MSAT

About the Program

The Masonic Student Assistance Training (MSAT) Program is a staff development program that has been in place since October 2001. The program trains a team of educators to help young people at risk. In the past six years, more than one thousand four hundred New York educators have attended the three day MSAT workshop, and all expenses were paid by the Masonic Fraternity. The program trains a core team of educators in the identification of children who are "at risk" of becoming involved in toxic behaviors - substance abuse, gangs, vandalism, who are insubordinate, disorderly, and disruptive, whose conduct endangers the safety, morals, health or welfare of themselves and others. The at-risk behaviors fall into one of four categories – health (physical or mental), attendance, academic, or behavior. The team develops a behavioral intervention plan for an identified child, and specifies critical life skills to be taught. The program is designed for school personnel (K-12). The program is modeled after The
Pennsylvania Student Assistance Program. Certified trainers, who have national reputations in the field, and who have many years of experience working with at-risk youth, conduct the three-day workshop. The University of Pittsburgh has evaluated the program, and found it to be highly effective in helping young people who need help to get the help they need.