School Crisis Response Initiative

• NCJ Number: 197832
• Author(s): David J. Schonfeld M.D.; Scott Newgass M.S.W
• Date Published: September 2003
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Series: OVC Others
• Grant Number(s): 1997-MU-MU-KO21
• Agencies: OVC
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description

Annotation

This bulletin describes the work of the School Crisis Response Initiative of the National Center for Children Exposed to Violence at the Yale Child Study Center and provides an overview of the program's organizational model for school crime preparedness and response.

Abstract

Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the School Crisis Response Initiative of the National Center for Children Exposed to Violence at the Yale Child Study Center promotes specific training for school personnel and interested community members in order to respond more effectively to the needs of children in crisis. This bulletin describes this initiative which is an organizational model for school preparedness and effective responses to crises. The initiative's goal is to empower school staff through the planning and training by consulting with schools to develop their capacity to meet students' emotional and mental health needs during and after a crisis and providing school-based crisis response teams. A model school-based crisis preparedness and response must entail both school crisis response teams and a school crisis response plan. It is recommended that the school crisis response team follow the principles of mental health triage. The team must also monitor the adjustment of students and staff members as part of a follow-up plan. In addition, the school crisis preparedness and response must not be developed in isolation but should utilize community resources. Training is essential for school staff members and is provided in the areas of crisis theory, children's reactions to trauma and their grieving, roles and responsibilities of team members, principles of memorialization, classroom intervention, and support room interventions and mechanisms of support for staff during crisis.