Mussman Passes Legislation to Improve Trauma Training in Schools

SPRINGFIELDS, Ill. – State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, passed a bill improving trauma training in schools, clarifying how trauma is both understood and responded to in the school environment.

“School districts and principals provide holistic training for their educators and staff, and often this training needs to be updated and improved with new data or findings,” said Mussman. “This is a simple case of building out the training we already have in place to better prepare school officials to respond to and work with their students.”

House Bill 4536 adds language about adoptive, foster, kinship and guardianship families to aid school officials in navigating what may be a complex family dynamic. Expanding the terminology and background information available to school officials of all kinds will reduce the likelihood of misdiagnosis or mischaracterization of students’ experiences. 

The bill is an initiative of iCARE4 Adoptive and Foster Families, in collaboration with caregivers, educators, social workers and others across the state. The bill expands the definitions of “trauma,” and “trauma-responsive learning environments,” and defines “trauma-informed practices.”

“Thank you to iCARE4 Adoptive and Foster Families for your collaboration on this bill– I am so proud of the work we have done thanks to advocates, school officials and more,” said Mussman. “I look forward to my colleagues in the Senate receiving and passing this important bill.” 

House Bill 4536 heads to the Senate for consideration.