Community Response Resources

Compensation Protocol: A Guide to Responding to Mass Casualty Incidents
The toolkit proposes questions to determine an agency’s preparedness status in seven categories, offers guidance to inform next steps, and recommends resources for improving policies and practices to reduce community potential for mass violence, swiftly respond to incidents, and enhance trauma and support services in their wake.

Critical Incident Preparedness Toolkit: Assessing Capacity to Respond to Active Assailant Events
This self-assessment tool is designed to assist public safety and emergency response professionals, school administrators and security professionals, elected officials, and communities in considering potential active shooter scenarios and options for dealing with them. 

Field Manual for Mental Health and Human Service Workers in Major Disasters
This Field Manual is intended for mental health workers and other human service providers who assist survivors following a disaster. This pocket reference provides the basics of disaster mental health, with numerous specific and practical suggestions for workers.

A Guide to Managing Stress for Disaster Responders and First Responders
This guide is designed for first responders, public health workers, construction workers, transportation workers, utility workers, crisis counselors, and volunteers who respond to disasters and other crises. The guide provides information on how people experience stress, signs of extreme stress, and ways for organizations and individuals to manage and mitigate stress before, during, and after disaster response.

Health Care Toolbox
This website is designed for pediatric health providers working with injured children and provides guidance on patient-centered and trauma-informed care.

Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Information Gateway: Mass Violence
This resource collection is designed to help emergency managers, public health professionals, and other responders support communities affected by an incident of mass violence. The resource collection features tip sheets, topical collections, newsletters, and other materials about community response, family assistance, emergency medical considerations, and responder safety and health.

Helping Victims of Mass Violence and Terrorism: Planning, Response, Recovery, and Resources
This toolkit is designed to help communities prepare for and respond to victims of mass violence and terrorism in the most timely, effective, and compassionate manner possible.

The OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center also has a dedicated Mass Violence and Terrorism Resource page that features a webinar on Developing a Co-Response to a Mass Violence Incident During a Community Crisis.

The Impact of Disaster and Mass Violence Events on Mental Health
This online article from the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) describes the emotional, cognitive, physical, and interpersonal reactions that disaster survivors may experience. The article also presents information on risk and protective factors in disaster survivors.

Media Coverage of Traumatic Events
This article discusses the potential impact of viewing news coverage of mass violence and terrorism on adults and children. It concludes with tips on how to address stress symptoms caused by viewing traumatic events.

Mental Health Response to Mass Violence and Terrorism: A Field Guide
This guide is intended for service providers and professionals in the mental health field providing the basics in responding to and assisting victims and families during the aftermath of mass violence and terrorism.

Multidisciplinary Response to Crime Victims With Disabilities Community Guide 
This guide provides a seven-step model for enhancing any community’s capacity to respond to crime victims with disabilities.

Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide
Developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD, Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed approach for assisting survivors of disaster and terrorism.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA supports preparedness efforts by states, U.S. territories, Tribes, and local entities to deliver an effective mental health and substance use-related (behavioral health) response to disasters. In addition to administering the Disaster Distress Helpline dedicated to year-round disaster crisis counseling, SAMHSA offers other disaster behavioral health preparedness and response services and resources including:

• SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center: helps states, territories, Tribes, and local providers plan for and respond to mental health and substance use–⁠related needs after a disaster.
• SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series Resource Center: This resource collection focuses on incidents of mass violence, community violence, and terrorism and their effects. Resources discuss common reactions to incidents of mass violence, tips for coping, and ways to support children and youth in coping.
• SAMHSA Disaster Mobile App: this mobile app helps responders focus on people in need by providing resources for any type of traumatic event, including tip sheets; guides for responders, teachers, parents, and caregivers; and a directory of behavioral health service providers in the impacted area. Key preparedness materials are available and information can be shared with others via text message, email, or transfer to a computer for printing.

Tips for Disaster Responders: Understanding Compassion Fatigue
Disaster behavioral health response work can be very satisfying, but it can also take its toll on disaster responders. This fact sheet discusses the causes and signs of compassion fatigue and tips for how to prevent it.

