Mental Health and Trauma Support
The DCJS Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety (VCSCS) is committed to the safety and well-being of all students in the Commonwealth. Information regarding available training, programs, and resources related to mental health and trauma support is provided here.
Training
VCSCS offers training on a variety of topics related to suicide prevention, mental health, and trauma for law enforcement officers working in schools and on campuses, in addition to school and campus security officers, K-12 and institutions of higher education administrators and staff, and other interested stakeholders. Visit the VCSCS Training Page to find trainings near you or host a session in your locality by completing the Training Request Form.
Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety Training Schedule
Mental Health and Trauma Support Training Available by Request:
Suicide Prevention
Suicide Prevention, Intervention, Postvention
*A 3-hour training for educators, law enforcement, and school based mental health personnel
Description of the program: In the two years, there has been a dramatic rise in suicidal ideation and attempts among adolescents and young adults. In this workshop participants will learn how to recognize the risk factors and warning signs of suicide as well as how to help build protective factors and how to help those at risk recognize protective factors in their own lives. Participants will learn how to talk with youth at risk, and gain an understanding of suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. There will be discussion of practical strategies to use with at-risk youth as well as ideas to use for strategic planning around suicide prevention in the community and school setting. The information and strategies presented align with the VDOE guidelines.
ASIST
*A 2-day comprehensive suicide prevention training program for anyone
Description of the program: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training. This 2-day program works though strategies for talking to and working with individuals experiencing suicidal ideation to prevent suicide.
Trauma
Impact of Trauma on Youth, Responding within MTSS
*2.5-hour training for educators, law enforcement, and school based mental health personnel
Description of the program: This session will provide a look at the impact of trauma on youth and resources for schools and communities to provide trauma-sensitive care within MTSS. On overview of the history of ACEs will be discussed and real-world examples of common trauma responses and strategies for addressing them will be explored.
Impact of Trauma for School Based Mental Health Personnel
*3-hour training for school based and community mental health providers, educators with some knowledge of trauma, LE with knowledge of trauma
Description of the program: This session will provide a look at the impact of trauma on youth and resources for schools and communities to provide trauma-sensitive support and working within MTSS. A brief overview of the history of ACEs will be discussed along with the neuroscience of trauma and development. Real-world examples of common trauma responses and strategies for addressing them will be explored. Usable strategies for working with students with differing levels of trauma, education, and development while working in classrooms, small groups and individual work will be discussed and provided.
Impact of Trauma on Youth and Handle With Care Overview and Implementation
*3-hour training for school based and community mental health providers, educators, SROs, non-SRO law enforcement, school security, all other school personnel
Description of the program: This session will provide a look at the impact of trauma on youth and resources for schools and communities to provide trauma-sensitive care working within MTSS, as well as an overview of the Handle With Care program. Handle With Care originated in West Virginia in 2013 to target the lasting impacts of being on the scene of law enforcement and/or emergency services activity can have on youth. The HWC program provides a method of communication to the schools so they can provide services for students who may be in need. A brief overview of the history of ACEs will be discussed along with the neuroscience of trauma and development. Real-world examples of common trauma responses and strategies for addressing them will be explored. Usable strategies for working with students with differing levels of trauma, education, and development while working in classrooms, small groups and individual work will be discussed and provided.
Trauma Informed De-Escalation for Educators
*A 3-hour training for educators, law enforcement, and school based mental health personnel
Description of the program: When dealing with misbehaving students, often tensions run high and it is easy to forget to focus on the needs of the student. This workshop offers real strategies to keep a trauma informed lens in work with students in these situations to lower tensions and realistically de-escalate in the moment. This workshop is intended for K-12 school based mental health personnel, administrators, teachers, and law enforcement.
Managing Mental Health and Vicarious Trauma
*2- or 3-hour training for school based and community mental health providers, educators, SROs, non-SRO law enforcement, school security, all other school personnel
Description of the program: Effective support for clients in human service agencies requires workers to understand the impact of vicarious trauma. It is necessary for service providers to recognize the ways that trauma symptoms are likely to manifest and their relationships with people in helping positions. In order to maintain positive mental health while dealing with vicarious trauma, it is important to have strategies to help yourself and those around you. This session will provide information on vicarious trauma and how it can affect your work and life as well as healthy ways to work through it.
Bullying Prevention
Bullying Prevention and Intervention
*A 4-hour training for educators and school based mental health personnel
Description of the program: A longstanding challenge for school communities across the country and spanning decades of American education, bullying behavior is harmful to victims, offenders, and school learning environments, as well as linked to long-term mental health impacts and violent behaviors. Participants will examine the myriad issues and presentations of bullying in this module, considering their impact upon students’ learning and sense of safety in school today. Exploring multi-tiered solutions, interventions, strategies, and supports, participants will learn to identify and combat these challenges through universal, targeted, and intensive interventions and resources.
Bullying Prevention: Bullying vs Conflict
*A 1.5 condensed or 3-hour training for educators, law enforcement, and all those who work with youth
*A 1-hour version is also available for parents
Description of the program: This session provides an understanding of the differences between bullying and conflict. Participants will examine the myriad issues and presentations of bullying, considering their impact upon students’ learning and sense of safety in school today. Exploring solutions within MTSS, interventions, strategies, and supports, participants will learn to identify and combat these challenges through universal, targeted, and intensive interventions and resources. Resources and strategies will be provided for use in the home and education settings as well as tools for effective communication between schools and parents/care givers.
