diff --git a/src/backend/lib/db_helpers/case_manager.ts b/src/backend/lib/db_helpers/case_manager.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6073ece3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/lib/db_helpers/case_manager.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+import { Env } from "@/backend/lib/types";
+import { KyselyDatabaseInstance } from "@/backend/lib";
+import { getTransporter } from "@/backend/lib/nodemailer";
+import { user } from "zapatos/schema";
+
+interface paraInputProps {
+  first_name: string;
+  last_name: string;
+  email: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Checks for the existence of a user with the given email, if
+ * they do not exist, create the user with the role of "staff",
+ * initiate email sending without awaiting result
+ */
+export async function createPara(
+  para: paraInputProps,
+  db: KyselyDatabaseInstance,
+  case_manager_id: string,
+  from_email: string,
+  to_email: string,
+  env: Env
+): Promise<user.Selectable | undefined> {
+  const { first_name, last_name, email } = para;
+
+  let paraData = await db
+    .selectFrom("user")
+    .where("email", "=", email.toLowerCase())
+    .selectAll()
+    .executeTakeFirst();
+
+  if (!paraData) {
+    paraData = await db
+      .insertInto("user")
+      .values({
+        first_name,
+        last_name,
+        email: email.toLowerCase(),
+        role: "staff",
+      })
+      .returningAll()
+      .executeTakeFirst();
+
+    // promise, will not interfere with returning paraData
+    void sendInviteEmail(
+      from_email,
+      to_email,
+      first_name,
+      case_manager_id,
+      env
+    );
+  }
+
+  return paraData;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Sends an invitation email to a para
+ */
+export async function sendInviteEmail(
+  fromEmail: string,
+  toEmail: string,
+  first_name: string,
+  caseManagerName: string,
+  env: Env
+): Promise<void> {
+  await getTransporter(env).sendMail({
+    from: fromEmail,
+    to: toEmail,
+    subject: "Para-professional email confirmation",
+    text: "Email confirmation",
+    html: `<p>Dear ${first_name},</p><p>Welcome to the data collection team for SFUSD.EDU!</p><p>I am writing to invite you to join our data collection efforts for our students. We are using an online platform called <strong>Project Compass</strong> to track and monitor student progress, and your participation is crucial to the success of this initiative.</p><p>To access Project Compass and begin collecting data, please follow these steps:</p><ul><li>Go to the website: (<a href="https://staging.compassiep.com/">https://staging.compassiep.com/</a>)</li> <li>Login using your provided username and password</li><li>Once logged in, navigate to the dashboard where you would see the student goals page</li></ul><p>By clicking on the <strong>data collection</strong> button, you will be directed to the instructions outlining the necessary steps for data collection. Simply follow the provided instructions and enter the required data points accurately.</p><p>If you encounter any difficulties or have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I am here to assist you throughout the process and ensure a smooth data collection experience. Your dedication and contribution will make a meaningful impact on our students' educational journeys.</p><p>Thank you,</p><p>${caseManagerName}<br>Case Manager</p>`,
+  });
+  return;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Takes a given user (para), another user (cm), and a Kysely database,
+ * creates a link between the users in the database's
+ * "paras_assigned_to_case_manager" table
+ */
+export async function assignParaToCaseManager(
+  para_id: string,
+  case_manager_id: string,
+  db: KyselyDatabaseInstance
+): Promise<void> {
+  await db
+    .insertInto("paras_assigned_to_case_manager")
+    .values({ case_manager_id, para_id })
+    .execute();
+
+  return;
+}
diff --git a/src/backend/routers/case_manager.test.ts b/src/backend/routers/case_manager.test.ts
index 96fb9373..870ebf5d 100644
--- a/src/backend/routers/case_manager.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/routers/case_manager.test.ts
@@ -200,6 +200,31 @@ test("getMyParas", async (t) => {
   t.is(myParas.length, 1);
 });
 
