The School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Police Department have launched a new program aimed at helping students who have experienced a traumatic event outside of the classroom.

The program is called Handle With Care, and its efforts begin outside of the school setting. According to the School District of Philadelphia, if police officers encounter a student while responding to an incident, the school will be notified so they can supply the student with extra layers of support throughout the day. 

This year, Handle With Care will run as a pilot program for 15 schools within the 22nd Police District, which covers North Philadelphia areas, including Strawberry Mansion, Yorktown, Brewerytown and East Fairmount Park, among others. The school district and police department hope to roll out the program city-wide during the 2026-2027 school year.

Leaders from PPD and the school district held a press conference about the program Monday morning.

"Linking all of this together can create such a positive ... not just a community, but we can absolutely change the trajectory of a child's life," Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said. 

A $1 million grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance through the Office of Justice Programs provided training related to student exposure to violence and trauma to 300 law enforcement members and 100 school staff members over the past year, according to the School District of Philadelphia.