F.A.S.T
Families Assistance with Suspension and Termination
F.A.S.T., an acronym for Families Assistance with Suspensions and Terminations, is a component of our Care Coordination service and works with approximately 125 children and families every year. This program is designed as an alternative to outdoor suspension for elementary, middle and high school students.
The goal of the F.A.S.T. Program is to provide youth with the skills, knowledge and understanding to be progressive individuals in society. Through our partnership with the Miami Dade County School Board and the Student Success Centers (S.S.C.) Program and Initiative – set forth by Miami Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho – we provide students exhibiting behavioral issues with a safe place to address their problems through counseling sessions. This safe place affords students the ability to continue and complete their school work, ensuring they not fall behind in class while allowing them to be marked present for school during their time at the Student Success Center – all this with the hopes of guaranteeing each student’s success.
Our F.A.S.T. Program counseling uses the Making Excellent Choices curriculum, endorsed by The Children's Trust, to aid youth at risk for chronic truancy. F.A.S.T. addresses the issues that may be responsible for the disruptive behaviors of the students. Through these counseling sessions F.A.S.T. focuses on topics including:
- Conflict Resolution;
- Decision Making;
- Anger Management;
- Truancy;
- Drug, Alcohol and Gang Violence;
- Peer Pressure;
- and Goal Setting
F.A.S.T. consists of multiple avenues to help students get focused and on track.
Day Treatment Exercises – Addresses the behavior issue(s) expressed by the school and/or parents and includes character building education.
Individual Counseling and Group Counseling – Addresses underlining issues and promotes positive peer solutions students may be facing daily, while in school.
30-, 60-, and 90-Day Follow-Ups – Keeps track of progress at 30-, 60- and 90-day intervals to make sure the student is still following the advised path to success.
Students who participate in the F.A.S.T. Program, on average, show an 85-90 percent reduction in behavioral issues in school and at home.
Our F.A.S.T. Program is offered Monday through Friday, 8am – 3pm at 500 Role Models and follows the Miami Dade County Public Schools calendar.
