Truancy Reduction and Prevention Program (TRAPP)

The Bridge Center’s Truancy Reduction And Prevention Program (TRAPP) is aimed at students identified as “habitually truant” (as defined by Nevada Revised Statute) in the Washoe County School District. Working in partnership with Washoe County Schools Intervention Specialists, Local Law Enforcement, Juvenile Parole Officers, Juvenile Probations Officers, the Juvenile Court System, and School Counselors, this strength-based program will evaluate students and their families to ascertain barriers to success and render appropriate counseling, referrals, and education to eliminate those barriers. 

The National School Safety Center in 1996 has identified five primary elements of comprehensive community and educational strategy to combat truancy. They include:  

• Involve Parent/Guardian in all Truancy Prevention Activities 
• Insure Students face firm sanctions for truancy 
• Create meaningful incentives for parental responsibility 
• Establish ongoing truancy prevention programs in school 
• Schools should address the unique needs of each child and consider developing initiatives to combat the root causes of truancy. 

 Children will be evaluated on: social issues and concerns, remediation of education, intelligence quotient, behavioral issues, alcohol and drug use. A Master of Social Work will supervise a home study on each child and his/her family to determine possible familial issues. A Marriage and Therapy Therapist and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker will be available to diagnose and treat family issues. 

CRITICAL COMPONENTS 

The components to this program are: life skills, gang prevention, bully prevention, behavior and “cognitive” counseling, social services, family counseling, and substance abuse counseling. They will be addressed in psychoeducational classes, individual counseling sessions, and group counseling sessions, combined with remediation classes and peer tutoring. De-fragmentation of existing social services and supports will be the goal of the individual Facilitator. 

Collaboration

Collaboration with existing community services in order not to duplicate these services will be an imperative component of the TRAPP program. Working in partnership with Washoe County Schools Intervention Specialists, Local Law Enforcement, Youth Parole Bureau, Juvenile Probation Officers, the Juvenile Drug Court System, and School Counselors, The Bridge Center will facilitate a forum for open communication. The ultimate goal is to benefit the student and his or her family and provide the best environment for behavioral changes in the student’s attendance. 

Family Involvement 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention studies have shown that without the critical component of parental engagement in any truancy reduction model, the outcomes have been poor at best. Families will be required to engage in a process of healing for the truant student by means of family counseling, a home study evaluation, and individual counseling as needed. 

Comprehensive Approach

The effectiveness of this program relies on a comprehensive approach to evaluation and treatment of the student. According to the National Center for School Engagement, many factors contribute to truant behavior. Students failed to attend school due to personal, academic, school climate, and family-related issues. Each student’s unique factors will be identified and addressed, using every available resource to aid the student and family during treatment. 

Evaluation of TRAPP

It is the goal of this program to identify and treat the factors leading to a student’s truancy. This model is outcome-based. Each participant attendance will be evaluated for recidivism for a minimum of 120 days. The results will be used to re-evaluate the effectiveness of the program and refine the processes in a perpetually ongoing basis. 

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