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NMS CARES

 

What is the CARES Program?

In Pennsylvania, every middle and high school and some elementary schools have a Student Assistance Program (SAP).  A SAP team, made up of school and community agency staff, is here to help you access school and community services.  Council Rock SAP teams are called CARES teams (Children at Risk in the Educational System).

Do You See Your Child Showing Any of These Behaviors?

  • Withdrawing from family, friends and/or school
  • Changing friends; no longer spends time with old friends
  • Unexplained physical injuries
  • Talking about suicide
  • Depressed
  • Defying authority, both at home and at school
  • Acting aggressively
  • Lying
  • Needing money without an explanation
  • Sudden drop in grades
  • Experimenting with drugs or alcohol

Are You Concerned About Your Child’s Reaction to:

  • Recent death of a loved one
  • Divorce/separation of parents
  • Family relocation
  • A relationship problem
  • Stress
  • Other traumatic event

If your child is having trouble in or out of school, we can assist.  There may be times when you just don’t know how to help your child.  That’s okay; someone else may know how to support you.

Don’t feel embarrassed or uncomfortable about asking for help.  When it’s needed, knowing how and where to find assistance can be overwhelming.

How Does My Child Become Involved in the Program?

Your school’s CARES team will help you find services and assistance within the school and, if needed, the community.  We do not diagnose, treat, or refer your child for treatment.  Rather, we will provide you with information; you make the choices.  Remember, you are part of our team.  Our goal is to facilitate your child’s success in school.

Students come to the CARES team in different ways.  There are a number of ways that a student might be referred for CARES intervention.  For example, any school staff member, a student’s friend or family member can let the CARES team know that they are worried about someone.  The students themselves can even go directly to the CARES team to ask for help. 

Contacting Your School’s CARES Program

If you feel that your child may need help, call your child’s school and ask to speak with a member of the CARES team.  Someone will be there to lend a hand.

- CRHS North       Leigh Ann Doyle     215-944-1352

- CRHS South      Tom Williams          215-944-1176

- Holland MS        Brian Ludwig          215-944-2772

- Newtown MS     Laurie Zila              215-944-2652

- Sloan School     Kevin Donnelly        215-944-4384

Privacy

The CARES team and the school will respect you and your child’s privacy at all times.

Supported by: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Departments of Education, Health and Public Welfare (9/05)

  

24 HOUR HOTLINES

ALCOHOL & OTHER DRUGS

1-800-221-6333

Bucks County Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence, Inc.

www.bccadd.org

CHILD ABUSE

1-800-932-0313

Pennsylvania CHILDLINE

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

1-800-220-8116

A Woman’s Place

HOMELESS

1-800-810-4434

American Red Cross – Lower Bucks County

HORSHAM CLINIC

1-800-237-4447

Outpatient/inpatient MH counseling

LENAPE VALLEY FOUNDATION

Crisis Hotline

Doylestown area: 215-345-5327

Lower Bucks area: 215-785-9765

MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

Bucks County: 1-800-499-7455

Penn Foundation: 1-800-245-7366

NOVA (NETWORK OF VICTIM ASSISTANCE)

1-800-675-6900; 215-343-6543

Rape, sexual abuse & assault, crime victims

RUNAWAYS

1-800-RUNAWAY

National Runaway Switchboard

SUICIDE

1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)

Suicide and Crisis Intervention Services

AREA RESOURCES

AL-ANON/ALATEEN INFORMATION

215-222-5244

www.al-anon.alateen.org

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

877-934-2522

BUCKS COUNTY CHILDREN & YOUTH

SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY

215-348-6900

Protective services

BUCKS COUNTY PEACE CENTERS

215-750-7220

Programs for at-risk youth (11 to 16)

BUTTS COALITION

215-345-3283

Tobacco control

CONTACT Bucks County

215-355-6000 (Lower Bucks)

Phone support from trained volunteers

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS

215-440-8400

Support groups

STEDMAN"S LABS

215-639-8770

Drug Testing

TEEN MOTHERS PROGRAM

YWCA OF BUCKS COUNTY

215-953-7793

TODAY, INC.

215-968-4713

Substance Abuse Counseling

PA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

www.sap.state.pa.us