Trauma Response and Recovery Resources

In response to recent acts of mass violence, the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) shares these resources for youth, families, and professionals who are affected by these tragedies.

For Families and Professionals

Connect to a Trained Counselor

SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline can be reached 24/7 by calling or texting 1-800-985-5990 (for Spanish, press “2”).

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides resources and information about violence and behavioral health. Some of the resources below were developed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), funded by SAMHSA, developed resources to support children, families, educators, and communities affected by mass violence. The following resources can help people navigate what they are learning, acknowledge their feelings, and find ways to cope together.

For Responders and Schools

The NCTSN also developed resources for responders and schools on Psychological First Aid (PFA). PFA is an early intervention to support children, adolescents, adults, and families impacted by mass violence.

 PFA resources for schools include:

For Survivors and Communities 

The National Mass Violence and Victimization Resource Center helps prepare communities to serve survivors recovering from mass violence through research, planning, training, technology, and collaboration. Their mobile app, Transcend (iOS and Android), was developed to assist in recovery from the psychological and behavioral responses that can occur following direct or indirect exposure to mass violence.

The Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress at the Uniformed Services University has expert knowledge, education, and research on traumatic stress, suicide, and trauma-informed care, and has developed the following resources for community leaders.