Western Maine Support and Resources

As the events in Androscoggin County continue to unfold, we are sharing some immediate resources for our partners and community members here in Western Maine. It's important to remember that none of us are alone during this tragedy. We are all part of a strong and resilient community of caregivers and advocates.

Resources for Adults

• Family Caregiver Resources

• PTSD Resources for Veterans

• NAMI Maine Hotline 1-800-464-5767 (Press 1)

• How to Cope With Repeated Mass Shootings (NPR Podcast)

Resources for Children

• Helping your children manage distress in the aftermath of a shooting

• How to talk with kids about tragedies and other traumatic events

• Talking to kids about gun violence

FROM NCTSN:  

Resources in Response to the Lewiston, Maine Shooting

The recent shooting in Lewiston, Maine has evoked a range of emotions across affected families and communities. In response to this event, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed resources to help children, families, and communities navigate what they are seeing and hearing in the media, acknowledge their feelings, and find ways to cope together. These resources include:

1. Coping After Mass Violence

2. For Teens: Coping After Mass Violence (En Español)

3. Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth After Mass Violence

4. Talking to Children about Mass Violence

5. Psychological Impact of Mass Violence

6. After a Crisis: Helping Young Children Heal (En Español)

7. Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event (En Español)

8. Talking to Children: When Scary Things Happen (En Español)

9. Creating Supportive Environments: When Scary Things Happen (En Español)

10. Talking to Teens When Violence Happens (En Español)

11. Helping Teens with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers (En Español)

12. Helping School-Age Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers (En Español)

13. Helping Young Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers (En Español)

14. The Power of Parenting: How to Help Your Child After a Parent or Caregiver Dies

15. Helping Youth After a Community Trauma: Tips for Educators (En Español)

16. Once I Was Very Very Scared (En Español)  – children’s book for young children

17. Pause-Reset-Nourish (PRN) to Promote Wellbeing (En Español) (for responders)

Psychological First Aid

The NCTSN also has resources for responders on Psychological First Aid (PFA; En Español). PFA is an early intervention to support children, adolescents, adults, and families impacted by these types of events. PFA Mobile and the PFA Wallet Card (En Español) provide a quick reminder of the core actions. The PFA online training (En Español) course is also available on the NCTSN Learning Center. PFA Handouts include:

18. Parent Tips for Helping Infants and Toddlers (En Español)

19. Parent Tips for Helping Preschoolers (En Español)

20. Parent Tips for Helping School-Age Children (En Español)

21. Parent Tips for Helping Adolescents (En Español)

22. Tips for Adults (En Español)

23. When Terrible Things Happen (En Español)

From the National Mass Violence and Victimization Resource Center & Partners

1. Transcend (mobile app to assist with recovery after mass violence)

2. Rebuild your Community: Resources for Community Leaders

3. Media Guidelines for Homicide Family Survivors

4. Timeline of Activities to Promote Mental Health Recovery

5. Self-Help: Resources for Survivors

6. E-learning Courses: Trainings for Clinicians

7. Resources for Victim Assistance Professionals

From the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress at the Uniformed Services University

8. Grief Leadership: Leadership in the Wake of Tragedy

9. Leadership Communication: Anticipating and Responding to Stressful Events

10. Coping with Stress Following a Mass Shooting

Disaster Helpline

SAMHSA has a Disaster Distress Helpline – call or text 1-800-985-5990 (for Spanish, press “2”) to be connected to a trained counselor 24/7/365.

Additional Resources

For those that are needing technical assistance or additional resources, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Melissa Brymer at mbrymer@mednet.ucla.edu.

Working together to improve the health and well-being of individuals in our communities