‘Handle with Care’ helps young people process grief and trauma

SATURDAY. ALL RIGHT, DALENCIA, THANK YOU. WELL, CARROLL COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE COLLABORATING WITH CARROLL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO HELP SUPPORT STUDENTS IMPACTED BY TRAUMA. AND JOINING US THIS MORNING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE HANDLE WITH CARE PROGRAM IS CARROLL COUNTY STATES ADTORNEY HAVEN SHOEMAKER AND TIM WEBER. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR RECEIVING US. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. Oh, sure. OUR PLEASURE. CLEAR. THEN TELL US ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. Well, I mean, you want me to start. OK. SO I THINK IT IS A VERY INNOVATIVE PROGRAM, ACTUALLY. I HOPE IT WILL BE DUPLICATE ACROSS THE STATE. AND IT’S AN IDEA THIS KIND OF SPEARHEAD ADDED BASED ON INFORMATION HE PICKED UP AT A NATIONAL CONFERENCE. SO WHAT IT IS IS THE RESULT OF THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY AND CARROLL COUNTY AND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO WHEN A STUDENT IS IMPACTED BY ANY TYPE OF TRAUMATIC EVENT, LAW AND ENFORCEMENT CAN SEND NOTIFICATION TO THE APPROPRIATE SCHOOL EMPLOYEE AND THE SCHOOL EMPLOYEE CAN ENSURE THAT STUDENT RECEIVES THE ATTENTION AND SERVICE THEY NEED. SO IT’S MORE LIKE A TEACHER WILL HANDLE THEM WITH CARE OR MAYBE IT’S A SCHOOL THERAPIST? HOW DOES THIS PART WORK? IT’S MOST BASICALLY WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS JUST. THE ONLY THING THE SCHOOL RECEIVES AND GOES TO A SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL IN THE SCHOOL IS TREAT JOHNNY WITH CARE. NOTHING ABOUT THE EVENT NOTHING LIKE THAT AND THEN THE SCHOOL DETERMINE IS YOU KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALONE AND BASICALLY JUST WATCH THE CHILD BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS THAT CHILDHOOD TRAUMA PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN WHEN YOU GET OLDER. AS SOMEONE WHO EXPERIENCED CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, IT MAY LEAD TO OTHER THINGS IN THE FUTURE. I HOPE WE CAN SEE THIS MITIGATE IT, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY AND JUST KEEP AN EYE ON THE CHILD SO IF THERE ARE SOME SIGNS OF SOMETHING, YOU KNOW YOU’RE THERE. AND LIKE YOU SAID, THAT’S REALLY INNOVATIVE BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO LAW ENFORCEMENTS SHARE WHAT HAPPENED, THERE’S STILL THE SEPARATION OF IT. BUT WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA ESPECIALLY TEND TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY DON’T WANT TO EAT OR MAYBE THEY JUST START ACTING OUT OR JUST WITHDRAWING AND THAT MAY BE SWITCHED OFF AND A TEACHER MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS CHILD IS ACTING LITTLE DIFFERENT. BUT NOW THEY KNOW. SO JUST TREAT THEM WITH A LITTLE EXTRA LOVE. EXACTLY. IT `S EXACTLY. AND THAT HAS HAPPENED FOR A WHILE. THAT’S JUST WHAT I SAW AT A CONFERENCE, BRING IT BACK AND TALKING ABOUT IT HERE. AND IT WAS NOT JUST ME, OBVIOUSLY. WE YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENTS CATCHED IT IMMEDIATELY. AND IT’S REALLY A VERY GOOD PROGRAM. I LOVE THIS BECAUSE INSTEAD OF BEING PUNISHED FOR HAVING THIS REACTION, NOW THEY ARE JUST BEING TREATED WITH SOME LOVE AND TELLING US ABOUT CAMP THRIVE. CAMP THRIVE IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPACTING THING I CAN DO ALL YEAR FOR ME. THEREFORE IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY COME FROM HANDLING WITH CARE. IT WAS THE SAME TIME. BUT A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WHO WORKS IN THE CARROLL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HER NAME IS KELLY SNYDER. SHE IS A STUDENT STAFF WORKER. AND SHE THOUGHT CHILDREN DON’T REALLY HAVE A PLACE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR STRUGGLE OR DEALING WITH LOSS. AND THUS, THEIR CHILDREN ARE IMPACTED BY ADDICTION-RELATED TRAUMA. SO WE HAVE A CAMP ONCE A YEAR IN OUR COUNTY. IT IS FINANCED BY DONATIONS FROM EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY. RESTAURANTS JOIN OUR OFFICE, CARROLL COUNTY YOUTH SERVICES BUREAU, CARROLL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE LONG WEEKEND FOR THE CHILDREN TO SEE THEY ARE NOT ALONE. I LOVE THAT YOU GUYS ARE PUTTING SO MUCH FOCUS ON ENSURING CHILDREN ARE CARE OF, BECAUSE IT REALLY HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH AS THEY GROW AND DEVELOP. YES. AND ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, OF COURSE, AT CAMP THRIVE IS THE ANNUAL KICKBALL GAME. YES. YES. AND KICKBALL. IT’S LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST CHILDREN AND I CAN GO OUT AND MAKE PEACE OF MYSELF AND IT’S A LOT OF FUN. I LOVE THAT. IT IS ALSO HELPING TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, T

‘Handle with Care’ helps young people process grief and trauma

Updated: 3pm EDT, September 3, 2023

Carroll County State Attorney Haven Shoemaker and Community Education Representative Tim Weber talk about a new program designed to help children who have experienced trauma. How schools, counselors and law enforcement play a role.

BALTIMORE –

Carroll County State Attorney Haven Shoemaker and Community Education Representative Tim Weber talk about a new program designed to help children who have experienced trauma. How schools, counselors and law enforcement play a role.