Pottstown Trauma Informed Community Connection

The Pottstown Trauma Informed Community Connection (PTICC) was a community-wide initiative that brought together schools, healthcare providers, behavioral health organizations, community leaders, and families to build a more trauma-informed and resilient Pottstown. Guided by the understanding that childhood adversity affects lifelong health and well-being, PTICC worked to strengthen cross-sector collaboration and promote trauma-informed practices throughout the community.

PTICC grew out of the Pottstown Early Action for Kindergarten Readiness (PEAK) initiative. In 2014, as PEAK leaders and the Pottstown School District explored the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on student learning and behavior, they recognized the need for a coordinated community response, leading to the formation of PTICC.

Beginning in 2015, the Scattergood Foundation partnered with The Consultation Center at Yale University to support PTICC’s implementation, strategic planning, and evaluation. Scattergood helped develop the initiative’s logic model, guide community engagement, convene cross-sector partners, and document lessons that informed the coalition’s work.

A major focus of Scattergood’s involvement was supporting the implementation and evaluation of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in the Pottstown School District. Working closely with district leaders and Yale, Scattergood helped guide the rollout of SEL curricula from pre-K to ninth grade, supported professional learning and continuous improvement, and led evaluation efforts to understand implementation and impact. Although PTICC is no longer active, its work strengthened trauma-informed practices across the community and helped build a lasting foundation for supporting children and families.