194253 Family and School Support Teams (FASST): A partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools

Wednesday, November 11, 2009: 8:30 AM

Sheila Sorkin, MSW , Children's Future Hillsborough, Achieve Management, Tampa, FL
Gregory VanPelt, MS, LMHC , Children's Future Hillsborough, Achieve Management, Tampa, FL
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.

Learning Objectives:
1. Develop an understanding of the history and evolution of the FASST model. 2. Develop an understanding of the unique demographics, needs, and trends in the Florida’s Hillsborough County School District. 3. Learn the structure of the FASST Program. 4. Learn how a successful relationship was developed and maintained between FASST community agencies and the School District of Hillsborough County. 5. Develop an understanding of the current application of the FASST Program in the promotion of social / emotional well being, improved school attendance, and improved academic performance.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As the Project Director for Children's Future Hillsborough for the past 1.5 years, I have been deeply involved in the FASST program and its relationships with community and school stakeholders through strategic planning, oversight, and continued program development / enhancement of FASST.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.