Health Agencies Can Support Communities Suffering Mass Firearm Violence
ASTHO’s Catalyst Center for Firearm Injury Prevention compiled resources for health agencies as communities process tragedies caused by firearm violence. In the aftermath of such violence, ASTHO recommends applying a trauma-responsive lens to support staff and communities, and is available to directly assist health officials in considering and applying best practices for crisis communications, specifically related to violence.
Resources for Community Members and Caregivers
- Community Support Resource for Those Impacted by Gun Violence | Suicide Prevention Resource Center is a general resource that helps community members recognize common emotional and physical symptoms of a trauma response to community violence, provides tips/sentence starters to support, and links to national crisis supports.
- Coping After Mass Violence | National Child Traumatic Stress Network is another general resource for community members that expands on the information provided in the prior, including details about intersectional identities.
- Talking to Children About the Shooting | National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers tips to parents, educators, and caregivers for talking to children about firearm violence.
- Talking to Teens When Violence Happens | Center for Resilience and Well-being in Schools offers tips to parents, educators, and caregivers for talking to teens about violence.
- What to Say to Kids When the News is Scary | Life Kit: Parenting Podcast features tips for talking to kids about frightening events, crafted for parents, educators, and caregivers.
- Family Resources on Violence | Sesame Workshop helps young children feel safe and includes videos for parents, educators, and caregivers.
- Family Resources on Grief | Sesame Workshop helps children cope with grief and includes videos for parents, educators, and caregivers.
- Multilingual Trauma Resources | Child Mind Institute provides parents, educators, and caregivers with age-appropriate messaging tips for talking with children/teens in 16 languages.
Resources for Responding to Mass Violence or Firearm Violence
- Recommendations for Reporting On Mass Shootings | Suicide Awareness Voices of Education delves into how media covers a mass shooting in a public setting, geared toward public information officers, media professionals, and journalists.
- Talking About “Firearm Injury” and “Gun Violence”: Words Matter | American Journal of Public Health explains how professionals can report or discuss violence with the community in a non-stigmatizing way.
- Mass Shootings Dominate Reporting on Gun Violence. Here’s What We Need to Talk About Instead | The Pennsylvania Capital-Star is for public information officers, media professionals, and journalists, providing commentary on how to change media narratives.
ASTHO Strategic Risk and Crisis Communications Resources
- ASTHO’s Crisis Communications Guide includes a crisis communications plan template as well as tips for working with the media and addressing politically sensitive topics.
- Seven Impactful Books on Communications Health Officials Should Read Front to Back features recommended crisis communication reads for health officials.
- Applied Principles of Strategic Risk and Crisis Communications, while tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, outlines generalizable crisis communication strategies that enhance meaningful community engagement.