The SAGE Program
The SAGE (Students Achieving Greater Enrichment) program is an evidence-informed, multi-tiered social-emotional learning intervention designed specifically for adolescent students ages 12 to 18. Developed by Pivotal Performance Group, this comprehensive program addresses the urgent need for school-based prevention and intervention services that target the interconnected challenges of social-emotional development, mental health, and substance use prevention. By utilizing a structured framework aligned with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) principles, SAGE delivers differentiated support through weekly 30-minute sessions tailored to each student's level of need, supplemented by brief weekly check-ins to reinforce learning and monitor progress.
The SAGE program integrates multiple evidence-based approaches that have demonstrated efficacy in reducing anxiety, depression, and substance use among adolescents ages 12 to 18. Research supports a comprehensive approach that combines social-emotional skill building, cognitive-behavioral strategies, and environmental supports delivered through a coordinated, multi-tiered framework.
The SAGE program offers a comprehensive, evidence-informed approach to addressing the interconnected challenges of social-emotional development, mental health, and substance use prevention among adolescent students. By integrating proven strategies from cognitive-behavioral therapy, social-emotional learning, and self-awareness training within a structured MTSS framework, SAGE provides differentiated support matched to each student's level of need. The program's emphasis on weekly structured sessions supplemented by informal check-ins ensures consistent skill development while fostering the supportive relationships that are essential to adolescent growth and change.
Research consistently demonstrates that school-based programs targeting social-emotional competencies represent one of the most effective and cost-efficient approaches to preventing substance use and promoting positive mental health outcomes. By intervening during the critical developmental period of adolescence, SAGE has the potential to alter life-course trajectories, reducing risk for substance dependence, academic failure, and chronic mental health difficulties while building the skills students need to thrive in school and beyond.
Pivotal Performance Group is committed to partnering with schools and districts to implement SAGE with fidelity and to document outcomes that demonstrate program effectiveness. We welcome the opportunity to discuss how SAGE can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your student population and integrated with existing support structures within your schools.