Coping with Crisis

The American Psychological Association (APA) Help Center has posted information on the following sites to help college and university students deal with the tragic event that occurred at Virginia Tech at

• Tips for College and University Students: Managing Your Distress in the Aftermath of the Virginia Tech Shootings
• Managing Traumatic Stress: Tips for Recovering From Disasters and Other Traumatic Events

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) provides excellent resources that can provide information and support, some of which are in multiple languages at their Website.

These websites provide timely information, resources and links for those who are helping our children cope with the troubling events in the world today.

• About our Kids
• National Mental Health Association
• Mental Health Association of Greater Houston
• The American Psychological Association (APA) Help Center has posted information on the following sites to help college and university students deal with the tragic event that occurred at Virginia Tech.
• The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has developed a brochure on how to deal with a traumatic event.
• The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) site has assembled information on dealing with a traumatic event with links to additional resources and publications.
• Mental Health America (MHA) has developed some tips for coping with loss and disaster. See the following sites: Coping with Disaster and Coping with Loss
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed mental health resources for traumatized children and their families, schools, and communities and has a special resource section on the Virginia Tech Shooting.
• The New York University Child Study Center has assembled resources to help parents and school staff to better talk to kids about difficult topics such as the Virginia Tech tragedy and for understanding how children and adolescents cope with traumatic events.
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) website has links to different resources for dealing with trauma and coping in times of stress:
• Crisis Prevention and Response
• Grief and Bereavement
• Post-traumatic Stress
• Prevention for Students at Risk
• Safe Schools and Violence Prevention
• Threat Assessment: Resources and Cautions
• The University of Maryland (UM) Counseling Center has created a document presenting tips to help with coping.

National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Managing the Traumatic Stress of Terrorism

Web Resource to help Schools Plan for Emergencies: In an effort to provide school leaders with more information about emergency preparedness, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge unveiled a section on the U.S. Department of Education's Web site: www.ed.gov/emergencyplan designed to be a one-stop-shop to help school officials plan for any emergency, including natural disasters, violent incidents and terrorist acts.

American Psychological Association: Coping with Terrorism

• Warning Signs of Trauma Related Stress: Click Here
• Disaster Response Network: http://www.apa.org/practice/drn.html

Psychological Services (HISD) offers these suggestions for parents and teachers when talking with children:

• Talking with Children (for parents)
• Talking with Children (for Spanish speaking parents)
• Talking with Children (for teachers and other caregivers)
• Talking with Children (Spanish version)
• References (These are printable handouts to use when conferencing with parents or other concerned caregivers.)

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American Psychological Association: Resilience in a Time of War

PBS Parents: When events like a war overseas or other acts of violence are present in the news every day, children are likely to hear about them, and start asking questions. Many parents are challenged by what kids are saying and are wondering how to respond in age-appropriate ways. This site can help you develop effective ways to communicate with your children, monitor their exposure to news, and soothe their fears. Included are More PBS Resources-- Helping Kids Deal With Scary News, Helping Our Kids Feel Safe From Arthur. (Most information is available in English and Spanish)

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Talking To Children About War: A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet

This site includes information that parents can use when talking with their children about the disquieting news of possible and actual wars. "War is the most serious decision made by governments and societies. The impact of such a decision is acutely personal as well as social, affecting many aspects of normal life patterns..."

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This website for kids is posted by FEMA and has a number of handouts related to disaster preparedness for children, families, and teachers. It also has many explanatory materials related to homeland security. The website offers advice for children and families on how to prepare for natural and man-made emergencies, including terrorist-type emergencies. There is a caution button that instructs the child viewer to look at certain materials (primarily those relating to respoding to a chemical or biological emergency or an explosion) with an adult present. Parents or teachers may want to review the website first, and then decide how to discuss the issues with their children. www.fema.gov/kids/nse

The Texas School Safety Center, in partnership with Asset Control & ChooseToCare, is committed to keeping schools informed about issues that may have an important affect on student safety. We believe that schools should be prepared. Terrorism alerts will be forwarded to Regional Education Service Centers for distribution to school districts within their regions. Service Centers may distribute these bulletins at their discretion.

Web-based Resources for Updated Information: The following web-sites post updated information and/or links to agencies responsible for homeland security activities at the state and national levels. The Texas Department of Homeland Security - Posts the current national state of alert and provides information regarding Texas emergency / crises management resources. www.texashomelandsecurity.com
ChooseToCare Home Page - Under "Helpful Links" posts all previous Texas School Safety Center Special Terrorism Alerts, the full text of the "Proactive Guide" to terrorism, and links to other related state and federal agencies. www.choosetocare.com.

The National Office of Homeland Security - Posts the current national state of alert and provides information regarding national emergency / crises management resources. www.whitehouse.gov/homeland

National Association of School Psychologists

Resources for Coping Crisis
This website provides information regarding typical reactions of preschoolers, children and adolescents to a disaster. There are also age-appropriate suggestions for how to help children cope with their feelings. An emphasis is placed on safety and security. www.naspcenter.org/safe_schools/coping.htmlor www.nasponline.org/index2.html

Helping Children Deal With Tragic Events in Unsettling Times:Tips for Parents and Teachers (for PDF version click here).

American Red Cross
This website provides information regarding common reactions of all children to a traumatic event. There are also tips alerting parents as to when professional assistance may be necessary for their child. http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/childtrauma.html

National Association for the Education of Young Children
This website offers ways parents can assist their children after a disaster. Suggestions include: providing structure, focus on experiences that help children release tension, welcome children's talking about the disaster, and give reassurance and physical comfort. www.naeyc.org/coping_with_disaster.htm

About Our Kids
This website presents a good, comprehensive link with guidance for answering questions about how to respond to children's questions about the space shuttle disaster, worry about flying, wanting to grow up to be an astronaut, death, media exposure. www.aboutourkids.org

National Mental Health Association (800.969.6642)
Times of Tragedy are times for giving and receiving reassurance.

