SNAP

Domain II · Behavioural & cognitive · Leena Augimeri · 1985 · Toronto

What it is

SNAP (Stop Now And Plan) is a gender-specific, family-focused, multisystemic cognitive-behavioural model for children aged 6–11 with high levels of aggressive or antisocial behaviour, such as stealing, lying, aggression and bullying. Referrals come from police, schools, child welfare, the fire…

Format

• Phase 0: Referral, intake and risk/need assessment. Referral comes through a police-community protocol, school, child welfare or parent. Intake includes separate interviews with the child and with the parent or guardian. With consent, standardised behaviour ratings are collected from the parent and…
• Phase 1: Core Groups (13 weeks). Concurrent, structured cognitive-behavioural groups run for children and for parents/caregivers. Each runs 90 minutes, once a week. Children's groups have at most 7 children and are banded by developmental age: 6–7, 8–9 and 10–11. Two Child Workers lead each…

Who practises it, and how they are trained or regulated

• Phase 3: Youth Leadership (ages ~11.5/12+). For SNAP graduates who need further skill-building, employment skills and protection from gang involvement. It includes individual counselling/mentoring, a weekly 2.5-hour Leadership Club during the school year, a Leaders-in-Training role in SNAP summer camp, and family and school supports. The age range varies by source: 12–17 (Public Safety Canada) versus 11.5–14 (CEBC).
• Version followed: the current SNAP® Boys model as described from the Child Development Institute (CDI) 4th-edition manuals (CDI, 2022: SNAP Boys children's group manual and parent group manual), which set 13 weekly 90-minute concurrent groups. Where they differ, the guide also notes the older SNAP Under 12 Outreach Project (ORP) description used in the Pittsburgh RCT (Burke & Loeber, 2015) and the Public Safety…
• Licensing note. SNAP is a licensed, branded multi-component program, not a single therapy technique. An agency can deliver it as "SNAP" only as a CDI Licensed Affiliate. That requires readiness and feasibility assessment, 3 days of lead-staff training, 5–9 days of core staff training, annual Trainer/Consultant support and fidelity monitoring. A clinician working alone can use this guide in two ways: to understand…

Questions to explore with your client

• What drew you to it, and what are you hoping it will change?
• Does it involve any substance, plant preparation, remedy or supplement? Has your doctor or prescriber been told, especially about any medication you take?
• Does it involve intense or unusual breathing? Have you been told about the medical conditions for which that is not advised?
• Does it involve fasting, a special diet or 'detox'? Have you discussed this with your doctor?
• Is it a group, retreat or community? How do they respond if someone wants to leave or raises a concern?
• Who runs it, and what training or registration do they hold?
• What actually happens in a session or meeting, and how often?
• What does it cost, and is there pressure to commit to more?
• How do you feel afterwards, in the hours and days that follow?
• Does it fit with, or clash with, the work we do here?

What practitioners of it watch for

• reporting duties (see 5).
• undiagnosed learning disabilities. Refer for assessment.
• drift toward discussion-only groups and dropped components.
• antisocial peer clustering. Keep groups structured and adult-led.
• goals that are about not being "bad". Reframe them as skills to do.

When to involve someone else

• New or worsening physical symptoms, or advice to stop or change prescribed medication: involve the client's doctor or prescriber.
• Signs of coercion, isolation from family and friends, escalating costs or secrecy: discuss openly and consider safeguarding.
• A crisis or thoughts of suicide: follow your crisis protocol. In the US, call or text 988; in the UK and Ireland, Samaritans on 116 123.

Drawn automatically from the guide's own sections. Stay curious: neither endorse nor dismiss what the client values, and check anything that matters against the full guide and its sources. Not medical advice.