Here are a list of local resources, including tips for dealing with trauma after events such as the recent gun violence events.
Hotlines for Distress in Wake of Gun Violence
Provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
The Disaster Distress Helpline is staffed by trained counselors from a network of crisis call centers located across the United States. These counselors provide:
- Crisis counseling for people in emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster
- Information on how to recognize distress and its effects on individuals and families
- Tips for healthy coping
- Referrals to local crisis call centers for additional follow-up care and support
From the United States and its territories, call or text 1-800-985-5990 to connect with a trained crisis counselor, 24/7. Spanish-speakers can call the hotline and press “2” for 24/7 bilingual support.
Care Coordinators can arrange a free 30 minute Care Consultation. This screening can help you determine if you or someone you care about should contact a mental health professional, so you can explore your options.
Help people with cope with stress and anxiety caused by shootings and gun violence.
Offers a series of tips to parents and other caregivers on how to guide the conversation in a proactive and supportive way.
Tips for managing feelings of distress in the aftermath of a shooting.
Call or email to set up an initial Consultation appointment for Care Coordinators at 650-688-3625 Or careteam@chconline.org
- Coping With Grief After Community Violence Tips for Survivors from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after Mass Violence from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (Spanish version is available here)
- Helping Students Cope with Media Coverage of Disasters: A Fact Sheet for Teachers and School Staff
- Fleet and Family Support Center – For service members and families affected and needing assistance from the incident in Thousand Oaks, Crisis Counselors will be available at Bldg 1169, the Fleet and Family Service Center, on Port Hueneme Naval Base during normal working hours. People can call the front desk at (805) 982-5037 and make an appointment.
- The Local Vet Center provides counseling services for Veterans affected, please call (805) 585-1860 and make an appointment. *This only applies if veterans going through crisis meet certain criteria and are more likely to get a referral elsewhere.
- Call The Veterans Crisis Line (800) 273-8255, select option 1, chat online at www.veteranscrisisline.net, or send a Text message to 838-255 for assistance
- Give an Hour is offering free mental health care to those who serve, veterans, and their families, that were affected by the incident. To find a provider, visit www.giveanhour.org
How to Help Your Child Following a School Gun Violence Event
San Francisco Bay Area
2000 Alameda de las Pulgas, Suite 242
San Mateo, California 94403
650-931-6565
https://childmind.org/article/anxiety-school-shooting/#talk-to-your-children
This article looks at strategies for dealing with anxiety — the child’s and the parents. It is available in English and Spanish. Parents can explore the quick read or full-article versions. It covers topics like:
- How common are school shootings?
- What can I do as a parent to reduce my anxiety?
- What should I tell my child about school shootings?
https://childmind.org/article/going-back-school-tragedy/
This emphasizes how support and routine are essential for children returning to school after a tragedy. It is available in English and Spanish. Parents can explore the quick read or full-article versions. It covers topics such as:
- Take your cues from your child
- Give them ample opportunity to ask questions
- Acknowledge their feelings, but remain calm
- Emphasize school safety
- Give extra reassurance
- Listen when they’re not talking
- Know who else can help
https://childmind.org/article/anxiety-school-shooting/
This gives examples of how to talk to kids about a school shooting and provides strategies for dealing with anxiety for kids and parents.
Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers
Validate their feelings. Explain that all feelings are okay when a tragedy occurs. Let them talk about their feelings, help put them into perspective, and assist them in expressing these feelings appropriately. It might help them to talk about how their friends are expressing themselves about the event, rather than say how they are feeling themselves.
Let their questions be your guide as to how much information to provide. Be patient; children and youth do not always talk about their feelings readily. Watch for clues that they may want to talk, such as hovering around while you do the dishes or yard work.
Children may need concrete activities to express their feelings. Older children may prefer to write, play music, or do an art project as an outlet. Young children may want to draw, look at picture books, or engage in imaginative play.
Be Observant After Your Child Is Exposed to Violent Event
Observe children’s emotional state. Some children may not express their concerns verbally. Changes in behavior, appetite, and sleep patterns can also indicate a child’s level of anxiety or discomfort. In most children, these symptoms will ease with reassurance and time. However, some children may be at risk for more intense reactions. Children who have had a past traumatic experience or personal loss, suffer from depression or other mental illness, or with special needs may be at greater risk for severe reactions than others. Seek the help of mental health professional if you are at all concerned.
