SOUTH WESTERN SCHOOL DISTRICT 225 Bowman Road, Hanover, Pennsylvania 17331-4297 (717) 632-2500 Crisis Intervention Information TrueNorth’s Mobile Crisis Unit. They can be reached 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The toll free number is 1-866-325-0339. If you would like, school staff can assist with this referral. Taking your child to a Crisis Walk-In Clinic: Wellspan Behavioral Health Walk-In Clinic 1101 South Edgar Street, Suite C York, PA 17403 Phone: 1-800-673-2496 or 717-851-5320 Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:00AM-8:00PM Friday 8:00AM-6:00PM TrueNorth Wellness Services 33 Frederick Street Hanover, PA 17313 Phone: 717-632-4900 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-8:00PM Taking your child to the nearest hospital emergency department. Be sure to check first that the hospital accepts your child’s health insurance. Emergency departments handling crisis intervention for children and adolescents in this area include: Wellspan York Hospital Intervention 1001 S George Street York PA 17403 Phone: 1-800-673-2496 Wellspan Gettysburg Hospital Keystone Health Crisis 147 Gettys Street Gettysburg PA 17325 Phone: 1-800-673-2496 Hanover Hospital 300 Highland Avenue Hanover PA 17331 Phone: 717-316-3711 Memorial Hospital 325 S. Belmont Street York PA 17405 Phone: 1-866-325-0339 Program/Chambersburg Hospital Emergency Department 112 N Seventh Street Chambersburg PA 17201 Phone: 717-264-2555 Phone: 1-866-918-2555 Helping Your Child The following suggestions are intended to help you support your child in a time of uncertainty. Remember that one’s personal history, current stressors, and actual experience on the scene will influence how a student may react. Your child is responding in a complex setting which includes pressures about academic performance, social inclusion, family stress, and the climate of threat in America. Responses may include mild discomfort, anxiety, fear, anger, avoidance, physical complaints, or sleep problems. Emotional reactions to last week’s events may occur immediately or may be delayed. Most will recover in a short time, but some may need further attention from adults in school. Despite this list of potential difficulties, don’t be surprised if your son or daughter does not show any such response. Loss of trust in adults and fear of the event occurring again are responses seen in many children who have been exposed to stress. Students may feel a sense of guilt or harbor revenge fantasies or hero fantasies. What to do: 1. Talk honestly and openly with your child about what happened. Spend time asking questions such as: “help me understand what happened for you.” “What were you most worried about?” “What helped you feel safer?” “Are there any thoughts or pictures you can’t get out of your mind?” Keep your questions openended and be patient, even if your child responds with “I don’t know” on your first try. 2. Don’t be too quick to give answers, advice, or your own reactions that tends to shut down conversation. Listen more than you talk. Resist the need to have all the answers. Give honest reassurances. This can be a time to learn from your teen rather than teach him/her. 3. Parents’ reactions may influence how a student responds to an event. Avoid “infecting” your childs’ lives with your own worries. Even if you are feeling anxious or angry, it is better voiced to other adults who can help you vent or who will address your issues. What your child needs most from you is your own sense of being in control. 4. In the aftermath of violence, inaccurate perceptions and destructive rumors can spread quickly. Please help your child understand that sharing unfounded rumors is as damaging as starting unfounded rumors. Please give us an opportunity to dispel misinformation and aggressively pursue any “news” rumors by calling the school as soon as you learn of a rumor. 5. Remember there are some parts of working through this event that your child will do with you, and that for some aspects, your child may benefit from support systems put in place by the school. Social supports act as a buffer in difficult times. Students often need to get back to school to be with their peers and to see for themselves that things are getting back to normal. For some students, the longer they are away from the school, the harder it becomes to return. If your child expresses anxiety about returning to school, be sympathetic and talk with him/her about those worries. Explain that it may take time to gradually overcome anxieties but that avoidance will only make it more difficult. Reassure your child that you will help and connect him/her with supportive adults at school. When to seek professional help: Consider a referral to the school guidance office when your child is… 1. withdrawing from usual daily activities and interests (e.g., school, extracurricular activities, social outlets) 2. showing signs of prolonged sadness, depression, persistent anxiety, and difficulty concentrating 3. displaying excessive irritability and/or anger 4. demonstrating changes in eating or sleeping patterns 5. experiencing reduced productivity and dropping grades You know your child the best. If you notice any behaviors that worry you, feel free to contact the guidance office during the school day. The guide was prepared by the staff at Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12 and Wellspan Employee Assistance Program. Information was derived from the Crisis Management Institute and the National Institute of Mental Health. 2/14/05 Under the circumstances in which our school and community have suffered our children/students may or may not experience various emotional responses. Listed below are a possible reflections your child(ren) may or may not experiences :  Present feelings of anger, agitation, shame, betrayal, frustration and guilt  Changes in sleep and eating patterns  Physical complaints (e.g., headache, stomachache)  Decline in school performance  Desire to be alone and less interests in activities In supporting our children, we need to continue to be open, honest, and authentic in our discussions. Allowing their emotions to be expressed freely will provide them with the opportunity to regaining a sense of control and normalcy. Olivia’s House Olivia's House is an organization of caregiving professionals and volunteers committed to supporting grieving children. Its purpose is to facilitate healing through grief and loss education. As the premier free-standing, independent grief and loss center, we are dedicated to having the capabilities to support the growing needs of the community. In doing so, Olivia's House will become the primary resource for local and national grief and loss education. Please use the link below to access the website and the resources they can offer. http://www.oliviashouse.org/page.asp?id=25 Hanover Location 101 Baltimore Street, Hanover, PA 17331 717-698-3586 (P)