HYANNIS – The National Association of School Resource Officers is working with Governor Maura Healey to offer two specialized training programs on adolescent mental health and trauma-informed conflict resolution.
The programs are funded by the Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) allowing more than 70 school resource officers (SROs) from across the Commonwealth to receive advanced education at no cost to them.
These programs teach SROs fundamental strategies to better serve school communities, support student health and safety, and divert at-risk youth from justice involvement.
“The safety of our children, their teachers, and support staff is a priority of this Administration,” Healey said.
“This training provides our school resource officers with the knowledge and tools they need to identify mental health concerns, connect at-risk youth with resources, and maintain a safe and supportive environment for our students to learn and grow.”
Specialized annual in-service training is also completed by SROs in addition to their normal police officer in-service requirements.
Last year, 600 SROs fulfilled their specialized in-service requirement by attending a 2-day, in-person MPTC conference in Norwood or Southbridge.
The program topics included: LGBTQ+ awareness and support, interviewing juveniles, and insights from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
About Zachary Clapp
