If law enforcement encounter a child on a call, and has reason to believe the child has been exposed to violence, trauma, or some other averse experience, police will contact the child’s school district. Law enforcement agencies send a confidential notification to the school when they encounter a child at a traumatic scene or exposed to trauma. Police do not send incident details to the school, just three words: “Handle with Care” with the child’s first and last name.
School administration will then distribute the notification to the appropriate teachers and school counselor so they can monitor the student throughout the day and determine if trauma-sensitive support might be needed at school. This allows teachers to make adjustments to class assignments, give more time on homework or tests, allow for the student to take some time in the nurse’s office, or connect the student to the counselor.
Lastly, if needed, the counselor will reach out to the Greene County Educational Service Center School-based mental health program staff or make a referral to Greene County Juvenile Court who can coordinate with the parents/caretakers for additional supports either in the community or at school.
Since implementation in 2021, Handle with Care has provided support to over 800 children county-wide.
“Handle With Care connects law enforcement and our schools in a unique way that allows our students to be supported in a time of need, and it does so without adding any additional trauma or stress to the child,” Beavercreek Superintendent Paul Otten said.
The program also provides training to schools on how to provide trauma-sensitive supports in the classroom. Parent organization Handle With Care Ohio, which aims to implement such programs across the state, has at least 19 active programs in the state, including Greene and Montgomery Counties. Similar programs are being developed in Warren, Butler, and Clark Counties, according to the organization’s website.
“I strongly support the Handle with Care program,” Greene County Sheriff Scott Anger said. “It’s a great partnership that better serves our youth during and after they have been involved in, or exposed to, traumatic events outside of their school day.”
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