Youth Services

Student Assistance Program

Regardless of what people think, being young is not all fun and games. Being a parent or a teacher has its ups-and-downs as well. Fortunately, no one needs to handle problems alone. Talking to a professional counselor can help.

Asking for help is a sign of courage, not of weakness.

If your school has a Student Assistance Program (SAP), you have a resource for help that is easy, straightforward, and confidential within strict legal limits. In Central Iowa, many school districts (including Des Moines Public Schools) offer SAP services provided by Employee & Family Resources® to students and their families.

The Student Assistance Program of Employee & Family Resources offers students, parents and school personnel assistance to help them work through a wide range of concerns such as:

Services at no cost?
If your school contracts with Employee & Family Resources to provide SAP services, your sessions with SAP counselors to assess problems are provided at no cost to you. They are paid for by your school district and other funds.

When additional services are needed, our staff works closely with everyone involved to ensure referrals are appropriate, beneficial and cost effective.

Moving toward solutions
Since 1977, our Student Assistance Program has made a difference in the lives of thousands of students and parents. School personnel have found the SAP to be a responsive ally in working with troubled students.

SAP’s assessment, referral services and short-term counseling provide the support necessary to make life’s problems more manageable. The first step toward solutions is to ask for help.