Beau Biden Foundation and Highmark partner to prepare Delaware Tech students to protect children through their professions
WILMINGTON, Del. — July 29, 2025 —
Hundreds of Delaware Technical Community College students preparing for careers in education, healthcare, and law enforcement will soon receive specialized training to help protect children from abuse, thanks to a $25,000 BluePrints for the Community grant awarded to the Beau Biden Foundation by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware.
The grant will support the implementation of the Beau Biden Foundation’s Shield of Protection® program across Delaware Tech campuses statewide. This comprehensive child protection initiative includes a review of organizational policies and procedures, customized recommendations based on best practices, and mandatory training for youth-serving staff.
As part of this initiative, the Foundation will provide training to Delaware Tech students whose programs of study lead to careers working with children, including those studying education, criminal justice, and healthcare fields. The program equips students with the skills to recognize and report signs of child abuse and identify grooming behaviors, which are critical competencies they will bring into professions that directly serve children and families.
“As college students enter their careers, it is critical that they possess all the significant information and education necessary to assure the safety of children,” said Patricia Dailey Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of the Beau Biden Foundation. “We are grateful to Highmark for their generous commitment to child protection and to Dr. Mark Brainard, president of Del Tech, for his unwavering support and tireless devotion to ensure the students at Del Tech receive the best education available.”
The partnership is part of the Foundation’s broader effort to build community-wide systems of prevention. By training students early in their professional development, the Foundation strengthens child safety infrastructure across sectors.
“We are grateful to the Beau Biden Foundation and Highmark for equipping our Delaware Tech students with the skills and knowledge they will need to help protect the children in their care once they begin their careers in education, healthcare, and law enforcement,” Dr. Brainard said. “The Shield of Protection® program continues Beau Biden’s commitment to the health and safety of abused children who cannot speak for themselves, and we are honored to be chosen to help carry on his legacy to defend our youngest Delawareans.”
BluePrints for the Community is a grant program established by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware in 2007 to support the health and well-being of underserved populations across the state. Housed at the Delaware Community Foundation, BluePrints has contributed more than $35 million to Delaware nonprofits since its founding.
Training at Delaware Tech will begin this fall. For more information about the Beau Biden Foundation’s training programs and child protection initiatives, visit beaubidenfoundation.org.
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About the Beau Biden Foundation
The Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children works to prevent child abuse and protect children through education, training, and community engagement. Founded in honor of former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, the Foundation equips adults and organizations with tools to recognize, report, and prevent abuse. Its programs support educators, families, law enforcement, medical professionals, and youth-serving organizations nationwide. Learn more at beaubidenfoundation.org.
About Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware serves approximately 500,000 members through the company’s health care benefits business. It is an influential company in the market generating an economic impact of $135 million and supporting more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs across the state. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware has been named a Top Workplace in Delaware and a Top Workplace USA. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information, visit highmarkbcbsde.com.
About the Delaware Community Foundation
The mission of the Delaware Community Foundation is to improve the lives of the people of Delaware by empowering and growing philanthropy through knowledge and relationships, now and in the future. As a facilitator, information resource and manager of charitable funds, the DCF helps communities and philanthropists focus charitable resources for the greatest community benefit statewide. For more information, visit delcf.org or call 302.571.8004.
