WIAAP extends its deepest sympathies to the victims of today’s shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. Survivors of the tragedy, their loved ones, school family, and community will suffer immeasurable physical and psychological scars.
As pediatricians, we are committed to the health and well-being of all children, and are devastated to know the impact of this event. Gun violence has no place in schools, or anywhere. Our children deserve safe spaces to learn, play, and thrive. May we strive to provide them.
We offer information below from the American Academy of Pediatrics and others to parents, clinicians, and for mental health resources during this traumatic period.
AAP HealthyChildren.org Parenting Resources
- Talking to Children About Tragedies and Other News Events
- AAP Tips on Talking to a Child After a Disaster
- How to Support Your Child’s Resilience in a Time of Crisis
- Childhood Exposure to Violence
AAP Patient Care Tools and Resources
- Disasters and Children
- Helping Children Cope and Adjust After a Disaster
- Gun Safety and Injury Prevention
- Trauma Informed Care
- AAP Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy Toolkit
- NCTSN Resource: Introduction: Secondary Traumatic Stress
Physician Wellness Resources
- NCTSN Resources | The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Heroes Health is a free mobile app from the UNC School of Medicine that helps healthcare professionals and first responders monitor their mental health and access mental health resources.
- CrewCare is a resilience-focused app for first responders and healthcare professionals.
- Therapy Aid Coalition provides pro-bono therapy for frontline healthcare professionals, including individual and group support.
- The Emotional PPE Project connects healthcare professionals with licensed mental health professionals who can help. This service is free and does not require insurance.
- Married to Doctors Podcast discusses the challenges faced by the spouses and families of physicians.
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) offers interactive screening programs for suicide prevention, tailored for medical schools, hospitals, and health systems.
- TruthJava discusses how to get help after an active shooter event
- TruthJava addresses what do first and next after a workplace accident
Mental Health Awareness Resources
Signs and Symptoms Resources
- How to Identify Feelings – So You Can Deal with Them
- The Signs and Symptoms of Physician Stress
- Mental Health & Wellness as a Medical Professional
Talk About Mental Health
- Just Checking In: 10 Minutes, 10 Questions
- Notice. Talk. Act.™
- 7 Questions to Help People Talk About Their Mental Health
Support Yours and Others Mental Health