How Community Members Can Help:

After violence or disaster community members should:

• Identify and address their own feelings — this will allow them to help others
• Allow children to:
  • Express feelings
  • Discuss the event
    • Before going back to routines
    • But not if children don't want to
• Use their buildings and institutions as gathering places to promote support
• Help people identify resources available to provide assistance
• Emphasize community strengths and resources that sustain hope
• Be sensitive to:
  • Difficult behavior
  • Strong emotions
  • Different cultural responses
• Get mental health professionals to:
  • Counsel children
  • Help them see that fears are normal
  • Offer play therapy
  • Offer art therapy
  • Help children develop
    • Coping skills
    • Problem-solving skills
    • Ways to deal with fear
  • Hold parent meetings to discuss:
    • The event
    • Their child’s response
    • How help is being given to their child
    • How parents can help their child
    • Other available support

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