Abundant Life School Shootings: Mental Health Resources to Support Community Recovery

Acts of mass violence, such as the shootings at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, cause extreme disruption within communities. Acts of violence against children are particularly distressing, and their occurrence at locations often thought of as safe havens, such as schools, further undermine feelings of safety within a community. Below are brief, action-oriented fact sheets and additional information to help individuals, communities, and organizations in the aftermath of the shootings at Abundant Life Christian School.

Free interactive, online training in protecting mental health and fostering resilience after disasters can be accessed here. A free resource for learning about disaster mental health and helping develop education resources, can be found here

Common responses immediately after mass shootings include distress reactions (insomnia, irritability, loss of perception of safety, social isolation, blaming, and scapegoating) and health risk behaviors (increased use of alcohol and tobacco, over-dedication to tasks, and reduced self-care). Children and adolescents often show distress in ways that are different from adults. Younger children may revert to earlier childhood behaviors, such as loss of toilet training, tantrums, and an increased need for parental closeness. Adolescents may respond with anger, isolation, or diminished academic performance. For teachers, leaders, family members, and healthcare personnel, being alert to these reactions and behaviors, promptly identifying them, and providing interventions can reduce distress and improve functioning and may decrease the likelihood of developing mental disorders. Normalizing the reactions and offering guidance about what to expect with symptoms over time, as well as when and where to get assistance if needed, helps people feel calm and increases self-reliance. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:

Coping with Stress After a Mass Shooting

Helping Communities After Disasters

How Families Can Help Children

How Schools Can Help Students

Grief is a near universal experience for those directly impacted by mass violence. Many will grieve loss of feelings of safety, control, and life routines. Kindness, caring, and listening are important ways to support family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Anxiety about the future is best managed through problem-solving and helping people get connected with support resources and healthcare if needed. Being sensitive to the need for rituals, such as memorial and funerals that support expressions of grief, facilitates healing, which ultimately strengthen communities. Grief leadership involves anticipating feelings of loss, supporting people in mourning losses, and helping address fears about the future. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:

Grief Leadership in the Wake of Tragedies

Helping People After Loss

Funerals and Memorials: Part of Recovery in Disasters

Various populations may be at increased risk for adverse mental health effects after a disaster and warrant unique considerations. Individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, particularly severe and persistent mental illness, may experience greater distress or worsening of symptoms. First responders and public health emergency workers (including volunteers) experience various job stressors, such as exposures to human remains and extreme suffering. Marginalized population (low socioeconomic status, migrants and refugees, LGBTQ persons, racial and ethnic minorities) may have limited access to resources, previous negative experiences using systems of care, and fear retaliation or reprisals, reducing access to critical post-disaster resources. Interventions that address the unique needs of populations at increased risk can reduce barriers to care. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:

Supporting Those with Pre-Existing Mental Health Conditions

First Responders, Emergency Workers & Volunteers and Exposure to Human Remains

Maintaining the Well-Being of Healthcare Providers

Schools and other workplace management following mass violence are an important part of restoring community functioning. School and other places of work often provides a sense of meaning and social connectedness to those who work there. Effective support for personnel can enhance functioning for the affected organization or other community. Caution should be taken to avoid overworking remaining employees after a disaster. Allowing for grief and loss through ritual and memorials enhances healing and recovery. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:

Workplace and Organization Management After Disaster

Recovery After Workplace Mass Violence: Guidance for Supervisors

Recovery After Workplace Mass Violence: Guidance for Workers

Risk and crisis communication are a critical behavioral health intervention that aids community recovery. For leaders and disaster managers overseeing responses to mass violence, understanding what to say and what not to say and when and how to say it are important elements. Basic principles include being clear and succinct; stating what is known and unknown; indicating when you don’t know the answer, committing to following up at a specific time, and then doing so; avoiding misleading or efforts to be overly reassuring as these erode trust. Effective communication following a disaster can reduce distress and enhance well-being for affected communities. It also increases participation of community members in helpful post-disaster response and recovery behaviors. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:

Leadership Communication During Crisis

Additional detailed resources can further knowledge about effective preparedness, response, and recovery measures as time permits. These more in-depth treatments of key topics may be helpful as the initial response slows and serve to inform later response and recovery efforts as well as enhance preparedness for future events. Links to additional websites, fact sheets, articles, training, and books can be found below:

Additional free fact sheet resources at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress

Disaster Psychiatry; What Psychiatrists Need to Know (A Ng)

Textbook of Disaster Psychiatry, 2^nd Edition

Disaster Psychiatry (F Stoddard)

Resiliency in the Face of Disaster and Terrorism (J Napoli)

Integrating Emergency Management and Disaster Behavioral Health

Disaster Psychiatry Handbook

Publications