Resources in Response to Iowa Tragedies

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed resources to help children, families, and communities navigate what they are seeing and hearing, acknowledge their feelings, and find ways to cope together. These resources include:

Resources For After a Trauma:

• Helping Youth after a Community Trauma: Tips for Educators
• Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event
• Once I Was Very Very Scared – children’s book for young children
• Pause-Reset-Nourish (PRN) to Promote Wellbeing (for responders)

Resources For After a Shooting:

• Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth After the Recent Shooting
• For Teens: Coping After Mass Violence
• Tip Sheet for Youth Talking to Journalists about the Shooting
• Talking to Children about the Shooting

Resources For After a Tornado:

• Parent Guidelines for Helping Children after a Tornado
• Tips for Parents on Media Coverage of the Tornado
• Questions to Ask Your Children About the Tornado
• After the Tornado: Helping Young Children Heal
• Teacher Guidelines for Helping Students after a Tornado
• Trinka and Sam and the Swirling Twirling Wind – e-book for young children (En Español)
• Tornado Response for Kids: Right After a Tornado
• Tornado Response for Teens: Right After a Tornado
• Simple Activities for Children and Adolescents without Power or When Playing Outside is Restricted

Resources for Responding to Grief:

• Helping Teens with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
• Helping School-Age Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
• Helping Young Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers

Psychological First Aid:
The NCTSN (National Child Traumatic Stress Network) also has resources for responders on Psychological First Aid (PFA). PFA is an early intervention to support children, adolescents, adults, and families impacted by these types of events. The PFA Wallet Card (En Español) provides a quick reminder of the core actions. PFA Handouts include:

• Parent Tips for Helping Infants and Toddlers (En Español)
• Parent Tips for Helping Preschoolers (En Español)
• Parent Tips for Helping School-Age Children (En Español)
• Parent Tips for Helping Adolescents (En Español)
• Tips for Adults (En Español)

Mobile Apps:

• Help Kids Cope
• PFA Mobile
• SAMHSA Behavioral Health Disaster Response App
• Bounce Back Now