COLORADO PRINCE HALL MASONIC MODEL STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Today, schools are being asked to perform tasks well beyond education's traditional role. Children face countless challenges putting them at high risk for substance abuse and addiction, depression, suicide, and violence. Increasingly, society has turned to schools to help young people cope with critical life issues.
School personnel typically are not trained to effectively counteract the negative impact of high-risk behaviors. The Masonic Model Student Assistance Program (MMSAP) trains educators K-12 in how to identify and intervene with these children to prevent them from a potentially fatal downward spiral. A gift from the Prince Hall Masons of Colorado committed to “Helping Teachers Help Kids”
What is Masonic Model Student Assistance Program?
The Masonic Model Student Assistance Program (MMSAP) is an intensive three-day workshop , training a core team of educators to identify, intervene with, and create appropriate referrals for students that may be at risk for substance abuse and addiction, depression, suicide, and violence. The training is conducted by Newman/Stecher Inter-national, developers of nationally acclaimed Pennsylvania Student Assistance Program. What is a Student Assistance Core Team? At the hear of the MMSAP is a core team of five to eight educators from a school who are specially trained how to intervene effectively with students that are displaying patterns of behaviors that threaten their success in school The members of a Student Assistance Core Team include, but are not limited to: the building administrators, regular teachers, special education teachers, counselors, nurses, social workers, etc. Schools having the greatest success with MMSAP have had the full support of their Administrators. Administrative leadership and commitment are essential to both Core Team and school success.
How does the Program Work?
At-risk students identified by school officials are referred to the Core Team based on specific, observable and descriptive data. Once a referral is made the Core Team will take action.
The Core Team collects and complies data from school staff and faculty. Included could be: grades, attendance behavior checklists, health information, parent confer-ence, student interviews, etc. The data is reviewed by the whole team and decisions made on intervention strategies.
The MMSAP teams, together with the student and family, develop action plans for intervention. These intervention plans may include: adult mentoring, behavior con-tracts, skill training or support groups, and/or referrals to outside professionals.
The Core Team continues to work collaboratively with the student, parents, faculty and community resources to monitor the students progress and offer additional options. How Much Does It Cost? This program is funded almost entirely by the Prince Hall Freemasons of Colorado at no cost the schools. Funding is provided by the Masonic Youth Foundation which is a 501 © (3) charitablecorporation created by the Colorado Prince Hall Masons to assist youth and families in our communities. Expenses typically include the cost of trainers, their travel, materials, lodging and meals for trainers, meeting rooms, meals for participants, etc. Generally, participating schools are expected to cover the costs associated with substitutes. Average cost of a three-day MMSAP session runs about $10,000 - $20,000. How Can We Start a MMSAP Program in our School?
If you are interested in obtaining additional information about this training or would like to bring this program to your school, please contact the program coordinator listed below. Why Student Assistance Training?
Every Day in America
3 children die from child abuse 5 children under 20 commit suicide 9 children under 20 are homicide victims 9 children under 20 die from firearms 180 children arrested for violent crimes 340 arrested for drinking / drunken driving 367 arrested for drug abuse 2,350 children are in adult jails 2,861 high school students drop out 4,248 children are arrested 5,703 teens are victims of violent crimes 7,883 public school students are suspended 7,945 children reported abused or neglected • 2002 Children's Defense Fund
“Many children, who are in the early stages of specific at-risk behaviors, when identified can be successfully steered toward more positive behaviors. As of the end of school year 2002, more than 28,000 educators have been trained in MMSAP with more than half a million school children success-fully referred to, and helped, by this remarkable program.”
WHAT IS FREEMASONRY? Freemasonry is the oldest and largest fraternal order in the world. It uses the tools and implements of ancient architectural craftsmen symbolically in a system of instruction designed to build character and moral values in its members. Its singular purpose is to make good men better. Masonry teaches that each person, through self-improvement and helping others, has an obligation to make a difference for good in the world. At present, there are approximately 500 thousand Prince Hall Masonic family members nation-wide who continue the Craft's commitment to assisting the needy, especially children and the elderly.
How Do Prince Hall Freemasons participate in MMSAP? Prince Hall Grand Lodges may provide initial organizational and community guidance, or financial support and materials. Individual Lodges may supply meeting space, help with food or meeting materials, or volunteer help. In many cases, Lodges have acted as sponsor for a nearby school building with positive results ultimately extending throughout the entire community!
The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Colorado Free & Accepted Masons 1535 Oak Hills Drive Colorado Springs , CO 80919 (719) 598-3683
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