Portage County schools are doing just that. A handful of schools in Portage have implemented the state-wide program, Handle with Care. Coordinated by the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County, Handle with Care aims to ensure that school-aged children who are exposed to adverse childhood experiences receive appropriate care so they can succeed in school to the best of their ability.
Handle With Care asks first responders to note when a school-aged child is present during a possible traumatic event. The first responder obtains the child’s name and school, then sends a notice stating, “Handle with Care” and the student’s name to the appropriate school. The Handle with Care protocol allows school staff to provide additional support to students in the days following adverse/traumatic experiences and monitor for any ongoing needs.
Some of these interventions may involve allowing extra time on homework, letting children rest in the nurse’s office, or finding different ways to support them. School staff are instructed not to ask the child to tell them what happened, although some children may find solace in talking to their teachers. We want to respect the privacy of our children and families while also showing that there are supports in place.
“The Aurora City Schools has taken advantage of the opportunity to collaborate with the Aurora Police Department and the Mental Health Recovery Board to provide the Handle with Care training and support for our students and staff,” said Paul Milcetich, Assistant Superintendent of Aurora City School District. “This system has helped our staff to be able to intentionally check in with a student when they have experienced a potentially traumatic event and struggle to cope. It has been a positive and subtle way to let staff know to increase the level of empathy without divulging too much personal information. Handle with Care has led to establishing open lines of communication about the student in need, which has also helped our learning community have a heightened awareness of these individualized needs of our students. It is a perfect fit with our district philosophy of providing a nurturing learning environment and supporting our students to develop holistically.”
The following schools have Handle with Care implemented: Aurora City Schools, Bio-Med Science Academy, Field Local Schools, James A. Garfield Local Schools, Ravenna City Schools, Rootstown Local Schools, Southeast Local Schools, Streetsboro City Schools, and Windham Exempted Village Schools. The staff at these schools have gone through the Handle with Care training and receive notices from first responders. Crestwood and Waterloo will be trained early this school year.
The corresponding first responders trained in Handle with Care that send notices are: Aurora Police Department, Brimfield Township Police Department, Garrettsville Police Department, Hiram Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol (Post 67), Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Streetsboro Police Department, and Windham Police Department.
The next step in this program is getting fire departments involved, which is currently in progress. Others in the county can be advocates, or “partners,” in this program and attend the bi-annual Partner’s Meetings; where updates are shared, collaboration and problem solving happens, and community members/organizations can express how they can be of help to the program.
“Most Portage County schools and first responders have been receptive to this program,” said Gina Dufour, Handle With Care County Coordinator. “To those schools and first responders that have gotten trained and utilized this program, thank you, it is an admirable thing to do for the children in our community. What this program boils down to is supporting children, our children who have gone through something traumatic, whether it be a fire, car accident, death of a loved one, or anything in between; being more informed means we can better support.
If you would like to learn more about the program, become a partner, or become a trainer, please contact the Handle with Care County Coordinator, Gina Dufour, at 330-673-1756 ext. 209 or ginad@mhrbpc.org.
