Association of Michigan School Counselors

How to Help Kids in Times of Crisis and Stress

Try and keep routines as normal as possible. Kids gain security from the predictability of routine, including attending school.
Limit exposure to television and the news.
Be honest with kids and share with them as much information as they are developmentally able to handle.
Listen to kids’ fears and concerns.
Reassure kids that the world is a good place to be, but that there are people who do bad things.
Parents and adults need to first deal with and assess their own responses to crisis and stress.
Rebuild and reaffirm attachments and relationships.

Sample Documents and Publications

Guidelines for Helping College Students in the Aftermath of the Shooting at Virginia Tech – Published by the Crisis Management Institute
Scared or Prepared – This article from the March/April 2007 issue of ASCA School Counselor magazine, by noted school safety expert Kenneth Trump, provides information about proactively developing a school security and emergency plan.
By The Numbers – This article from the March/April 2007 issue of ASCA School Counselor magazine, breaks down crisis management in the schools into 10 important components, helping educators manage an otherwise overwhelming process. The author, Scott Poland, served on the national crisis teams following school shootings in Littleton, Colo.; Paducah, Ky.; and Red Lake, Minn
Coping With the Sudden Death of a Student – (written for K-12 school districts but can be applicable for university settings)
A crisis handbook for schools and students dealing with death and grief. The development of this report comes from a belief that schools are a community of people who care for one another.
Culturally Competent Crisis Response: Information for Crisis Teams – This document talks about the importance of delivering culturally competent crisis responses in our changing society. Although written for school psychologists, this document provides and excellent resource for school counselors in giving strategies and tips for effective crisis response planning and implementing.
Lessons Learned from the Shootings at Columbine High School – This pamphlet talks about the immediate response and the long-term impact that took place in the wake of the Columbine shootings. It also discusses the human impact of both of these and how positive relationships can mediate the negative effects of this crisis.
Virginia Department of Education Guide for Crisis Management

Contains section on school shootings

National Education Association Crisis Handbook
Supporting Youth in Grief
Crisis Counseling Guide – Includes age-related reactions of children to disasters, helpful hints in responding to the reactions, tips for parents and referral to mental health professionals.
Practical Suggestions for Dealing with Children in the Aftermath of a Tragedy

Suggested Web Sites

Trauma & Loss Center – a service of The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC), a non-profit 501(c)3 program of Children's Home of Detroit (CHD).
School Violence Resource Center – The goal of the School Violence Resource Center is to help reduce violence and violence-related behavior in American schools. Resources available include a fact sheet on school violence and prevention issues, training for school resource officers and flip charts designed to serve as a quick reference for school administrators and teachers on how to react to school emergencies, including student violence, student injuries, child abduction, fire and natural disasters.
School Crisis Response Initiative – This bulletin describes an organizational model for school preparedness and effective responses to crises. Developed by the National Center for Children Exposed to Violence at the Yale Child Study Center, the School Crisis Response Initiative promotes specific training for school personnel as well as interested community members so they can respond more effectively to the needs of children after a crisis.
Virginia Center for School Safety – (Resources Page)
Crisis Management Institute
School-Wide Management in the Aftermath of Trauma
American Red Cross Lesson Plans – A series of K-12 lesson plans. Lessons include hands-on activities, links across the curriculum, open-ended questions to stimulate discussion and activity sheets for students to complete with their families. Registration is required to download.
National Association of School Psychologists – Tips for Parents and Teachers: Helping Children Cope with Violence and Terror

Suggested Publications

*Books for Kids:*	*Books for Parents:*
“A Terrible Thing Happened” Margaret M. Holmes ISBN # 1-57759-696-X Dalmation Press P.O. Box 682068 Franklin, TN 37068-2068 “Reactions” Allison Salloum 1998 Centering Corporation Chicago, Illinois “Why Did it Happen?” Janice Cohen 1994 Morrow Junior Books New York, NY	“Children and Trauma: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Children Heal” Josey-Bass San Francisco, CA “The Scared Child: Helping Kids Overcome Traumatic Events” John Wiley New York, New York
*Professional Publications:*
“About Traumatic Experiences” Joy Berry 1990 Children’s Press Chicago, IL “Keeping Children Safe: A Program to Help Children Cope with Community Violence” Annette M. La Greca Lissette M. Perez Alissa Glickman This is a manual based on two years of research examining the effects of community violence on children. The manual can be downloaded free of charge at http://keepingchildrensafe.com. “Safe From the Start: Taking Action on Children Exposed to Violence” A summary from the U.S. Department of Justice. Department of Justice publications may be ordered from NCJ 182789 NCJRS Publication Orders P.O. Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 800-851-3420 www.ncjrs.org/puborder	“Terrorism, Trauma and Tragedies: A Counselor’s Guide to Preparing and Responding” Debra D. Bass Richard Yep ISBN# 1-55620-225-3 American Counseling Association Foundation 5999 Stevenson Ave. Alexandria, VA 22304 “The Peace Book: 108 Simple Ways to Create a More Peaceful World” Louise Diamond ISBN# 1-57324-770-7 PeaceTech PO Box 253 Bristol, VT 05443 888-455-5355 www.peacebook.com “Right on Course: How Trauma and Maltreatment Impact Children in the Classroom, and How You Can Help” Civitas 1-800-To-Begin http://www.civitas.org

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