Philadelphia expands Handle With Care trauma support program

The School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Police Department are expanding the ‘Handle With Care’ program district-wide. Originally launched as a pilot in 15 schools within the city’s 22nd Police District, the initiative creates a confidential alert system to support students exposed to traumatic events.

Under the program, police officers notify school officials when a child is present at a crime scene, a domestic violence incident, or another traumatic event. The notification includes the student’s name and school but excludes specific details of the incident to prevent bias. This allows educators to proactively provide classroom support, observation, or counseling rather than reacting to behavioral outbursts after the trauma has manifested.

To prepare for the rollout, approximately 3,000 police officers and 15,000 school staff members received training over the summer. The district will collaborate with researchers at Drexel University’s Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab to evaluate the program’s impact on student well-being and school violence.