AG Grewal and Education Commissioner Dehmer Announce Statewide “Handle With Care” Program to Protect Children Who Experience Traumatic Events
AG Showcases Program in Videos with Middle Township Police Chief Christopher Leusner and Special Agent in Charge Susan Gibson of DEA’s NJ Division, Who Pioneered Program in State
TRENTON – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and Interim Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer today announced a new Statewide “Handle With Care” Program to support schoolchildren throughout New Jersey who have experienced traumatic events in their lives.
“Handle With Care” (HWC) is designed to promote partnerships between law enforcement and schools to help provide a safe and supportive academic environment for children exposed to traumatic events known as “adverse childhood experiences,” or ACEs. ACEs, if unaddressed, can lead to problems such as drug use and depression, and they can have a lasting impact on a child’s health, well-being, and academic success.
Under the program, law enforcement officers notify a child’s school promptly if the child is involved in a traumatic event, so that teachers can mitigate the negative impact, rather than unwittingly compounding it by disciplining the child for behavioral or performance issues that may be linked to the trauma. The teacher may offer support by, for example, providing extra help with lessons, postponing a test, or referring the child to a school nurse or counselor.
The program ensures that the child’s privacy is strictly protected. Details of the traumatic event are not shared with the school, and teachers are directed not to discuss the event with the child.
A “traumatic event” for a child is defined broadly to include, among other things:
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