Immediate Disaster Behavioral Health Response
CFCHS Emergency Preparedness Plan
Managing Your Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting—this online article from the American Psychological Association describes some common reactions to a mass shooting or other traumatic event and presents tips for coping. https://www.apa.org/topics/gun-violence-crime/mass-shooting
The article is also available in Spanish at http://www.apa.org/centrodeapoyo/tiroteo.aspx.
Coping With Grief After Community Violence—This SAMHSA tip sheet introduces some of the signs of grief and anger after an incident of community violence, provides useful information about to how to cope with grief, and offers tips for helping children deal with grief. https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Coping-With-Grief-After-Community-Violence/SMA14-4888
Disaster-Specific Resources Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series (DBHIS) Installment—This SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) DBHIS installment is a collection of resources focused on preparedness and response for specific types of disasters, including mass violence, riots, and https://www.samhsa.gov/resource-search/dbhis
Incidents of Mass Violence—The SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline supports survivors, family members, responders, and recovery workers who are affected by incidents of mass violence and other disasters. Information on this web page includes a list of risk factors for distress, information on lockdown notices and other warnings, and additional resources for coping. http://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline/disaster-types/mass-violence
Effects of Traumatic Stress After Mass Violence, Terror, or Disaster—This online article from the National Center for PTSD describes the emotional, cognitive, physical, and interpersonal reactions that disaster survivors may experience and discusses the potentially severe stress symptoms that may lead to lasting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, or The article also presents information on how survivors can reduce their risk of psychological difficulties and recover from disaster stress. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/type/violence_trauma_effects.asp
Resources for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Questioning Individuals and Communities
LGBT National Help Center—this organization provides a national hotline for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people of all ages. Services are free and confidential and include peer counseling. The hotline number is 1-888-843-4564; it is available Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight Eastern Time and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Eastern. A hotline is also available specifically for youth; that number is 1-800-246-PRIDE (1-800-246-7743). Support for people of all ages is also available by email at help@GLBThotline.org.
LGBTQ Youth: Voices of Trauma, Lives of Promise—This brief (13-minute) video from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network includes accounts from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) youth of trauma they experiences, their recovery, and how they have developed resilience, in part through their work with professionals.
http://nctsn.org/products/lgbtq-youth-voices-trauma-lives-promise
Safe Spaces. Safe Places: Creating Welcoming and Inclusive Environments for Traumatized LGBTQ Youth—this video from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) presents the basics of working with LGBTQ youth who have experienced trauma, both as an individual professional and as part of a provider organization. To help organizations in using the video for training, the NCTSN also provides a resource guide. http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/spss_resource_guide.pdf
The Trevor Project—founded in 1998, the Trevor Project provides crisis intervention services and works to prevent suicide among LGBTQ teens and youth ages 13 through 24. Those in crisis can get immediate, free help 24/7 by calling the Trevor Project’s toll-free number, 1-866-488-7386. Help is also available via text (text the word “Trevor” to 202-304-1200) on Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. Eastern time, and via a chat feature at the organization’s website every day from 3 to 9 p.m. Eastern time. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
General Disaster Response and Recovery Information
Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event: Managing Stress—This SAMHSA tip sheet gives stress prevention and management tips for dealing with the effects of trauma, mass violence, or It lists tips to relieve stress, describes how to know when to seek professional help, and provides accompanying resources. https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/sma13-4776.pdf
This tip sheet is also available in Spanish at https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/sma13-4776spanish.pdf.
