The state of Florida received a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to implement Handle with Care in any Florida community that wants it. This grant includes training, resources, and technical support for both school districts and police departments as the program carries out. Initial funding to implement the program is vital because, once off the ground, upkeep for the program is inexpensive. The SAMHSA grant will only last for four more years, so it is important to mobilize communities in Florida to advocate for the implementation of Handle with Care as soon as possible.

Handle with Care is an initiative aimed at helping children succeed in school by alerting school staff with a simple notice when a student experiences a traumatic event involving law enforcement or Child Protection Services (CPS). Officers at the scene of the event are trained to identify the children present, find out what school they attend and send the school a confidential email that simply says, “Handle [child’s name] with Care.”

The memo will not provide any other details in order to protect the family’s privacy. Handle with Care notices are provided to school principals, nurses, guidance counselors /social workers, School Resource Officers (SRO’s) and teachers on a need-to-know basis. These students may have been considered “troubled” otherwise, but Handle with Care helps staff understand what has happened to this child. Many of these children are considered drug-endangered and have been exposed to criminal behavior, violence, loss of parents to arrest and incarceration, abuse and neglect as well as other trauma from all they have experienced. Handle with Care helps put proper supports in place for these children.

Regardless of the source of trauma, the common thread is the school. Research shows that trauma can undermine a child’s ability to learn, form relationships and function appropriately in the classroom. It often leads to school failure, truancy, suspension / expulsion, dropping out completely or involvement in the juvenile justice system. Having relationships ready for children experiencing stressful situations will help to improve outcomes across the board.

For more information, go to www.handlewithcarefl.org.