Student Assistance
Pilgrim High School, along with 45 other Rhode Island high schools and 31 middle/junior high schools, has a Student Assistance Program. The program is provided by Coastline, Inc. Student Assistance Services which is funded by the Rhode Island Department of BHDDH, Division of Behavioral Health Care Services and Federal Drug-Free Grants obtained by the school department.
The goals of the Student Assistance Program are to prevent and reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, and to improve school performance. To accomplish these goals, the program provides additional school-wide awareness programs and individual and group services designed to correct erroneous perceptions about substance use and to teach skills to identify and resist social and situational pressures to use substances.
Diane Ferrara is the Student Assistance Counselor at Pilgrim High School. She is at the high school on Monday through Friday. Ms. Ferrara has a Master's Degree in Social Work, seventeen years of experience working with adolescents, and specialized training in prevention and early intervention strategies with adolescents. She is paid by RISAS, Inc. Student Assistance Services and is supervised by the Student Assistance Program and the school.
In addition to conducting prevention and education services, Ms. Ferrara is available to see students who are using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs, or have personal, school or family problems that could lead to alcohol, drug abuse or other unhealthy behaviors. If you are worried about your child's behavior and would like to speak to Ms. Ferrara, please call her directly at 298-6582. All calls will be confidential.
This program has helped many students make responsible choices, has educated students about the dangers of drug use, and has helped others get outside help for related problems. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Student Assistance Program and to make continuing improvements, the state requires us to collect data from participating students to measure changes in attitudes and behaviors that decrease the risk for substance abuse. The data collected is confidential. No names are on any collected data. If, for any reason, you do not want your son or daughter to be seen by the Student Assistance Counselor, please contact the Student Assistance Counselor.