1. CRISIS Response and recovery
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Crisis Management Program
Division of Student Services
Martha Z. Harris, Administrative Director
Alina Gallego & Frank Zenere, Crisis Team Members

2. CRISIS RESPONSE DATA: 2016-2017
Incident
Number
Student Accidental Deaths 15
Student Deaths by Illness 20
Student Homicides 13
Student Suicides 7
Student Non-Fatal Incidents
Staff Fatalities 25
Total Crisis Responses 87

3. Student Fatality Data:
Five Year Review
Student Fatalities 45 38 36 41 55
Student Fatality Data by Cause of Death
Accidental 13 8 9 6 15
Homicide 14 19
Illness 16 12 20
Suicide 7 3 1
Total 45 38 36 41 55

4. Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Student Fatality Data by Cause of Death
Five Year Review: 2012/ /17

5. Crisis Helpline Report: Five Year Review
Risk Behavior
Suicides 7 3 1
Suicide Attempts 67 69 32 33
Suicidal Gestures 26 31 47
Suicidal Threats
207
183
231
211
321
Suicidal Ideations
310
349
219
282
268
Self- Injury
242
260
221
190
227
Homicide Attempt
Homicidal Threats
103 82 98
122 91
Homicidal Ideations 27 23 19 13
Homicidal Gestures 2 5
Misc. Risk Behaviors
255
300
188
204
Total
1,268
1,300
1,143
1,109
1,214

6. Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Student Suicidal and Self-Injurious Behaviors
Five Year Review : 2012/ /17

7. Crisis helpline report: additional data
Incident
Baker Acts
221
224
226
Baker Acts Initiated at School
164
157
168
Baker Acts Initiated at School by School Police or Clinician
127
122
142
Baker Acts Initiated at School by Local Police 37 35 26
Baker Acts Initiated at Home 57 67 58

11. DISTRICT CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead and coordinate the assessment of students’ and staff’s emotional and behavioral needs following a critical incident or disaster.
Coordinate and provide crisis counseling services at school sites in the aftermath of a student or staff death, or other traumatic incident impacting M-DCPS students or staff members.

12. DISTRICT CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Provide:
consultation for school administrators, school mental health professionals, teachers and parents
resource materials
prevention oriented presentations for school staff, parents and students
training for school-based critical incident response teams

13. SCHOOL CRITICAL INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAM
Administrator
Counselor, Social Worker, Psychologist, TRUST specialist
Teacher
Office Manager
Cafeteria Manager
School Nurse, Health Aide
Parent
P.E. Teacher
Custodian
Security/School Resource Officer

14. GUIDELINES FOR IDENTIFYING STUDENTS WHO MAY BE IMPACTED BY A DEATH
witnessed the incident;
were close friends;
shared a class;
shared extracurricular activities;
shared a similar characteristic;
had a troubled or strained relationship with deceased; and
have a history of loss or emotional difficulties.

15. CIRCLES OF VULNERABILITY
ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT/ POTENTIAL TRAUMA
CIRCLES OF VULNERABILITY
MAPPING BY THREE DIMENTIONS
GEOGRAPHICAL
PROXIMITY
PSYCHOSOCIAL
PROXIMITY
POPULATION
AT RISK
Lahad, M., Crisis Prevention Center, Israel

17. RESPONSE ACTIONS: SUPPORTING STUDENTS
Designate a private and quiet space for counseling services (separate areas for students and staff).
Equip room with boxes of tissues.
Supply water and snacks.
Provide rolls of paper (light colors) and markers.
Follow the class schedule of the deceased student or teacher.

18. RESPONSE ACTIONS: SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Goals :
Help students understand and deal with difficult feelings.
Help students with coping behaviors to enhance emotional functioning, maintain attendance, and support classroom learning.

19. SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
RESPONSE ACTIONS:
SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Psychological First Aid
An evidence based approach for assisting individuals in the immediate aftermath of a critical incident or disaster.
Designed to reduce initial distress connected to traumatic events, and enhance short-and-long-term adaptive functioning.

20. Psychological First Aid: Core Actions
Contact and engagement
Safety and comfort
Stabilization
Information gathering
Practical Assistance/ Self Empowerment
Connections with social supports
Information on coping
Linkages with collaborative services

21. Psychological First Aid: Making Contact
Introduce yourself and ask permission to talk to the individual; explain purpose of meeting.
If you do not know an answer, find someone who does and be sure to follow up with the individual later.
If your help is declined, respect that decision and provide information where help can be found later.
Accept people where they are emotionally at the time of contact.
Do more listening than talking.
Conduct yourself in a calm, respectful and competent manner.

22. Providing Psychological First Aid: Promote Safety and Comfort
Evaluate the area for physical safety risks and make
necessary alterations.
Evaluate the area for emotional safety and make necessary alterations such as protecting individuals from the media or removing reminders of the event.
Provide assistance in an area with little noise or distraction.
Meet basic needs.
Dispel rumors; clarify misunderstandings.

23. Psychological First Aid: Stabilization
Remove students in need of individualized support.
Help put words to feelings and concerns; help them to understand their feelings and attempt to reduce their stress.
Use breathing/ relaxation techniques to bring distress under control.
Validate reactions and feelings being experienced.