+test("addStaff", async (t) => {
+  const { trpc } = await getTestServer(t, {
+    authenticateAs: "case_manager",
+  });
+
+  const parasBeforeAdd = await trpc.case_manager.getMyParas.query();
+  t.is(parasBeforeAdd.length, 0);
+
+  const newParaData = {
+    first_name: "Staffy",
+    last_name: "Para",
+    email: "sp@gmail.com",
+  };
+
+  await trpc.case_manager.addStaff.mutate(newParaData);
+
+  const parasAfterAdd = await trpc.case_manager.getMyParas.query();
+  t.is(parasAfterAdd.length, 1);
+
+  const createdPara = parasAfterAdd[0];
+  t.is(createdPara.first_name, newParaData.first_name);
+  t.is(createdPara.last_name, newParaData.last_name);
+  t.is(createdPara.email, newParaData.email);
+});
+
 test("addPara", async (t) => {
   const { trpc, seed } = await getTestServer(t, {
     authenticateAs: "case_manager",
diff --git a/src/backend/routers/case_manager.ts b/src/backend/routers/case_manager.ts
index bd045b95..175b74f4 100644
--- a/src/backend/routers/case_manager.ts
+++ b/src/backend/routers/case_manager.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import { z } from "zod";
 import { authenticatedProcedure, router } from "../trpc";
+import {
+  createPara,
+  assignParaToCaseManager,
+} from "../lib/db_helpers/case_manager";
 
 export const case_manager = router({
   /**
@@ -156,6 +160,38 @@ export const case_manager = router({
     return result;
   }),
 
+  /**
+   * Handles creation of para and assignment to user, attempts to send
+   * email but does not await email success
+   */
+  addStaff: authenticatedProcedure
+    .input(
+      z.object({
+        first_name: z.string(),
+        last_name: z.string(),
+        email: z.string().email(),
+      })
+    )
+    .mutation(async (req) => {
+      const para = await createPara(
+        req.input,
+        req.ctx.db,
+        req.ctx.auth.userId,
+        req.ctx.env.EMAIL,
+        req.input.email,
+        req.ctx.env
+      );
+
+      return await assignParaToCaseManager(
+        para?.user_id || "",
+        req.ctx.auth.userId,
+        req.ctx.db
+      );
+    }),
+
+  /**
+   * Deprecated: use addStaff instead
+   */
   addPara: authenticatedProcedure
     .input(
       z.object({
@@ -163,13 +199,12 @@ export const case_manager = router({
       })
     )
     .mutation(async (req) => {
-      const { para_id } = req.input;
-      const { userId } = req.ctx.auth;
-
-      await req.ctx.db
-        .insertInto("paras_assigned_to_case_manager")
-        .values({ case_manager_id: userId, para_id })
-        .execute();
+      await assignParaToCaseManager(
+        req.input.para_id,
+        req.ctx.auth.userId,
+        req.ctx.db
+      );
+      return;
     }),
 
   editPara: authenticatedProcedure
diff --git a/src/backend/routers/para.ts b/src/backend/routers/para.ts
index c5e735af..be06935c 100644
--- a/src/backend/routers/para.ts
+++ b/src/backend/routers/para.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { z } from "zod";
 import { getTransporter } from "../lib/nodemailer";
 import { authenticatedProcedure, router } from "../trpc";
+import { createPara } from "../lib/db_helpers/case_manager";
 
 export const para = router({
   getParaById: authenticatedProcedure
@@ -31,6 +32,9 @@ export const para = router({
       return result;
     }),
 
+  /**
+   * Deprecated: use case_manager.addStaff instead
+   */
   createPara: authenticatedProcedure
     .input(
       z.object({
@@ -42,39 +46,20 @@ export const para = router({
     .mutation(async (req) => {
       const { first_name, last_name, email } = req.input;
 
