10 Tips for Teaching the Psychological First Aid Model for K-12 Education Agencies

• 2020

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This 2-page sheet provides 10 tips for teaching the psychological first aid (PFA) model in schools. It describes how PFA helps students, staff, and families cope after emergencies by reducing stress and trauma. The five steps of PFA are Listen, Protect, Connect, Model, and Teach. Tips include listening to concerns from both staff and students, protecting them from re-traumatization by maintaining routines and limiting exposure to distressing content. It also emphasizes connecting with the community for support and training school leaders to recognize signs of trauma while modeling healthy coping strategies themselves.

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Tags

Focus Areas: Mental Health; Trauma

Audiences: Behavioral Health Professionals; Schools & Childcare Providers

Emergency Management Stages: Mitigation; Response; Recovery; Preparedness (Prevention / Protection)

Keywords: Disasters; Emergency Services, Psychiatric; Mental Health; Schools; Students; Psychological Trauma; Psychological First Aid

Institutions: Western Regional Alliance for Pediatric Emergency Management (WRAP-EM); Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center (REMSTA)

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More like this

Psychological First Aid: How to Help Students Recover After a Personal, Community, or School-Based Emergency 2008 · Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center (REMSTA), U.S. Department of Education WRAP-EM Mental Health Working Group: So, Now What? Tools for Coping with School During COVID-19 2021 · ASPR TRACIE, Western Regional Alliance for Pediatric Emergency Management (WRAP-EM) Pediatric Behavioral Health Essential Elements of Information (EEIs) 2022 · Western Regional Alliance for Pediatric Emergency Management (WRAP-EM)

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The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only. It does not substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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