The Jurupa Unified School District's Model Demonstration Program for Elementary School Counseling will support the establishment and enhancement of culturally relevant counseling services in three high-risk rural schools. Fifty-five percent of the students in the selected schools are Hispanic and more than 70 percent receive free or reduced-price lunch.
Through the use of a model Student Assistance Program (SAP) and lifeskills training, 2,239 students in the selected schools receive services. The counseling program is staffed by licensed counselors and includes whole-class, small-group, and individual counseling sessions. A family strengthening program is also being offered to students whose SAP plan recommends the service. Important components in the program are the links to community and county service organizations, enabling the SAP teams to link students and their families to needed services and support.
The theoretical framework of the program is WestEd's Youth Development/Resilience in Action model that supports the development of important lifeskills and assets. These skills aim to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors, promoting the likelihood that youth will not develop health and behavior problems.
The goals of the program are to
- establish and operate a culturally relevant Student Assistance Program with culturally appropriate counseling services for individuals, groups, and family strengthening;
- implement a schoolwide, whole-class lifeskills counseling curriculum for all K-5 students in the participating schools;
- conduct a rigorous process and outcome evaluation to demonstrate the effectiveness of the model program and its capacity to be replicated in other urban sites;
- disseminate the findings of the model program through professional papers, presentations, and workshops.
Director: Cynthia Peck
Assistant Director: Cecilia Llerenas-Mutia
Contact: Cecilia Mutia
Tel: 909.782.2832
Email: cmutia@wested.org
This project is part of WestEd's Educational and Community Initiatives (ECI).
WestEd staff involved with this project:
Resources coming soon
Student Assistance Program Training and Technical Assistance
