Student Support Advocate

Hello, my name is Jason West and I am the student support advocate (SSA) at Glacier Peak High School.

What is an SSA? Simply put, I am a case manager. I work alongside counselors and other staff to make sure that young people and families can overcome any barriers to their academic experience (think community resources). That is a very broad description because my job is very broad. Below are some examples of some types of students\situations I work with:

Homelessness/McKinney Vento
Students using drugs or alcohol
Students who are not safe at home
Students having thoughts of suicide (I am not a licensed therapist, but I will get these students to the right spot).
Students who need health insurance
Students who need to see a doctor or mental health professional
Students and families who need any sort of documentation (ID, birth cert, social security)
Low-income barriers
LGBTQAI+ resources

I work with students and families in a harm-reduction and strength-based manner to achieve goals that they have identified. If you are ever wondering if you should refer a student to me but are not sure, feel free to send me their name and I will sort out the details. It is never a waste of my time to meet a student-if they don’t need resources, they likely know someone who does.

How to contact me (families and students)