Limit viewing of these events. Limit viewing of the news and related events on any device and be aware if the television is on in when they are around. Developmentally inappropriate information can cause anxiety or confusion, particularly in young children. Adults also need to be mindful of the content of conversations that they have with each other in front of children, even teenagers, and limit their exposure to vengeful, hateful, and angry comments that might be misunderstood.
Maintain a normal routine. Keeping to a regular schedule can be reassuring and promote physical health. Ensure that children get plenty of sleep, regular meals, and exercise. Encourage them to keep up with their schoolwork and extracurricular activities but don’t push them if they seem overwhelmed.
Provide Developmentally Appropriate Support for Your Child
It’s important to note that emotional responses to violent events can vary greatly depending on the age of a child. Thus, we’ve broken the following tips down by developmental age ranges. A parent knows their child best, but it’s helpful to know how to frame something safely and avoid an unintended consequence.
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recommends you keep your explanations developmentally appropriate:
Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should be balanced with reassurances that their school and homes are safe and that adults are there to protect them. Give simple examples of school safety like reminding children about exterior doors being locked, child monitoring efforts on the playground, and emergency drills practiced during the school day. Note that children under the age of 6 often do not know that something they are seeing or hearing in the media is not actually happening again.
Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what is being done at their school to ensure their safety. They may also need assistance separating reality from fantasy.
Upper middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of violence in schools and society. Let them share concrete suggestions about how to make school safer and how to prevent tragedies in society. Empower your child by reviewing their role in maintaining safe schools by following school safety guidelines (e.g. not providing building access to strangers, reporting strangers on campus, reporting threats to the school safety made by students or community members, etc.), communicating any personal safety concerns to school administrators. Help your child identify at least one adult at school to whom they go if they feel threatened or at risk.
NASP has additional information for parents and educators on school safety, violence prevention, children’s trauma reactions, and crisis response at www.nasponline.org
Schools can order free materials
Provides Video and Downloadable Grief Support Modules for School Personnel and Additional Resources like:
- Additional Modules
- Guides & Policies
- Family Materials
- Articles & Other Publications
- External Resources
- The Coalition to Support Grieving Students is a collaboration of national organizations representing the full range of school professionals. Convened by the NCSCB and New York Life Foundation, the Coalition has created a set of industry-endorsed resources to empower school communities across America in the ongoing support of their grieving students.
- GrievingStudents.org is a practitioner-oriented website providing practical, accessible, free information, handouts and reference materials, and includes over 20 video training modules featuring expert commentary, school professionals sharing their observations and advice, and bereaved children and family members offering their own perspective on living with loss. Through its founding and supporting organizational members, the Coalition’s aim is to provide bereavement and related resources to those who support grieving students nationwide.
https://grievingstudents.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/NYL-1A-Talking-With-Children.pdf
State Crime Victims Compensation
State Crime Victims Compensation programs reimburse victims for crime-related expenses. Such expenses include medical costs, mental health counseling, funeral and burial costs and lost wages or loss of support. All states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico have established compensation programs for crime victims. Although each state compensation program is administered independently, most programs have similar eligibility requirements and offer comparable benefits.
Compensation is paid only when other financial resources, such as private insurance and offender restitution, do not cover the loss. Some expenses are not covered by most compensation programs, including theft, damage, and property loss. State compensation programs are not required to compensate victims in terrorism cases.
Who is eligible for State Crime Victims Compensation?
All U.S. states and territories can apply. To receive compensation, victims must comply with state statutes and rules. This requires victims to cooperate with reasonable requests of law enforcement and submit a timely application to the compensation program.
To identify requirements, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) website provides links to Victim Assistance and Compensation Programs and corresponding state administrator contact information.
Contact information for each state Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)-funded assistance and compensation program may be found on the NACVCB’s state links page.
You may submit an email to the OVC program.
You may also call the OVC Resource Center using any of the following numbers:
Local: 301-519-5500
Toll-Free: 1-800-851-3420
TTY: 1-877-712-9279
For mail correspondence, please write to:
Office for Victims of Crime
U.S. Department of Justice
810 7th Street NW., Eighth Floor
Washington, DC 20531