Message From the Director

In recent years, our country has experienced many violent and traumatic events, and the young people across our Nation have profoundly felt the impact. From acts of terrorism to school violence, our youth are increasingly exposed to the long-lasting and damaging effects caused by such events. While tragedies continue to occur, measures that can help protect our youth are available. Schools are well-suited to provide support and assistance to children in the aftermath of a crisis, including triage, short-term counseling, and referral to community services. We must develop the necessary infrastructure and train crisis response personnel to protect our youth in the next crisis.

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 may respond more effectively to the needs of our children in the aftermath of a crisis.