-      let paraData = await req.ctx.db
-        .selectFrom("user")
-        .where("email", "=", email.toLowerCase())
-        .selectAll()
-        .executeTakeFirst();
-
-      const caseManagerName = req.ctx.auth.session.user?.name ?? "";
-
-      if (!paraData) {
-        paraData = await req.ctx.db
-          .insertInto("user")
-          .values({
-            first_name,
-            last_name,
-            email: email.toLowerCase(),
-            role: "staff",
-          })
-          .returningAll()
-          .executeTakeFirst();
+      const para = await createPara(
+        req.input,
+        req.ctx.db,
+        req.ctx.auth.session.user?.name ?? "",
+        req.ctx.env.EMAIL,
+        email,
+        req.ctx.env
+      );
 
-        // TODO: Logic for sending email to staff. Should email be sent everytime or only first time? Should staff be notified that they are added to a certain case manager's list?
-        await getTransporter(req.ctx.env).sendMail({
-          from: req.ctx.env.EMAIL,
-          to: email,
-          subject: "Para-professional email confirmation",
-          text: "Email confirmation",
-          html: `<p>Dear ${first_name},</p><p>Welcome to the data collection team for SFUSD.EDU!</p><p>I am writing to invite you to join our data collection efforts for our students. We are using an online platform called <strong>Project Compass</strong> to track and monitor student progress, and your participation is crucial to the success of this initiative.</p><p>To access Project Compass and begin collecting data, please follow these steps:</p><ul><li>Go to the website: (<a href="https://staging.compassiep.com/">https://staging.compassiep.com/</a>)</li> <li>Login using your provided username and password</li><li>Once logged in, navigate to the dashboard where you would see the student goals page</li></ul><p>By clicking on the <strong>data collection</strong> button, you will be directed to the instructions outlining the necessary steps for data collection. Simply follow the provided instructions and enter the required data points accurately.</p><p>If you encounter any difficulties or have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I am here to assist you throughout the process and ensure a smooth data collection experience. Your dedication and contribution will make a meaningful impact on our students' educational journeys.</p><p>Thank you,</p><p>${caseManagerName}<br>Case Manager</p>`,
-        });
-        // TODO: when site is deployed, add new url to html above
-        // TODO elsewhere: add "email_verified_at" timestamp when para first signs in with their email address (entered into db by cm)
-      }
+      return para;
 
-      return paraData;
+      // TODO: Logic for sending email to staff. Should email be sent everytime or only first time? Should staff be notified that they are added to a certain case manager's list?
+      // TODO: when site is deployed, add new url to html above
+      // TODO elsewhere: add "email_verified_at" timestamp when para first signs in with their email address (entered into db by cm)
     }),
 
   getMyTasks: authenticatedProcedure.query(async (req) => {
diff --git a/src/pages/staff/index.tsx b/src/pages/staff/index.tsx
index 10c39769..c66e8868 100644
--- a/src/pages/staff/index.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/staff/index.tsx
@@ -7,15 +7,7 @@ const Staff = () => {
   const { data: paras, isLoading } = trpc.case_manager.getMyParas.useQuery();
   const { data: me } = trpc.user.getMe.useQuery();
 
-  const createPara = trpc.para.createPara.useMutation({
-    onSuccess: async (data) => {
-      await assignParaToCaseManager.mutateAsync({
-        para_id: data?.user_id as string,
-      });
-    },
-  });
-
-  const assignParaToCaseManager = trpc.case_manager.addPara.useMutation({
+  const addStaff = trpc.case_manager.addStaff.useMutation({
     onSuccess: () => utils.case_manager.getMyParas.invalidate(),
   });
 
@@ -24,7 +16,7 @@ const Staff = () => {
     const data = new FormData(event.currentTarget);
 
     try {
-      await createPara.mutateAsync({
+      await addStaff.mutateAsync({
         first_name: data.get("first_name") as string,
         last_name: data.get("last_name") as string,
         email: data.get("email") as string,