Crisis Intervention and Crisis Management Strategies for School-Based Response Teams

Suicide and sudden death have become a recurring crisis for today's schools, requiring families, schools, and communities to help youth, even very young children, confront death, grief, and loss on a routine basis. The sudden or unexpected loss resulting from such occurrences at school affects everyone involved and requires an immediate and effective response by school personnel. In most cases, an appropriate response is critical in order to prevent further harm and additional stress. Collectively, crises that significantly impact schools include the following: completed suicides, suicide threats, natural and accidental deaths, medical emergencies, terminal illnesses, fires, natural disasters, and gang violence.