Cyberbullying
*A 2/2.5-hour program for educators, school based mental health personnel, and communities
Description of the program: Our students’ world revolves around social media and the internet. Social media conflict can have an adverse impact on the schools’ climate, students’ safety, and conformability. Historically, conflict and/or cyberbullying was seen as a home issue, yet we have seen social media issues filter into the school setting for more than a decade. Schools and families need to be proactive and provide appropriate prevention and responsive resources. This webinar will offer an overview of typical social media conflicts and cyberbullying issues, discuss the impact of these concerns on school climate, and offer proactive solutions to prevent and respond to social media conflict/cyberbullying.
Other Mental Health Topics
Mental Health First Aid
*An 8-hour program for anyone
Description of the program: This program teaches a 5-step action plan encompassing the skills, resources, and knowledge to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional, peer, and self-help care. The course teaches the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and, most importantly, teaches individuals how to help someone in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge.
Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention
*A 3-hour program for educators, law enforcement, and school based mental health personnel
Description of the program: this program examines some of the traditional models of prevention, intervention and treatment and their degrees of effectiveness. Participants will be asked to view prevention through a different lens and will be given the opportunity to brainstorm ways of addressing concerns. We will review updated terminology and best ways to start the conversation with teens and young adults. Participants will be given tools and suggestions for starting an Early Intervention Program in their school or community. Strategies for both prevention and response will be discussed.
Recognizing and Supporting Youth with Anxiety and Depression
*A 3-hour program for educators, law enforcement, and school based mental health personnel
Description of the program: This program provides an overview of anxiety and depression in youth. It will offer strategies for supporting those identified students in your role in the school community. Tier 1, 2, and 3 supports will be discussed, and time will be provided for questions.
Topics to be covered include:
Differentiating between anxiety and stress
Differentiating between depression and sadness
Warning signs and symptoms
Appropriate responses to anxiety behaviors
Behavioral de-escalation
Suicidal ideation in youth
Mitigating long-term effects of mental health issues at a young age
The role of supporting adults
Training Request Form
DCJS Updates - subscribe to receive notification when new training opens for registration.
Programs
Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Grant
DCJS was awarded the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Grant in the amount of $1.83 million. This grant program is designed to improve school safety and security by providing students, teachers, and law enforcement partners with the tools they need to recognize, respond quickly to, and prevent potential acts of violence.
Through this funding, VCSCS will implement an innovative, 36-month project around VA C.A.R.E.S. in an effort to build Caring, Awareness, Recognition, Engagement, and Support in Virginia schools. VA C.A.R.E.S. will increase recognition of students at risk of self-harm or harm to others, and allow for increased interventions and supports provided through threat assessment teams. This project will include the following major initiatives:
Implementation of a statewide youth suicide prevention public service announcement (PSA) campaign in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Health.
Delivery of “Pathways of Prevention for School Violence” trainings for school personnel and local law enforcement.
Delivery of “Handle with Care” trainings for local law enforcement and school staff.
Development and production of virtual violence prevention training modules for school personnel and local law enforcement.
Handle with Care
The “Handle With Care” program enables law enforcement to notify schools if they encounter a child at a traumatic scene or incident. Schools and mental healthcare leaders can then provide trauma-sensitive support to the child immediately upon their return to school.
Handle With Care Virginia Website
Resources
Publications
Suicide Prevention Resources
Suicide Prevention Guidelines for Virginia Public Schools
Suicide Prevention - Radio Spot
Traumatic Child Stress Resources
Aftermath Resources
Supporting School-aged Children (In the Aftermath of a Crisis)
The Importance of Self-Care
Websites
SchoolSafety.gov
SchoolSafety.gov is home to mental health resources and strategies schools, educators, and parents can use to help implement mental health support in their communities. Featured resources and tools include:
- School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation System (SHAPE) (National Center for School Mental Health) – Use SHAPE – a free, web-based tool – to help you assess the quality of your school's mental health system.
- National School Mental Health Best Practices: Implementation Guidance Modules (Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network and National Center for School Mental Health) – Access guidance and modules to help your district advance comprehensive school mental health, as well as engage in a planning process around the implementation of services.
- Responding to COVID-19 School Mental Health (MHTTC Network) – Find resources, events, and toolkits to help address the impact COVID-19 has had on the mental health of students, parents, teachers, and school personnel.
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network – Explore tools and materials to help educators, school staff, and administrators understand and respond to the specific needs of traumatized children.
- Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) – Download this toolkit, developed for high schools and school districts, to design and implement strategies to prevent suicide and promote behavioral health.
- Mental Health Resources for K-12 Schools - Promote better student outcomes and foster safer schools through mental health programs and support.
NIH Emotional Wellness Toolkit
National Institutes of Health provides resources on managing emotions, stress reduction, sleep, mindfulness and coping with a loss.
Mental Health and Trauma Support Contact:
Betsy Bell, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator
804.997.1658
Email Betsy