24. Psychological First Aid: Information Gathering
Listen to people talk about their concerns as it relates to their current needs.
Don’t push for detailed information about the traumatic event.
At this point ask questions that encourage yes or no responses in order to limit too much discussion.
Maintain focus on the task at hand.

25. Psychological First Aid: Practical Assistance/Self-Empowerment
Problem solve and address practical needs.
Provide information about what to expect, without making unrealistic promises.
Support the following of a daily routine that includes normal/familiar life. activities.

26. Psychological First Aid: Connections with Social Supports
Ask students what they need.
Help family members reunite.
Help connect with friends, teachers.
Discuss ways that students can help each other.
Inform students of activities and recovery efforts for which they may volunteer.
Urge students to alert an adult if they or peer are in need of assistance.

27. Psychological First Aid: Information on Coping
Provide education about range of reactions one may experience.
Describe coping strategies that other students have found helpful.
Encourage self-care practices and routines.
Address potential problems (sleep, mood, functioning).
Reestablish the learning environment.

28. Psychological First Aid: What Not to Say
You’ll feel better soon
You are lucky you survived
I understand
Don’t feel bad
You’re strong
You’ll get through this
Don’t cry
It’s God’s will
It could be worse
At least you still have…
Everything will be OK

29. Psychological First Aid: Linkages with Collaborative Services
Let students know how they can obtain individual services.
Connect students with appropriate support persons and agencies.
Discuss constructive or pro-social activities that can promote recovery.
Encourage school officials to monitor student reactions and make necessary referrals.

30. SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
RESPONSE ACTIONS:
SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Psycho-education
Crisis facts are understood and rumors are dispelled.
Potential crisis reactions are identified and normalized.
Stress management strategies are identified and/or taught.
Psychopathological crisis reactions and coping strategies are discussed and referral procedures identified.

31. Coping with CRISIS: WHAT HELPS
Talking to another person for support.
Engaging in positive distracting activities (sports, hobbies, reading).
Getting adequate rest and eating healthy meals.
Trying to maintain a normal schedule.
Scheduling pleasant activities.
Taking breaks.

32. Coping with CRISIS: WHAT HELPS
Spending time with others.
Using relaxation methods (breathing exercises, meditation, calming self-talk.
Participating in a support group.
Exercising in moderation.
Keeping a journal.
Seeking counseling.

33. RESPONDING TO A SUICIDAL CRISIS
Keep student under adult supervision at all times.
Conduct a risk assessment (school mental health professional).
Contact Miami-Dade Schools Police ( COPS) if a Baker Act is being considered.
If a Baker Act is to be performed, the student’s parent/guardian should be contacted AFTER the student has left the school-site and is in route to the appropriate crisis center.

34. RESPONDING TO A SUICIDAL CRISIS
In all other cases of suicidal crises or self-injurious behaviors, the student’s parent/ guardian should be contacted and asked to come to the school and receive their child.
Parent/ guardian should be provided a list of appropriate community-based counseling resources and strongly encouraged to immediately transport their child for a mental health assessment.
Contact the District Crisis Helpline( CARE) for consultation and reporting of incident.
Enter appropriate risk codes into ISIS.

35. Post-Hospitalization procedures
Hold emergency SST/ RT meeting to address the following:
The nature of the crisis
Current diagnosis or diagnoses
Risk behavior, behaviors of concern
Discharge summary/ impressions/ recommendations
Community-based services

36. Post-Hospitalization procedures
Hold emergency SST/ RT meeting to address the following:
Safety concerns
Data review (attendance, academic performance, behavior, disciplinary actions, medical reports)
Develop a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
Need for onsite support services (counseling, modification of schedule, increased supervision)
Need for additional evaluation

37. Supporting Student reentry to school
Conduct immediate counseling session.
Schedule daily check-in sessions (first week).
Provide weekly counseling sessions (first month).
Support the development of coping strategies.
Maintain parental contact.

38. Crisis Helpline Reporting
The crisis helpline is used to report select student risk behaviors that have come to the attention of a school staff member, whether the behavior occurred on campus or in the community.
The school mental health professional that is working with the student is responsible for reporting the risk behavior, after the crisis situation has been stabilized.
The student should be supervised by a staff member in another location, while you make the report.

39. How and What to Report?
Contact the Crisis Helpline at CARE (2273)
Identify if you are calling to complete a report or if you require immediate consultation
Send an if you fail to establish telephone contact and require immediate assistance
Report knowledge of the following behaviors:
Suicidal ideation, threat or gesture
Suicide attempt
Homicidal ideation, threat or gesture
Self-injurious behavior

40. What we do with the information
Create data base for future reference.
Analyze data to determine trends.
Identify schools and children with high incidence of risk behavior.
Provide intervention services for schools in the form of training, consultation and linkage to appropriate community support services.

41. CONTACT INFORMATION
Crisis Management Program Frank Zenere, School Psychologist Chairperson, Crisis Team Member Alina Gallego, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Crisis Team Member