ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines some specific guidelines for the mental health response to a campus shooting. It discusses multiple key components, including the response to mental health needs, mobilization of resources, psychological first aid in classes, the psychological effects of trauma, and self-care. The institution has a campus-based counseling center. For those colleges and universities without such a counseling center, decisions need to be made with respect to where mental health resources originate in the event of a crisis. Multiple constituencies may require intervention beyond those directly affected by a traumatic event, and considering the collective needs of the campus community will be important as plans for intervention emerge. A concentric circular Population Exposure Model can be helpful in this process to determine the various populations that may be affected by a campus trauma. Campus communities that have suffered a crisis might also find themselves with a higher base level of anxiety and distress, affecting various constituencies beyond those directly affected.
