Lower Burrell Police and School District Partner to Help Children Who Have Suffered Traumatic Experiences

A new, more formal program between Lower Burrell Police and the Burrell School District aims to support a child after experiencing a traumatic incident.

The district and police are working with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Trauma Education and Response (TEAR) program on the initiative called “Handle with Care.”

“This program notifies the school district if a child has experienced any type of trauma,” Lower Burrell Police Chief John Marhefka said. “The school will then monitor the child closely.”

Marhefka said the program was initiated by prosecutor Nicole Ziccarelli. The prosecutor’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

A recent house fire that displaced a family on Michigan Avenue in Lower Burrell is an example of an incident where the program would be used, Marhefka said.

The Highlands and New Kensington-Arnold school districts also use the program.

According to the AIU, officers scan a QR code after encountering a traumatic event where a child is present or could be affected by the outcome. This does not reveal all the details of a traumatic event, but rather informs the school district that the child has experienced trauma.

Burrell Superintendent Shannon Wagner said Handle with Care will complement the already strong relationship between the district and the police department.

“This program gives structure to something that already existed,” she said.

Greg Egnor, Burrell’s director of student services, said district officials will receive their formal Handle with Care training later this month.

“If we know this in advance, we can activate our resources and give them an environment that doesn’t trigger them,” Egnor said.

This would in turn provide students with the opportunity to learn and grow while they study, Egnor said.