Responding to Crisis at a School - UCLA School Mental ...

1 Resource AidResponding to Crisis at a School (Revised 2016)*The Center is co-directed by Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor and operates under the auspice of theSchool Mental Health Project, Dept. of Psychology, UCLA, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563(310) 825-3634E-mail: Website: .Permission to reproduce this document is cite source as the Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA2I. School Based Crisis Intervention .. 4 Overview: Crisis Assistance and Should Be Responsible? ..15 About a School -Based Crisis Team ..16 Crisis Aftermath Subteams.

2 20 Maintaining Crisis response Capability and School Awareness .. Basic Concerns for Effectively Responding to Crisis in Schools .. 22 Some Key Considerations in Establishing a System for School -Based Crisis Intervention .. 23 Major Facets of Crises Response .. 26 Responding to Crises: A Few General Principles .. 27 Crisis Response Checklist .. 28 School Crisis Guide .. 30 Example of One District's Crisis Checklist .. 31 Helping Children Cope with Violence and Disasters .. 33 Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Few Strategic Guides for Responding to Crisis .

3 37 Resources for Parents and .. 38 Psychological First Aid: Responding to a Student in Crisis .. 40 A Crisis Screening Interview .. 42 Informing the Student and Staff .. 45 Sample Letter to Send Home .. 46 Facilitating Class Discussion .. 47 Schools Helping Students Deal with 48 Dealing With The Media .. 54 District Policy Considerations .. 55 Responding to Crisis at a School and Training a School -Based Crisis Team .. 61 Building a School based Crisis Team ..62 Crisis Team Training ..66 Two Initial Training Sessions ..67V. Crisis Response and Prevention Intervention Outcomes Related to Six Major Facets of a Comprehensive Approach to Addressing Barriers to Learning.

4 71 Presidential Policy Directive ..13 Planning for the Needs of Children in Specific Areas of Concern .. 78 Natural Disasters .. 79 Community and Gang Violence .. 84 Suicidal Crisis .. 89 Family Violence .. 90 Sexual Assault .. 92 Grief and Loss .. 101 Hostage Situations .. 102 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder .. 103 Recommendations on the Support and Safety of Gay and Lesbian Students .. Online Clearinghouse QuickFinds ..112 , Organizations, Advocacy, Internet Sites & Hotlines .. Survey for Crisis Assistance and Prevention ..115X. Additional References on Responding to Crisis at a School .

5 1214 Section ISchool-Based Crisis InterventionIn this section, you will find a brief, basic discussion of the need for a schoolto be able to plan and implement a response to crises. The material can beused to raise staff awareness of need and as shared reading prior to initiatingstaff : Crisis Assisance and Prevention Who Should Be Responsible?About a School -Based Crisis TeamCrisis Aftermath SubteamsMaintaining Crisis Response Capability and School AwarenessPresidential Policy Directive5 Crises Assistance and PreventionThere cannot be a Crisis next week. My schedule is already KissingerCrisis, emergency, disaster, catastrophe, tragedy, trauma all are words heard frequently atschools today.

6 Too many schools have had a major Crisis ; any School may have one soon. Besides natural disasters such as earthquakes, fires, and pandemic diseases, students experienceviolence and death related to suicide, gang activity, snipers, hostage-taking, and rape. Some studentsand staff react with severe emotional responses fear, grief, post traumatic stress syndrome. And,when a significant portion of a School s population is affected, major facets of a School 's functioningare jeopardized. When too little effort is made to intervene, the aftermath can interfere with schooland home performance, and long-term psychosocial and educational problems may intervention is for Responding to, minimizing the impact of, and preventing School andpersonal crises.

7 After a Crisis , the first concern is to ensure physical safety and medical first aid; thisis followed immediately by attention to psychological considerations. Then, the emphasis is on theschool s need to regain stability and a sense of normality so that students and staff can resumelearning and teaching. This includes attending to follow-up care as differ in the specificity with which they spell out procedures for schools to follow duringand in the aftermath of a Crisis . Based on district policy, schools plan for emergencies. It is rare,however, for districts to have addressed, in sufficient detail, policies and procedures for what to doin the days and weeks that follow a Crisis event and what to do to prevent future occurrences whenfeasible.

8 Districts also differ in the amount of support they provide in helping schools establish and maintaincrisis response mechanisms ( , Crisis teams) and in training staff, as well as how much districtlevel staffing is available for Crisis intervention. Some, usually larger districts, may have regionalsupport Crisis teams that provide Crisis management, medical and psychological/counseling supportservices, media relations, and debriefing. Others provide only an immediate response. The proper handling of School crises is essential to minimizing negative impact on learning andphysical and Mental health.

9 Comprehensive Crisis intervention planning and implementationprovides ways for School personnel, students, and families to return to normalcy as quickly asfeasible, address residual (longer-term) psychosocial problems, and explore preventive measures forthe of Crisis intervention include activity designed to minimize the personal and institutionalimpact of crises and establish a safe and productive School environment ( , that deters violence and reduces injury) emergency/ Crisis responses at a site collaboration with local schools ( , high School feeder pattern)

10 And the community at-large for Crisis planning and response and to develop and implement strategies to enhancesafety and reduce violence, bullying, child abuse, suicide follow-up care when needed a violence prevention and resiliency curriculum designed to teach students angermanagement, problem-solving skills, social skills, and conflict AND DESIGNING CRISES ASSISTANCE AND PREVENTION Exhibit presents a prototype framework to help plan Crisis assistance and prevention. (Go to theresources referenced at the end of this chapter for specific intervention ideas related to each of theseconcerns.)