By Sara Haimowitz | Director of Development and Communications
The following is a letter from CHL's Executive Director, in response to the school shooting in Uvalde, TX, published in CHL's June Newsletter:
Dear Friends,
I am devastated to hear a report of yet another school shooting, marking the 27th school shooting this year.
There are no words.
It leaves us asking, "what can we at CHL do?" Prevention is core to our mission. Typically, we provide resources to move things upstream- to make them better. We commit to building out more concrete plans for lethal means safety. CHL also provides resources for postvention.
Friends and families of the victims are reeling from trauma. And students and staff who witness school shootings can also suffer from traumatic stress. Whether a shooting occurs in a community with high crime and violence or a historically safe and stable community, school shootings have lasting ramifications for each family and impact relationships among community members, including parents, the school, law enforcement, and local government.
Although times like these can breed feelings of helplessness, we can support one another. I encourage you to reach out to family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors to check in. And if you or someone you know needs support, you are not alone, and there is help. Here is a list of resources:
*The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 800-273-8255.
*Dial 2-1-1 to find mental health services in your area.
*Vermont peer Support Line – call or text 833-888-2557.
*InvestEAP offers 24/7 short-term counseling and referral to all state employees and their household members. If you need support on anything, please call (888) 834-2830 or visit Invest EAP Organization Password: "vteap"
*The National Child Traumatic Stress Network's Responding to a School Crisis webpage provides resources for parents and caregivers, youth, and schools, including individualized guidelines for key school personnel to respond to school crises. The page also provides access to psychological first aid for schools and the 3 Rs of school crises and disasters.
*The National Resource Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention's Trauma, Violence and School Shooting webpage provides resources for parents, service providers, and educators who work with youth who are experiencing or have experienced trauma.
*National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) Resilience Resources webpage provides two resources on resilience. "Bolstering Resilience in Students: Teachers as Protective Factors" provides an overview of research on student resilience, particularly teachers' roles in creating an environment where students can develop the ability to overcome challenges. The webpage also reviews protective factors strategies teachers can employ to create environments that foster resilience in students. "Adolescent Health Highlight — Positive Mental Health: Resilience" presents research findings on characteristics that are associated with resilience, describes program strategies that promote resilience, discusses links between resilience and avoidance of risk-taking behaviors, and provides helpful resources.
Again, there are no words. But CHL is committed to being a resource for prevention work and to providing access to resources in a crisis.
Thank you,
JoEllen Tarallo, Ed.D., MCHES
Links:
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