Girl Scout Strong

In the wake of today’s shooting in downtown Louisville, we all may experience fear and anxiety, especially children. Below are some resources you may wish to use as you navigate conversations with your Girl Scouts.

Girl Scout Raising Awesome Girls Content: When Scary News Shakes Her World

For Child-Centered Grief and Trauma Resources

• The National School Crisis Center has resources which offer practical tips for supporting youth and opening conversations—for example: Talking to children about tragedies
• The National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG) offers resources aimed at understanding grief in children and helping caring adults guide them through loss. Their “ Hero Toolkit” offers activities for talking about grief with children and teens.
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has many resources on grief and trauma, but here are some aimed at helping adults talk to children about violent events and grief:
  • Tip Sheet on Coping After Mass Violence: provides common reactions children and families may be experiencing after a mass violence event and what they can do to take care of themselves.
  • Guidance for Parents for Helping Youth After Mass Violence: Offers parents guidance on helping their children after a mass violence event. This fact sheet describes common reactions children may have, how parents can help them, and self-care tips after a violent event.
  • Helping Teens with Traumatic Grief: Describes how teens may feel when struggling with the death of someone close and offers tips on what caregivers can do to help.
  • After a Crisis: Offers tips to parents on how to help young children, toddlers, and preschoolers heal after a traumatic event.
  • Guiding Adults in Talking to Children: Provides ways to navigate children’s questions about death, funerals, and memorials. This fact sheet discusses this challenging, but manageable, task and includes sample Q&A to help guide discussions.
  • Tip Sheet for Teens on Coping After Violence

 For Mental Health Crises

• Call 911
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or  suicidepreventionlifeline.org for online emotional support
• The Crisis Text Line connects you to a trained crisis counselor to receive free, 24/7 crisis support via text message: text NAMI to 741741
• The Disaster Distress Helpline is a 24/7 national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling (more info at National Institute of Mental Health): Dial 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor

For Families or Troops Seeking Mental Health Care Services

• National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG) links to local support groups and professionals 
• SAMHSA's Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• Mental Health America (MHA) links to affiliates across the country and offers resources for finding treatment