.C/SAT Case Manager.Gathers attendance, behavioral, and grade information through Gathers attendance, behavioral, and grade information through checklists and interviews with school personnel and students; consults checklists and interviews with school personnel and students; consults with community service providers; observes students in the with community service providers; observes students in the classroom; contacts parents; synthesizes information; and reports classroom; contacts parents; synthesizes information; and reports findings to the C/SAT.findings to the C/SAT.

She/He She/He managesmanages relevant student information. relevant student information.


Facilitator.Facilitator.

Listens, summarizes, maintains open and balanced conversational Listens, summarizes, maintains open and balanced conversational flow; protects individuals from personal attack; focuses discussion on flow; protects individuals from personal attack; focuses discussion on topic; checks out participant involvement; clarifies, encourages, and topic; checks out participant involvement; clarifies, encourages, and guides group processes.guides group processes.

He/She facilitates He/She facilitates howhow the group interacts. the group interacts.

Recorder.Recorder.

Records group discussion and decisions that are made; placing Records group discussion and decisions that are made; placing information on a flipchart so that all can see and correct what has information on a flipchart so that all can see and correct what has been said.been said.

She/He records She/He records whatwhat is being discussed. is being discussed.


Timekeeper.Timekeeper.

Keeps the group on time and lets members know when they Keeps the group on time and lets members know when they are going over the allotted time set for discussing a topic.are going over the allotted time set for discussing a topic.

He/She keeps team members on He/She keeps team members on timetime..

Process Observer.Process Observer.Pays particular attention to the process of the group (i.e., Pays particular attention to the process of the group (i.e., level of involvement, time on task, member participation, level of involvement, time on task, member participation, etc.), and reports observations to entire team at conclusion etc.), and reports observations to entire team at conclusion of each meeting.of each meeting.

She/He She/He reflects on the processreflects on the process of the group. of the group.


Participants.Participants.

Stay actively involved in discussions and monitor the Stay actively involved in discussions and monitor the recorder who is keeping track of the information, and the recorder who is keeping track of the information, and the facilitator who is using the process agreed to by members.facilitator who is using the process agreed to by members.

They monitor theThey monitor the process process..

Reference: Reference: The New Interactive Method: How to Make Meetings The New Interactive Method: How to Make Meetings

WorkWork by Michael Doyle and David Straus, A Jove Book, 1982 by Michael Doyle and David Straus, A Jove Book, 1982..

C/SAT Example Success StoryC/SAT Example Success Story

Presenting Concerns: Female, 15, grade 9 Presenting Concerns: Female, 15, grade 9

Poor attendancePoor attendance

Poor academicsPoor academics


Interventions:Interventions:

Six week drug education programSix week drug education program Bi-monthly drug counselingBi-monthly drug counseling Arapahoe House referral for help with finding jobArapahoe House referral for help with finding job


Outcomes:Outcomes:

Attendance has improved; Attendance has improved;

Grades have improved;Grades have improved;

Relationships with teachers have improved.Relationships with teachers have improved.

Attendance IssuesAttendance Issues

Description: You have a student who has/is Description: You have a student who has/is developing a pattern of chronic excused developing a pattern of chronic excused absences.absences.

Goal: The student will come to school Goal: The student will come to school consistently unless physically ill.consistently unless physically ill.

Overview of PlansOverview of Plans For a situation in which the problem is relatively For a situation in which the problem is relatively

mild or has just begun.mild or has just begun. For a student who may be missing school because For a student who may be missing school because

he does not feel any affiliation to school.he does not feel any affiliation to school. For a student who may be missing school because For a student who may be missing school because

of home factors.of home factors. For a student who has no motivation to improve For a student who has no motivation to improve

his attendance.his attendance. For a situation in which the problem is class-wide For a situation in which the problem is class-wide

(i.e., many students have a problem with (i.e., many students have a problem with absenteeism).absenteeism).

Attendance: Plan A (mild problem)Attendance: Plan A (mild problem)

Use reinforcement to encourage appropriate behavior:Use reinforcement to encourage appropriate behavior:

Say “hello” whenever you see him outside of class;Say “hello” whenever you see him outside of class; In the morning, ask him how he is doing;In the morning, ask him how he is doing; Ask him to join you and a couple of other students to Ask him to join you and a couple of other students to

redo a bulletin board; orredo a bulletin board; or Ask his opinion of a new room arrangement.Ask his opinion of a new room arrangement.

Attendance: Plan B (no affiliation)Attendance: Plan B (no affiliation)

Make the student feel welcome at school.Make the student feel welcome at school. Encourage the student to become involved in school Encourage the student to become involved in school

activities that he is likely to find rewarding.activities that he is likely to find rewarding. Increase the student’s academic success and Increase the student’s academic success and

involvement.involvement. Use reinforcement to encourage appropriate Use reinforcement to encourage appropriate

behavior.behavior. Ensure a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative attention.Ensure a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative attention.

Attendance: Plan C (home factors)Attendance: Plan C (home factors)

Identify and address the factors that are Identify and address the factors that are contributing to the student’s absenteeism.contributing to the student’s absenteeism.

Help the student set goals for improved Help the student set goals for improved attendance.attendance.

Use reinforcement to encourage appropriate Use reinforcement to encourage appropriate behavior.behavior.

Attendance: Plan D (no motivation)Attendance: Plan D (no motivation)

Have the student check-in daily with a Have the student check-in daily with a counselor or administrator.counselor or administrator.

Establish a structured system for reinforcing Establish a structured system for reinforcing the student’s improved attendance. the student’s improved attendance.


Attendance: Plan E (Class-wide)Attendance: Plan E (Class-wide)

Meet your students at the door and welcome them to Meet your students at the door and welcome them to the classroom.the classroom.

Publicly post the percentage of students in Publicly post the percentage of students in attendance each day.attendance each day.

Encourage the class to set daily performance goals Encourage the class to set daily performance goals for class-wide attendance.for class-wide attendance.


Establish a group reinforcement system. (Optional).Establish a group reinforcement system. (Optional).

Documents

Community School Assistance Teams for Students (C/SATS) : An Overview Gene Jacquez, PsyD Licensed Clinical Psychologist Program Manager, Office of Safe