Effects of Traumatic Stress After Mass Violence, Terror, or Disaster—This web page from the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) describes the emotional, cognitive, physical, and interpersonal reactions that disaster survivors may experience and discusses potentially severe stress symptoms and PTSD, anxiety disorders, and depression. The page also provides information about how survivors can reduce their risk of psychological difficulties and recover from disaster stress. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/
Be Red Cross Ready: Taking Care of Your Emotional Health after a Disaster—this fact sheet from the American Red Cross explains normal reactions to a disaster, what a survivor can do to cope with these emotions, and where to seek additional help if needed. https://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/recovering-emotionally.html
Resources for Faith-Based Communities and Spiritual Leaders
Faith Communities and Disaster Mental Health—This NDIN tip sheet provides information for religious leaders about common stress reactions people may experience in response to a disaster and suggests ways they can cope, and help others cope, with disaster stress reactions. The sheet also provides information on referring people for mental health services. https://n-din.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/11_NDIN_TS_DisasterMentalHealth.pdf
Tips & Lessons—Disaster Response: The Sunday After a Disaster—This tip sheet from Episcopal Relief & Development offers advice on how to provide community and congregational support after a disaster. https://www.episcopalrelief.org/uploads/EducationFileModel/56/file/Sunday-After-Disaster.pdf
Resources for Children, Youth, Parents and Other Caregivers, and Schools
Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event: A Guide for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers—This fact sheet can help parents, caregivers, and teachers recognize and address problems in children and teens affected by a disaster. Readers can learn about signs of stress reactions that are common in young survivors at different ages, as well as how to help children through https://store.samhsa.gov/product/tips-talking-helping-children-youth-cope-after-disaster-or-traumatic-event-guide-parents/sma12-4732
Helping Your Child Cope with Media Coverage of Disasters: A Fact Sheet for Parents—the authors of this fact sheet explain how media coverage of a traumatic event may affect children and provide strategies to help parents address these https://www.prainc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Child_Trauma_Grieving_Resource-List.pdf
Psychological Impact of the Recent Shooting – This document from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network lists different psychological reactions to a shooting and its related consequences (e.g., decreases in school performance, sleep disturbances). http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/psychological_information_sheet_two_pager.pdf
Restoring a Sense of Safety in the Aftermath of a Shooting: Tips for Parents and Professionals—this fact sheet from the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress provides tips for professionals to help them communicate effectively about a shooting, ensure physical safety and security, and provide answers to some common questions. http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/csts_sense_of_safety.pdf
Resources Related to Children and Youth from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
The NCTSN offers several fact sheets and tip sheets related to helping children and youth cope with an incident of mass violence or other trauma. Some of these resources were developed specifically for the recent tragedy.
Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/age_related_reactions_to_a_traumatic_event.pdf
Helping Young Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/helping_children_with_traumatic_grief.pdf
Helping Teens with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/helping_teens_with_traumatic_grief_caregivers_final.pdf
Helping School-Age Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/10things_schoolage_ctg.pdf
Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/parents_guidelines_for_helping_teens_after_the_recent_attacks.pdf
Psychological Impact of the Recent Shooting
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/psychological_information_sheet_two_pager.pdf
Talking to Children about the Shooting
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/talking_to_children_about_the_shooting.pdf
Tips for Parents on Media Coverage
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/tips_for_parents_media_final.pdf
Resources for College Students
Coping Facts for College Students—this online fact sheet outlines common reactions to violent events such as school It lists tips for coping and seeking help after a traumatic event. http://www.semo.edu/ucs/coping_facts.html
Resources Focused on People with Disabilities
Tips for First Responders, 3rd Edition—The authors of this 28-page booklet offer tips disaster responders and other first responders can use during emergencies and routine encounters to support and communicate with people with The booklet is divided into sections that focus on older adults and on people with service animals, mobility impairments, autism, multiple chemical sensitivities, cognitive disabilities, and hearing or visual impairments.
https://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/hsem/documents/tips3rdedition.pdf
Resources for Disaster Responders
Psychological First Aid for First Responders: Tips for Emergency and Disaster Response Workers—This SAMHSA tip sheet provides first responders with information on how to address people for the first time after a disaster and how to calmly communicate and promote https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Psychological-First-Aid-for-First-Responders/NMH05-0210
Traumatic Incident Stress: Traumatic Incident Stress: Information for Emergency Response Workers link on Immediate Disaster Behavioral Health Response to: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/userfiles/works/pdfs/2002-107.pdf
Guidelines for Working with First Responders (Firefighters, Police, Emergency Medical Service and Military) in the Aftermath of Disaster—this online tip sheet lists common characteristics of disaster responders, suggests interventions for working with disaster responders, and provides additional resources useful for working with this. http://www.agpa.org/home/practice-resources/group-interventions-for-trauma/general- information-on-trauma-for-clinicians-and-the-public-at-large/guidelines-for-working- with-first-responders-(firefighters-police-emergency-medical-service-and-military)-in- the-aftermath-of-disaster
Traumatic Stress and Re-traumatization
Effects of Traumatic Stress After Mass Violence, Terror, or Disaster—This National Center for PTSD web page describes the reactions to disaster that survivors may experience and discusses the potentially severe stress symptoms that may lead to lasting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, or depression. Information on how survivors can reduce their risk of psychological difficulties and recover from disaster stress is also provided.
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/type/violence_trauma_effects.asp
Additional Resource for Acute Needs
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline—Funded by SAMHSA, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a source of support available 24/7 to people in crisis, including challenging responses to disasters. Call 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255), or, for support in Spanish, call 1-888-628-9454. http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org