Sekhar Deepa L, Schaefer Eric W, Hoke Alicia M, Rosen Perri, Chuzie Roberta A, Milakovic Dana M
Department of Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
J Sch Health. 2023 Apr;93(4):331-339. doi: 10.1111/josh.13267. Epub 2022 Nov 20.
The Student Assistance Program (SAP) is mandated kindergarten to 12th grade in Pennsylvania schools to address barriers to student academic success. Following student referral, SAP teams use a systematic process to inform recommendations for school or community-based services. To evaluate program outcomes, a review of student SAP referral trends over a 5-year period was undertaken.
The Pennsylvania Network for Student Assistance Services (PNSAS), the state leadership providing oversight of SAP, partnered with Penn State College of Medicine in a retrospective analysis of student referral data from 2013 to 2018. Public school enrollment demographics were used for comparison. Frequencies and percentages were calculated.
Referrals (total n = 352,640) increased by 24% over the 5 years; demographics 55% male, 69% non-Hispanic white, 16% non-Hispanic black, and 10% Hispanic. Referrals were most commonly for behavioral concerns (31%). Discontinued referrals (39%) were primarily for parent refusal/no permission. Trends included rising minority and elementary referrals over the study period.
SAP referral demographics were consistent with state public school enrollment race/ethnicity breakdown suggesting lack of systematic bias. The proportion of behavioral referrals was consistent with rising youth behavioral health needs. PNSAS must consider strategies to support rising referral numbers and trends.
宾夕法尼亚州学校的学生援助计划（SAP）规定从幼儿园到12年级实施，以解决影响学生学业成功的障碍。在学生被转介后，SAP团队采用系统流程来为基于学校或社区的服务提供建议。为了评估该计划的成果，对5年内学生SAP转介趋势进行了回顾。
宾夕法尼亚州学生援助服务网络（PNSAS）是负责监督SAP的州级领导机构，它与宾夕法尼亚州立大学医学院合作，对2013年至2018年的学生转介数据进行回顾性分析。使用公立学校入学人口统计数据进行比较。计算了频率和百分比。
在这5年中转介量（总计n = 352,640）增加了24%；人口统计数据显示，55%为男性，69%为非西班牙裔白人，16%为非西班牙裔黑人，10%为西班牙裔。转介最常见的原因是行为问题（31%）。中断转介（39%）主要是因为家长拒绝/未获许可。趋势包括在研究期间少数族裔和小学转介量上升。
SAP转介的人口统计数据与该州公立学校入学的种族/族裔分类一致，表明不存在系统性偏见。行为转介的比例与青少年行为健康需求的上升一致。PNSAS必须考虑采取策略来应对转介数量和趋势的上升。
