A New Professional Role: The Prevention Practitioner

RALLY has created a new professional role to take the lead in its school and after-school academic and mental health efforts. Called prevention practitioners, these individuals provide students with an integrated system of supports as they help to bridge their diverse worlds of school, after-school, family, and community.

With children's developmental needs in mind, practitioners focus on four primary objectives:

  1. Helping students develop supportive relationships with their peers, their teachers, and other key adults in their lives
  2. Providing children with academic assistance
  3. Referring students for needed services or enrichment opportunities (i.e. mentoring, tutoring, evaluations, therapy, after-school and community-based programs, summer camp)
  4. Facilitating communication among a student's teachers, families, clinicians, after-school staff, and other service providers

Prevention practitioners achieve these goals by offering students direct academic and social support in classrooms; working with students outside the classroom one-on-one or in small groups facilitating community building activities; observing students for warning signs of psychological problems; helping connect students with appropriate out-of-school time programs and services; and communicating and collaborating regularly with students and their teachers, families, healthcare providers, and community programs.

Related Links: Harvard University - McLean Hospital - PEAR

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