Tips for First Responders, 5th Edition (supporting victims with disabilities)
This booklet offers tips that first responders can use during emergencies to support and communicate with people with disabilities. The booklet is divided into sections that focus on older adults and on people with service animals, mobility impairments, autism, multiple chemical sensitivities, cognitive disabilities, and hearing or visual impairments.

The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit
Research shows that vicarious trauma, when left unaddressed, can lead to staff burnout, turnover, stress, and a lesser quality of services for victims. This OVC toolkit offers guidance to help organizations strengthen their ability to address work-related exposure to trauma.

• Develop a comprehensive victim assistance plan for responding to incidents of mass violence, terrorism, natural disasters, and high-profile criminal incidents.
• Bring key partners together to review existing emergency plans, and to initiate or continue the development of a victim assistance plan within a community.
• Establish victim assistance protocols, which can greatly enhance the effectiveness of response and recovery efforts.
• Follow protocols for short- and long-term responses to victims following incidents of mass violence.

The mission of the OVC-funded National Mass Violence Center (NMVC) is to improve community preparedness and the Nation’s capacity to serve victims recovering from mass violence through research, planning, training, technology, and collaboration. 

Visit the NMVC’s Virtual Resiliency Center website for resources on victim and social services, social connection and empowerment, health and wellness, and managing grief and trauma. 

Communities can also partner with the Virtual Resiliency Center to host important information for those affected by a recent mass violence incident. The site has pre-populated information that the public may find useful, although there is not a local information page set-up for this incident. 

Additionally, the following NMVC tip sheets are for community and civic leaders rebuilding their communities.

• Overview of Three Centers: Friends & Relatives Center, Family Assistance Center, and Resiliency Center
• The Role of Victim Service Professionals in Building Resilience After Mass Violence Incidents
• Sharing Your Story: Guidelines for Victims, Survivors and Family Members of Mass Violence Incidents
• Timeline of Activities to Promote Mental Health Recovery: Recommendations Before, During, and Following a Mass Violence Incident
• Tips for Community Leaders: Establishing a Family Assistance Center
• Tips for Community Leaders: Supporting Victims and Families
• Tips for Community Leaders: Managing Donations
• Tips for Community Leaders: Managing Volunteers
• Tips for Community Leaders: Funding and Victims Compensation
• Unexpected Challenges for Communities in the Aftermath of a Mass Violence Incident
• Unexpected Challenges for Communities in the Recovery Phase of a Mass Violence Incident

View additional tip sheets.

The following resources may also be of assistance in the aftermath of this crime.

Be Red Cross Ready: Taking Care of Your Emotional Health After a Disaster
This fact sheet explains normal reactions to a disaster, what a survivor can do to cope with these emotions, and where to seek additional help if needed.

Tips for Survivors: Coping With Grief After a Disaster or Traumatic Event
This tip sheet contains information about grief, the grieving process, and what happens when the process is interrupted and complicated or traumatic grief occurs.

Tips for Survivors: Coping With Anger After a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event
This tip sheet intends to aid survivors in coping with bouts of anger that may follow disasters or traumatic events. It describes the physical changes that may indicate anger and provides guidance for coping and integrating positive habits into your life, as well as resources for additional support.

Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event: Coping with Retraumatization
This brochure explains the signs and symptoms of retraumatization. Gives guidance on how to manage the symptoms. It provides resources for building resilience and an adequate support system for dealing with triggering events. This brochure is also available in Spanish.

Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Traumatic Event: What To Expect in Your Personal, Family, Work, and Financial Life
The Spanish tip sheet suggests steps to cope with a disaster or other trauma, lists signs of the need for professional mental health and substance use assistance, and identifies resources for additional information and support.

What You Can Do If You Are a Victim of Crime
This brochure highlights victims’ rights and compensation and assistance programs, and lists national organizations that help victims to find information or obtain referrals.

Transcend Mobile App and Other Self-Help

Funded by OVC, this National Mass Violence Center mobile app provides resources and information about common reactions to mass violence and strategies for recovery. Users can access tools and activities on calming the body, managing distressing thoughts, maintaining healthy activity, coping with loss, and helping others. A “Get Help” feature offers contact information for crisis hotlines and other support services.

Learn more and download the Transcend Mobile App.

The National Mass Violence Center also has a page providing self-help for survivors. It addresses common trauma reactions, coping tips, guides for parents and caregivers, and other support.