Student Assistance Program

Ridge High School has established a comprehensive Student Assistance Program to address the various needs of students and families experiencing such things as child-focused crisis, substance abuse, mental health issues and/or psycho-social stressors. The Student Assistance Program Intervention and Prevention efforts include assessment, short-term counseling, group counseling, referrals and collaboration with parents and other systems.

Ridge Student Assistance Counselors

Mr. Chad Gillikin Mrs. Toni Anthony

Grades 9 & 10 Grades 11 & 12
(908) 204-2585, ext: 616 (908) 204-2585, ext: 145
cgillikin@bernardsboe.com tanthony@bernardsboe.com
Room 616 Counseling Suite

What is Student Assistance?

Today, many schools have Student Assistance Programs. At Ridge, the Program includes many prevention services, as well as confidential counseling services for students. The Student Assistance Program is designed to collaborate with parents in an effort to determine effective strategies to best support their child. The Student Assistance Counselor gets to know students in order to help them manage common adolescent obstacles from a strengths-based perspective. Assessment and short-term counseling is provided. If ongoing therapy is indicated, referrals are made to private practitioners and/or appropriate community agencies.

What kinds of problems does the Student Assistance Counselor deal with?

Peer and Social Problems
Drug and Alcohol Problems
Eating Disorders
Anxiety and Mood Disorders
Grief and Loss
Family Transitions
Depression and Suicide Prevention
Self-Injury
Emotion Management
Stress Management

All services are confidential.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality laws regulating Substance Abuse professionals is located in the Federal Regulations, Title 42, (42 CFR). With regard to school-based substance abuse professionals, this authority is referred to in the New Jersey Administrative Code, 6A:16-3.2 wherein it states: “Each district board of education shall assure compliance with the following confidentiality requirements:

Confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records, pursuant to 42 CFR part 2; and
Confidentiality of information provided by….a secondary school student while participating in a school-based drug and alcohol counseling program which indicates that the student’s parent or other person residing in the student’s household is dependent upon or illegally using substances…”

In most cases, only the standard exceptions to this law apply; these are: when a student gives written consent; when a crime has been threatened; under a proper court order; if a student presents as a threat to hurt themselves or others; or a student makes allegations of child abuse or neglect.

Local Alcohol and Drug Assessment Centers

Treatment Dynamics Daytop
Florham Park, NJ Parsippany, NJ
(973) 593-0900 (888) 432-9867

High Focus Centers Choices for Change
Parsippany, NJ Florham Park, NJ
(908) 299-9919 (973) 443-0222