A $250,000 grant to the Highlands Family Center in Tarentum will help children who suffer traumatic experiences at home.
The program will bridge the gap between the Highlands School District and local police through a Handle with Care Initiative, officials said.
“Police will notify the school of any 911 call where a child is home,” trauma outreach coordinator Carl Schwartz said. “Teachers will know that maybe they need to give a little extra attention that day. Maybe they give the child extra recess or reschedule a test.”
The program, Trauma Education And Response , was funded by the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
“This is a big deal,” Schwartz said. “There is nothing else like it in the Alle-Kiski Valley.”
Police departments from each municipality in the district — Fawn, Harrison, Brackenridge and Tarentum — have agreed to participate.
“If we can get the schools the information that day and they can intercede, it’s good,” Fawn police Chief Tim Mayberry said. “I don’t know how anyone can not be in favor of it.”
Mayberry said this marks a new trend in the relationships between schools and law enforcement.
Details of incidents would be kept private from school officials, Schwartz said.
The goal is to embrace the student during turmoil and give them tools for recovery, he said.
Amber Dean, Highlands student service director, said district administrators are eager to start the partnership.
She sees it as a valuable tool in supporting district families.
“This program will allow us to respond in a proactive manner to students,” Dean said. “We will be able to tailor our approach based on our knowledge of the student and, when needed, assist the family in connecting with community agencies.”
Highlands Family Center is housed along East Fourth Avenue.
Funded by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, it is billed as a one-stop shop for parents and children. Programs include food assistance, a WIC office, a diaper bank, play groups, parent groups, field trips and home visits for early childhood education.
There are no income guidelines to participate.
Site director Jeannie Dennis said her facility assists 1,300 families a year. She is proud to add the Handle with Care program to the offerings.
“This can be an isolating experience for children,” she said. “We want to be a community that changes the experience. We want to get that trauma taken care of as soon as possible so there are no long-term effects.”
Tawnya Panizzi is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tawnya at 724-226-7726, tpanizzi@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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October 24, 2021 at 06:01PM
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Highlands Family Center launches student initiative to 'Handle with Care' - TribLIVE
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