The first 2 hours following a crisis can determine the public's lasting perception of an educational system or organization. Following the assumption that crises are inevitable, school administrators must be prepared to communicate quickly and accurately to avoid being judged unfairly. This book offers strategies to public-sector educators who are…

Aid to Victims and Witnesses (AVW), sponsored by the San Mateo (California) Probation Department and staffed almost entirely by citizen and student volunteers, offers immediate financial and emotional aid to victims of violent crime after police call AVW's hot line. AVW also helps witnesses to crime in court appearances. (MF)

Americans have been exposed to increased levels of mass violence during the past decade. School violence, shootings in the workplace, and terrorist acts both here and abroad--all have affected individuals, families, communities, and our country. This report addresses the urgent need to evaluate the various psychological interventions that are…

This paper and accompanying workshop address the changing and expanding role of school psychologists resulting from disasters and increasing violence in schools and communities. The objectives of this workshop were: to encourage school psychologists to expand their roles to include crisis intervention as an essential part of their service…

With the increasing diversity of the United States population, there is a growing awareness of the need for culturally specific responses to help survivors of disasters and violence. When school psychologists are called upon to intervene, they need to be able to link survivors to support systems. In order to provide services to survivors of…

Major natural and human-caused disasters deeply affect children, and they have a special vulnerability to such events. The importance of providing crisis counseling recovery assistance within the context of their special world cannot be over emphasized. The information in this manual provides both theory and guidance to individuals concerned with…

In a campus crisis, while administrators address immediate needs, trustees must find a balance between involvement and oversight. Trustees should respond by developing a worst-case strategy; establishing early warning systems; defining "due diligence"; emphasizing candor and honesty; picking one spokesperson; protecting institutional privacy;…

This handbook aids in planning for effective crisis communication at institutions of higher education. The book opens with a behind-the-scenes look at a particular crisis--the 1990 murders of five students at the University of Florida. This first section offers tested advice from a campus communicator, an account of the crisis and the…

This paper discusses the importance of a school's having procedures in place to deal with possible biological terrorist threats. It begins with a discussion of biological terrorism. It then provides the symptoms of anthrax, treatment options for anthrax, and precautions to take when suspicious of an attack with a hazardous material. The paper goes…

Each year, dozens of natural disasters occur, leaving child victims in their wake. Short-term effects on children include such maladaptive behavioral reactions as enuresis, insomnia, crying, vomiting, and phobias. Long-term effects include compulsive behavior, personality changes, chronic anxiety, and nightmares. (JN)

This article provides specific guidelines to help teachers: (1) prevent violence and/or weapons violations, (2) manage nonthreatening weapons violations, (3) manage a hostage situation, and (4) manage an explosive situation. Also included is a list of administrative responsibilities during a hostage crisis. (DB)

After the Great Flood of 1993, crisis outreach services included casefinding, information and referral, community education, screening, counseling, mental health training, consultation, community organization, and advocacy. In two surveys, survivors rated their satisfaction with service appropriateness, clarity, timeliness, impact, and…

Suggestions to help school administrators develop and implement a systematic crisis response system are provided in this guidebook, which focuses on system organization rather than staff training. The guidelines are designed to help administrators prepare for, manage, and evaluate site-based responses to various crisis situations, specifically,…

This report describes how, in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, the South Carolina Department of Mental Health activated its Emergency Preparedness Plan to assist mental health centers and their staff in providing crisis counseling services to the general public. The first section explains the history and structure of the involvement by the…

This handbook provides guidance for women in Illinois who are victims of domestic violence and spouse abuse. It consists of facts about domestic violence, a survival sheet telling what to do before, during, and after incidents of domestic violence, and advice on seeking emergency assistance and shelter. It then provides advice and resources on…