The School • Substitute/Foster Care • Backpack - School Based Intervention Services

Backpack Program - School Based Intervention Services

Laraway’s Backpack Program, a school-based intervention program serves students who are experiencing difficulty accessing educational services due to behavioral, emotional, and/or mental health issues. The primary goal of the program is to provide therapeutic treatment in order to allow students the opportunity for success within the public school setting. The program is strength-based and built on a model of positive behavioral support. The program is flexible, individualized and utilizes the knowledge and support of the student’s educational team and family while designing and implementing a treatment plan to enhance available services.

Backpack Summer Program:  Backpack offers a 5-week therapeutic summer program.  Programming is focused on enhancing students' capacities and growth through therapeutic support, social skills building and behavioral programming.  The Backpack Summer Program provides rich experiential opportunities for students through volunteer work and community-based activities.

What do Laraway supports look like in a public school setting?

The first component to Backpack services is a one-on-one behavior interventionist who provides consistent re-direction and support to help the student make positive choices in the classroom. Additionally, this trained staff will provide opportunities to engage in incentive activities to reinforce positive behaviors, social and coping skills. These skilled and trained individuals also provide support to students who are struggling or navigating a crisis.

Intervention supports are based on a comprehensive behavior plan created, reviewed and updated by our clinical behavior consultants. The goal is to empower the student to overcome behavior challenges---to build resiliency, to access education---while developing skills to eventually transition to independence in the classroom.

Success in school is dependent on the public school and community resources and strong support from the student’s family. Backpack case managers, based on students’ unique needs, coordinate services with public school supports and community partners. Case managers provide comprehensive crisis support and coordination in the public school. The case managers work intensively in the home with students’ parents to translate success at school to success at home.