REQUIRE FOR ALL STATES THAT PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS HAVE TRAUMA INFORMED CERTIFICATION
I have worked in several daycares as a teacher, as well as in a counseling position in a residential home for emotionally disturbed teenagers in New York State. I was required to become certified in trauma informed care in order to work in daycares in this state. Recently I learned that out of our 50 states, only a mere 16 of them require public school teachers to be trauma informed. Unfortunately, my state isn't one of them. As someone with both personal and professional experience in similar settings, I urge Congress to support a petition or create some type of action or bill that would require all states to have their public-school teachers carry some type of trauma informed certification. Too many children with trauma and mental health issues slip through the cracks and even experience mistreatment by teachers due to the teachers not having the education to recognize the signs of a traumatized child. The absence of recognition and support for traumatized children can lead to enduring continued trauma, criminal behaviors, severe mental health issues, and so many other adverse effects. If children really are our future, I implore you to back this petition and help as many of them reach their full potential as possible.
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