Members of the Trauma-Informed DC Initiative met with At-Large City Councilmember David Grosso and Christina Henderson, Education Committee Director, on November 4 to follow up on a number of issues raised at the Initiative’s School-to-Prison Pipeline event in late August.The group addressed how to bring all of the stakeholders in the city together to advance trauma-informed schools as one action step to create a trauma-informed city and region. They discussed how to improve communication and collaboration among groups working on this issue in order to break down silos to better serve children and their families. 

Grosso said there is a need to “map” where services have been delivered and trainings have been conducted over the years in schools in the district.  There was agreement that there is a need to identify what data now exists and where there are gaps in order to get a complete picture of childhood adversity that impacts learning and health throughout an individual’s life.

As Chairman of the Education Committee, Grosso has taken a leadership role in paving the way for trauma-informed schools in the District, holding a comprehensive hearing on the subject in June.  He held a town hall meeting on the school-to-prison pipeline on Nov. 7 and is holding a hearing November 12 on legislation “Youth Suicide Prevention and School Climate Survey Act of 2015” (B21-0361) and “Assessment on Children of Incarcerated Parents Act of 2015” (B21-0319).