Crisis Intervention / Consultation
The Psychological Trauma Center staff responds to school and community emergency situation such as: suicide, gang violence and death by natural cause or at the hand of another. A response can include one or more of these interventions: phone consultation, consultation at the site and/or a full intervention.
A full intervention generally consists of a team of mental health professionals going to the school site, helping to organize and develop an appropriate intervention and providing the intervention. Prior to arriving at the site, a phone consultation has taken place to understand the event and assess the needs of the school or community.
In June of 1998, the Psychological Trauma Center received a phone call from the head of a private school stating that they had just learned that a horrific murder-suicide had taken place at the home of one of the families that attended their school. Classes were in session, but parents were flocking to the school not knowing where else to go. To make matters worse, one member of this family was a famous television personality. This drew media attention to the school as well.
The call came into the Center about 10:00 a.m. on a Thursday morning. The head of the school was given assistance in how to deal with parents and the media. An intervention was designed to begin at 8:00 a.m. Friday morning and counseling sessions were provided on an as needed basis. This information was relayed to all parents through an informative letter that went home with each child.
Friday morning, counselors were present to meet with families, parents, children and teachers who requested their services. The drop-in structure was provided because there was no school Friday, due to parent-teacher conferences. Monday morning a school-wide meeting was held to allow everyone to share their feelings, and to give students updated information about their classmates who were safe with family members. Again, counselors were present to help them through this tragedy. At the conclusion of this meeting, 100 colored balloons were brought in and given to each person present. Together they released the balloons sending a message to their classmates that they were in their thoughts and cared about them. A family member who knew this event was taking place, brought the children to a location where they saw the balloons released. The school received a call saying the children saw the balloons and were very touched by the gesture.
The team of counselors remained at the school all day on Monday, meeting with each classroom and identifying children that were having a more difficult time. While the classrooms were being visited, a meeting was being held with parents to help them sort through their emotions and to discuss parenting issues that would help them, their family and child(ren) through the horrible event.