Talking to Kids About Terrorism and Acts of War New York University Child Study Center
About Our Kids.org Click Here

Child Welfare League of America--talking with children about disasters and violence

www.cwla.org/newsevents/news010913di.htm
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Resources for Parents; Resources for Teachers

Helping Children Understand the Terrorist Attacks, Remembering September 11. The Department of Education has listed resources found to be helpful to teachers. Information is available in English and Spanish. www.ed.gov/inits/september11/

National Education Association--More than 100 Lesson Plans and over 60 links to support materials, resources and information about September 11th and our nation! Available by visiting the new NEA community for educators atwww.owl.org or www.nea.org or www.neahin.org

Complete news and photo archives on September 11, 2001 Attack on America.This site references for research of the facts and pictures of September 11, 2001. www.september11news.com

Resources are available for teachers on the USA TODAY Education Website--K-12 Education ONLINE -- to support USA TODAY's coverage of September 11th. http://www.usatoday.com/educate/9-11.htm

Awesome Library organizes the Web with 20,000 carefully reviewed resources, including the top 5 percent in education. Browse in Spanish, French, German, Russian, Dutch, Arabic, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, or Japanese.
http://www.awesomelibrary.org/Classroom/Social_Studies/Terrorism/Terrorism.htm

9/11 As History

Families and Work Institute, with a grant from the Bank One Foundation, developed 9/11 As History to help youth, parents, and educators address the anniversary of September 11th with resiliency and hope. This educational initiative offers web-based tools, including curricula, resources and tips, to help adults and youth of all ages reflect on and be intentional in their response to the anniversary. www.familiesandwork.org/911ah/911ashistory.html

For Teachers and Schools:

The American Red Cross' latest educational curriculum, Facing Fear was developed by mental health professionals and the American Red Cross following the Terrorist Attacks of Sept. 11. It is easily accessible to all counselors and teachers. The entire curriculum can be found on www.redcross.org/disaster/masters

Other educational/enrichment materials, including Masters of Disaster, a fully integrated curriculum with language arts, science, social studies and math, are also listed on www.redcross.org. All of these materials have been certified by the NEA and the Texas Education Assoc. Jane Kuchar has a copy of the correlation with Texas requirements.

Please let me or Sandy Ross (713.313.1669, or sross@ghac.org ) know if you have any questions or would like assistance in introducing the program to your colleagues. We'd certainly appreciate any feed back .

Resist: a tool to help teens manage feelings, build tolerance, understand patriotism http://www.rippleeffects.com/resist/teens

How to Talk to Children About Terrorism"
Available www.childswork.com/ As a response to the terrorist attacks, Childswork/Childsplay and the Guidance Channel is offering you this free book to help children deal with their fears and anxiety. The book is written for parents of children 5-12, and includes: a section on answering questions posed by parents; a section on answering questions asked by children; and a dozen pencil and paper activities to help children develop emotional and behavioral skills that will help them deal with any kind of stress. It will also be useful for counselors and teachers to help them deal with this difficult topic. The download is free, and the book can be copied for non-commercial distribution without copyright permission.

• Teaching Tolerance
  Teaching Tolerance supports the efforts of K-12 teachers and other educators to promote respect for differences and appreciation of diversity.
• School Violence Prevention (www.mentalhealth.org/schoolviolence/links.asp)
  Safe Schools/Healthy Students--comprehensive list of links and references to places such as
  National Alliance for Safe Schools, Department of Justice, and the National PTA Community Violence Prevention information.

Houston ISD Resources (available at each school)
A Teacher's Guide to the Grieving Student
Grief at School, A Guide for Caregivers (excerpt)
Grief at School, A Resource Guide

List of Resources for Teachers and Counselors on

• Anti-Defamation League (Houston) 713-627-3490
• National Anti-Defamation League www.adl.org/
• Pathways to Tolerance: Student Diversity: This guide comes from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). www.naspweb.org/center/safe_schools/Tolerance.pdf

Connect for Kids, Benton Foundation.
www.connectforkids.org/
"Aftershocks of a national trauma: helping kids cope." List of Resources

WordsCanHeal.org is a visionary national media and educational campaign designed to reduce verbal violence and gossip. WordsCanHeal.org is a new national effort to reduce verbal violence and gossip. The goal of the campaign is to promote the value and practice of ethical speech in order to improve our democracy, build mutual respect, honor and dignity in our country. The campaign will include posters, print and television ads.

To find out more about this effort, their vision, handbook, and pledge,visit: www.wordscanheal.org/

LESSON PLANS
Interdisciplinary lessons developed in partnership with The Bank Street College of Education in New York City. For grades 6-12. Examples:

• Another Day That Will Live in Infamy (Sept. 12, 2001)
  Helping Students Explore Their Feelings and the Facts about the Terrorist Attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001
  
• Reaching Out (Sept. 13, 2001)
  Exploring Ways That You Can Help in the Wake of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on the United States
  
• Speak Out! (Sept. 14, 2001)
  Examining the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on the United States Through Editorial Writing

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MindOH!™ creates character-based, online, interactive computer modules that help students internalize techniques to make successful choices with real-life challenges. This unique approach offers direct support to students navigating their way through the disciplinary process. We seize these highly teachable moments and help students understand the simple requirements of fairness, cooperation, and respect, while enhancing their off-line interaction with peers, school authorities, and the other adults in their lives. www.mindohfoundation.org

American Psychological Association:
Coping with Terrorism

National Center for Post Traumatic Stress
Managing the Traumatic Stress of Terrorism Information about how to address recent terrorist events in the United States.