Handle with Care program launches in Huntington schools
Suffolk County Legislator Rebecca Sanin, left, along with Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. and other officials at a press conference Tuesday announcing the launch of the Handle with Care program in Huntington. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
Huntington school officials on Tuesday announced the rollout of an initiative meant to help children exposed to trauma outside the classroom, after similar programs showed positive results on the East End.
Known as “Handle with Care,” the program — which originated in West Virginia more than a decade ago and has been implemented in schools across the country — calls for police officers to notify schools when a child is present during a law enforcement response, officials said. That would then allow teachers and administrators to provide support and resources, such as postponing a test or connecting students with mental health professionals.
Officials said the notification will not identify the student or specifics about the incident, which could involve cases of domestic violence, eviction, orders of protection, car crashes or house fires. Only the child's address will be given, officials said.
“We are not here to ask questions. We are here to offer compassion, understanding and extra support," Huntington schools Superintendent Beth McCoy said during a news conference at J. Taylor Finley Middle School. "We know that children do not leave their experiences at the door when they come into our school. When we can meet with empathy and awareness even without knowing all the details, we can make a powerful difference in their day and in their healing."
In Huntington, school officials are partnering with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. said at the news conference that the effort will only take his deputies a few minutes to complete, but will go a long way toward ensuring a student receives appropriate care and attention.
“A child will feel a little bit more attention, feel very important and maybe be able to speak to a professional about what’s going on in their life,” he said.
Deputy Sheriff Dylan Hever with the form that officers will fill out as part of the Handle with Care initiative. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
East End launch
The pilot program first launched on Long Island in the Hampton Bays school district in February. It has since been implemented in all the East End districts that fall under Southampton Town police jurisdiction, according to Bob Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association.
"We want to see this replicated all over, because if a kid experiences trauma, the sooner you intervene, the better you can solve the issues, as opposed to waiting and letting it go untreated years later and then the problems manifest themselves in ways we can't even imagine," Vecchio said.
According to Lars Clemensen, superintendent for Hampton Bays schools, 18 students received help during the pilot period through August.
“It’s an extra layer of eyes to just understand that there's something going on,” Clemensen said, adding a child will not be disciplined if, for example, they fail to turn in an assignment. In a situation such as a family being displaced from their home, he said a child could also receive additional resources.
Legis. Rebecca Sanin (D-Huntington Station) spearheaded the effort in Huntington with the sheriff’s office.
“For schools, it means no child slips through the cracks. Administrators and teachers can quickly engage counselors, social workers and community partners to meet the needs the moment they arrive, without relying on hindsight or on rumors. For law enforcement, many of whom are parents themselves, it offers peace of mind,” she said.
