State gets $7.5 million federal grant for traumatized children

A new federal grant will allow Delaware to expand supports for children who have experienced academic, social, and behavioral health challenges as a result of exposure to trauma and toxic stress.

Gov. John Carney announced on Monday that Delaware will receive almost $7.5 million over five years from the U.S. Department of Education’s Trauma Recovery Demonstration Project Grant Program. The project aims to strengthen collaborations among families, schools and mental health service providers.

“We know that many Delaware children arrive at school each day with their own unique challenges. In many cases, that includes exposure to trauma,” said Gov. Carney. “It’s our job to help those children cope with the effects of trauma, so they can focus on learning in the classroom. This grant will help us connect families, school leaders, and health providers to make sure that Delaware children are receiving the best services possible.”

The grant will support:

• Increase screening for a larger population of students to identify those experiencing trauma;
• Augment immediately available support services for identified children;
• Strengthen partnerships with agencies that can provide additional short- and long-term services for referred students; and
• Enhance understanding by teachers, staff and providers about signs and symptoms of trauma and the broader adoption of a trauma-informed approach.

“We believe that this grant will have a significant positive impact on the learning outcomes of our students and will add to the evidence base around the effective trauma sensitive strategies in schools,” said Stephanie Ingram, [resident of the Delaware State Education Association. “The mental health and social services assistance provided by this grant will help in developing resilient, engaged, and academically successful students while also providing safe, stable, and supportive school environments.”