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Too many of West Virginia's kids are struggling -- we know that. But for some children, continuing economic woes and the substance abuse epidemic have created chaotic home lives that lead to even greater trauma. For a few years now, local law enforcement and school systems have teamed up in the Handle With Care initiative to make sure those kids get the attention and help they need.
In Pleasants County, Social Service Attendance and Child Nutrition Director Amanda Mote might get a call from someone in law enforcement, notifying her that a child experienced a traumatic event that involved law enforcement the night before. Mote then calls the child's school, counselors, administrations, teachers … anyone who might need to help handle that child with a little more care during the school day.
"We don't have any details about what happened; we just know that law enforcement had an encounter with a child and it allows us to respond to the student in a trauma-sensitive way when they return to school," Mote said.
There's no telling the difference that has made for some of our local kids.
And speaking of making a difference, there have been 46 such calls in Pleasants County so far this school year. According to Mote, 28% of those cases have been called in by Pleasants County Sheriff's Department Cpl. Rory Marant, earning him this year's Handle With Care Hero award.
The plan does not work without a lot of caring adults willing to participate. Pleasants County owes an enormous amount to those adults -- people like Mote, Marant, school psychologist Helen Wells, and the many others who make sure kids are as taken care of as they can be, during the school day.
We join Mote in saying to those folks, thank you.