Family and School Support Teams (FASST): A partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools

The purpose of this session will be to illustrate an effective multi agency – school partnership that has evolved in the community over the course of fifteen years to enhance the Early School Success outcomes of elementary aged students. Participants will be given information related to the history and evolution of this partnership over time and how this has been guided by the unique demographics and changing needs of families in Hillsborough County. Significant areas where this program has progressed are:

1. Staffing composition from a primarily therapeutic model to a service coordination model.

2. Theoretical perspective from a medical model to family driven / strength based / wraparound services.

3. Current expansion efforts from teams serving targeted schools to serving all eligible elementary school aged children in the county.

4. Fidelity to a program model across 4 provider agencies and the over 140 Hillsborough County Elementary Schools that is grounded in System of Care Values and Principles.

In addition, the importance of strong relationships between FASST Teams, and individual schools and the strategies employed in order to maintain those relationships will be explored.

Other areas of focus will include discussion of the primary outcomes of improved academics, improved school attendance, and improved social / emotional functioning and how a variety of interventions used by programs such as developing a Family Team, Family Support Planning, Flexible Funding, Service Coordination and bridging the home / school environments have led to positive outcomes.