Resources for Mainers in Wake of Lewiston Mass Shootings

Mass Violence-specific Information

• 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 signs of emotional distress related to incidents of mass violence, populations that may be at risk for emotional distress after mass violence, and additional resources for coping.

• Mass Violence/Community Violence—This part of the SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series (DBHIS) resource collection focuses on incidents of mass violence, community violence, and terrorism and their effects. Resources discuss common reactions to incidents of mass violence, tips for coping, and ways to support children and youth in coping.

• Tips for Young Adults: Coping With Mass Violence—In this tip sheet, the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center discusses ages 18 to 26 as a phase of development and explains how incidents of mass violence may affect people within this phase. The tip sheet highlights common reactions to mass violence, tips for coping, and resources for disaster behavioral health support.

General Disaster Response and Recovery Information

• Tips for Survivors: Coping With Anger After a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event—Developed by SAMHSA, this tip sheet intends to aid survivors in coping with bouts of anger that may follow disasters or traumatic events. The tip sheet describes the physical changes that may indicate anger and provides guidance for coping and integrating positive habits into your life, as well as resources for additional support.

• The Impact of Disaster and Mass Violence Events on Mental Health—Intended for mental health and substance use disorder treatment professionals, this online article from the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) summarizes research on common reactions to disasters. The article identifies common reactions in disaster-affected communities and describes how reactions increase and decrease in communities over time, as well as highlighting risk factors for longer term reactions. 

• Tips for Adults—Part of the Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide, this handout identifies common reactions in adults who have experienced a disaster or other community crisis, suggests responses, and offers examples of things to do and say to cope. These suggestions and examples include a breathing exercise for relaxation, prioritization of responsibilities that feel overwhelming, and tapping into existing relationships for support.
  
  This resource is available in Spanish at https://www.nctsn.org/resources/pfa-consejos-para-adultos.   

Resources for Children, Youth, Families, and Schools

• Children and Adolescents—Several sections of the SAMHSA DBHIS resource collection focus on the common responses and needs children and adolescents may have during and after disasters. These sections include resources that highlight the unique needs of children and adolescents in and after disasters, as well as how adults who work with children, and parents and other caregivers, can offer support to children and adolescents in coping. Following are SAMHSA DBHIS sections related to children and adolescents:

• Resources intended for children

•  Resources for adolescents

•  Resources about children and disaster

•  Resources about adolescents and disaster

• Understanding Child Trauma—This web page from SAMHSA presents statistics on child trauma, which may be experienced as part of a natural or human-caused disaster, and lists signs of traumatic stress in children and youth. It also offers tips for parents and other caregivers for helping children and youth to cope with trauma. Links are also provided to downloadable infographics in English and Spanish provided by the SAMHSA National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative.

• Age-related Reactions to a Traumatic Event—In this fact sheet, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) provides an overview of how children and adolescents may react to a traumatic event, including a natural or human-caused disaster that they experience as traumatic. This resource describes reactions typical within specific age ranges and offers tips for families, doctors, and school personnel to help children and adolescents cope. This tip sheet is available in several languages other than English.

• Coping after Mass Violence—Written for parents and families, this NCTSN tip sheet provides information about common reactions to mass violence and self-care tips for those living in communities where an incident of mass violence has taken place. The tip sheet also includes external resources for individuals seeking further support.

• For Teens: Coping After Mass Violence—Written for teens, this NCSTN fact sheet shares insight into common reactions to mass violence. In addition, the fact sheet provides tips for teens to cope and care for themselves, as well as connect with others after mass violence occurs. This tip sheet is available in Spanish at https://www.nctsn.org/resources/for-teens-coping-after-mass-violence-sp

• Helping Youth after Community Trauma: Tips for Educators—In this 1-page tip sheet, the NCTSN identifies 10 ways youth may react to community traumas such as natural or human-caused disasters and suggests ways for educators to respond to these reactions and support youth in coping. The tip sheet also advises educators to find professional mental health support for youth—and for themselves—as needed.

• Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting—In this 3-page tip sheet released shortly after a shooting, the NCTSN describes how such an event may affect children and teens as well as parents and other caregivers. The tip sheet lists reactions common among people of all ages, offers coping tips for caregivers, and suggests ways for caregivers to support children and youth in talking about and managing their reactions. This resource is available in Spanish at https://www.nctsn.org/resources/guia-para-los-padres-para-ayudar-los-jovenes-despues-de-un-tiroteo-reciente. 

• Recovery From Large-Scale Crises: Guidelines for Crisis Teams and Administrators—In this tip sheet, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) describes what to expect in schools after disasters and other crises and how school crisis teams and administrators can support the school community in coping and recovery. NASP identifies steps administrators and crisis teams can take at different points after the crisis, from immediately after the crisis to more than a year later.

• Talking to Children about the Shooting—In this tip sheet, the NCTSN provides suggestions to parents and other caregivers for talking with their children in ways that help them to make sense of and cope with their reactions to a shooting. The tip sheet also identifies reactions common in children and teens to shooting incidents.

Resources for Disaster Responders and First Responders

• A Guide to Managing Stress for Disaster Responders and First Responders—This SAMHSA guide is designed for first responders, public health workers, construction workers, transportation workers, utility workers, crisis counselors, and volunteers who respond to disasters and other crises. The guide provides information on how people experience stress; signs of extreme stress; and ways for organizations and individuals to manage and mitigate stress before, during, and after disaster response.

• Helping Victims of Mass Violence & Terrorism Toolkit—Available through the website of the Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center, this toolkit includes information and resources to help communities prepare for and respond to incidents of mass violence and terrorism. While some parts of the toolkit focus on steps to take before an incident, other sections are designed to support responders in participating in and managing effective response and recovery processes.

• Mass Violence—Developed by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) team, this resource collection is designed to help emergency managers, public health professionals, and other responders support communities affected by an incident of mass violence. The resource collection features no-notice incident tip sheets, topical collections, newsletters, and other materials about community response, family assistance, emergency medical considerations, and responder safety and health.

• Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide, 2nd Edition—Developed by the National Center for PTSD and the NCTSN, Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed approach that disaster response workers can use to assist people in the immediate aftermath of disaster. The NCTSN also provides a Spanish-language version of the guide at https://www.nctsn.org/resources/primeros-auxilios-psicologicos-guia-de-operaciones-practicas-2da-edicion.

• The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit—Provided by the Office for Victims of Crime within the U.S. Department of Justice, this online toolkit is designed to help responders and others who are exposed to the traumatic experiences of other people in coping with the effects of this exposure. The toolkit includes information and resources specifically for emergency medical services, fire, and law enforcement, as well as victim services professionals.