"Handle with Care" Initiative

The Circle of Care, in partnership with the SIU School of Medicine-Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development, is organizing the conversation in communities about the Handle with Care initiative.

Many of you may know that children and teens sometimes experience stressful or traumatic events, whether at home or in the community, such as domestic violence, substance use, or crime. These experiences can weigh heavily on young minds, affecting their emotional and cognitive well-being. Unfortunately, many of these children silently carry this burden, even after returning to school. This stress often manifests as academic, emotional, or behavioral challenges that can significantly impact their ability to learn and thrive. This is where the Handle with Care initiative becomes crucial. It encourages us to recognize the signs of trauma and offer the understanding and support these children need. By being aware of their challenges, we can create a safe, compassionate environment where they can heal and thrive.

The Handle with Care initiative is simple and powerful. When law enforcement encounters a child at the scene of an incident, a confidential notification is sent to the child’s school. This allows school personnel to be prepared to observe and respond to any academic, emotional, or behavioral challenges the child may face.

Training and support are available for communities to help implement this initiative. If you are interested in learning more about how to adopt Handle with Care in your community, please contact us at [Please enable JavaScript.].

Funding for this program is provided in whole or in part through the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Block Grant through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Participating Agencies

• Bureau County
  • Spring Valley Police Department
  • Spring Valley CCSD #99
  • St. Bede Academy
• Carroll County
  • Carroll County Sheriff’s Office
  • Chadwick-Milledgeville CUSD #399
  • Eastland CUSD #308
  • West Carroll CUSD 314
• Clark County
  • Clark County Sheriff’s Office
  • Marshall Police Department
  • Marshall Community Unit School District C-2
• Coles County
  • Charleston Police Department
  • Charleston Community Unit School District 1
  • Coles County Sheriff’s Department
• Cook/DuPage County
  • Elk Grove Village Police Department
  • District 54
  • District 59
• DeKalb County
  • Dekalb Police Department
  • Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office
  • Dekalb Community Unit School 428
• DuPage County
  • Batavia 101
• Edgar County
  • Edgar County Sheriff’s Office
  • Kansas Police Department
  • Paris Police Department
  • Kansas CUSD #3
  • Shiloh Village School District #85
  • EIASE
  • Paris Community Unit School District 4
  • Paris Union School District 95
• Fayette County
  • Vandalia
• Iroquois County
  • Iroquois County Sheriff’s Department
  • Iroquois County CUSD 9
• Kane County
  • West Aurora District 129
• Massac County
  • Metropolis Police Department
  • Massac County Sheriff’s Office
  • Massac Unit #1 School District
  • Joppa/Maple Grove School District
• Montgomery County
  • Hillsboro Community Unit District 3
  • Hillsboro Police Department
  • Litchfield Police Department
  • Litchfield CUSD 12
  • Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency
  • Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department
  • Nokomis Police Department
  • Nokomis CUSD 22
  • Panhandle CUSD 2
• Peoria County
  • Peoria County Sheriff’s Office
  • Peoria Police Department
  • Chillicothe Police Department
  • East Peoria Police Department
  • Peoria Public Schools
  • Illini Bluffs School District #327
  • Pleasant Hill School District
  • Pleasant Valley School District #62
  • Norwood School District #63
  • Princeville CUSD #326
  • Limestone Community High School
  • Dunlap Community Unit School District #323
  • Illinois Valley Central Unit District 321
  • East Peoria Elementary School District 86
  • East Peoria Community High School
• Richland County
  • Richland County Sheriff’s Office
  • Richland County Community Unit School District 1
• Tazewell County
  • Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office
  • Washington Police Department
  • Pekin Police Department
  • Washington District 50 Schools
  • Central School District 51
  • Creve Coeur School District 76
  • North Pekin-Marquette Heights SD 102
  • Pekin Community High School District #303
  • Delavan CUSD #703
  • Tazewell Woodford Head Start
• Winnebago County
  • Rockford Public Schools
  • Rockford Police Department