Handle With Care

Handle With Care is a program that creates a one-way communications conduit between law enforcement and schools. When children return to school after experiencing a traumatic event – such as a car accident or the death of a loved one– their teachers are often unaware and unable to offer the support they need. Handle With Care was designed to provide support during these challenging moments in children’s lives.

When implemented, responding first responders would submit a notice to the child’s school when they react to a scene where a child is a victim or a witness to a traumatic incident. No details about the event are provided, only the child’s name and a note to “Handle With Care.” When the child returns to school, their teacher can monitor and support them. For instance, the teacher can offer an extension if the student arrives at school without homework. Similarly, if the student does poorly on a test, the teacher can allow them to retake it for full credit.

Having implemented over a dozen pilots in large and small school districts and law enforcement agencies, Bridges can assist any organization with implementation in Texas.

Please pray for our friends at the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice, who founded the program!

Interested in learning more? Click here to request a call and get started, or call us directly at (281) 401-9229.

Project Goals

  • Timely Support

    Offer appropriate support to children who have experienced traumatic events, allowing them to grow in a caring environment.

  • Improve Communication

    Foster communication between law enforcement agencies and schools to create a stronger student environment.

  • Secondary Trauma

    By providing law enforcement with a sense of closure, we can help reduce their emotional burden.

  • Better Academics

    Help children cope with the emotional and psychological effects of trauma, reducing academic and behavioral difficulties.

Child Trauma

57.8% of children face the challenges of at least one traumatic childhood experience.

Child Abuse

At least 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the past year.

High School?

Children who experience trauma are more prone to academic underachievement.

Multifaith Care Coalition

The Multifaith Care Coalition (MCC) is a small virtual committee comprising 8 to 10 individuals who will represent various congregations in your county. The MCC will meet with school districts and law enforcement agencies to complete check-ins for Handle With Care and discuss innovative ways to strengthen community support for youth mental health. There will be about 2 to 4 meetings per year, as well as a brief 15-minute virtual training held by Bridges.
 
If you have any questions regarding the MCC and its roles, please reach out to our policy analyst, Julianne Ho (julianne@joinbridges.org).

Frequent Questions

What is the cost of the program?

It doesn’t cost law enforcement or schools a single dime!

What are the expectations of participating agencies?

We ask that you do a minimum set of training to understand how the program works. This could take as little as 30 minutes.

Do educators have to go through any trauma-informed training? 

This answer varies from district to district. The TEA has a set of training on trauma-informed practices, and that training can be supplemented.

How fast do we rollout? 

This also depends on your district! Our preference is to pilot the program with a feeder system and a patrol route and scale the program from there over one year.

How do my officers submit the Handle With Care notice?

You will be provided a web link for your handheld or your unit terminal. It is an entirely web-based platform.

Will I hear back from the schools?

No. This is a one-way communication mechanism. We work with school districts to attend roll-call and provide brief and anonymized updates for a further sense of closure.

Is any sensitive information given out about the child? 

Absolutely not! Only the child’s name, grade, and school are in the notice.

How long does it take to implement?

How fast can your agency sign an MOU with the TEA? Once that is signed, you can be up and running within two weeks!

Ready to get started?

Fill out the form to your right or give us a call at (281) 401-9229. Our team will work hand-in-hand with you to roll out Handle With Care.

  • Collaboration, Collaboration

    We’ll work with you every step of the way to ensure a successful program.

  • Sustainability

    We’ll create a sustainability plan to ensure long-term growth.

  • Engaging Training

    Time is limited – our goal is to create an engaging program for your staff.