Support for Japan

Along with the rest of the world, the hearts and thoughts of NASP leadership and staff go out to the people of Japan and those trying to aid survivors and resolve the country’s nuclear crisis. NASP is working with leaders of the Japan Association of School Psychologists (JASP) to provide resources for students, families and educators in Japan as well as affected students and families in the United States.

Disaster Resources

• The Tragedy of Japan: Quick Tips and Facts (English and Japanese)
• Global Disasters: Helping Children Cope (PDF)
• Global Disasters: Helping Children Cope (Japanese) (PDF)
• Helping Children After a Natural Disaster: Information for Parents and Teachers
• Helping Children after a Natural Disaster: Information for Parents and Teachers (Japanese) (PDF)
• Responding to Natural Disasters - Helping Children and Families: Information for School Crisis Teams
• Understanding Radiation Risk (Coming Soon)
• Helping Relocated Students With Special Needs in Japan: Recommendations for Receiving Schools (PDF)
• Helping Relocated Students With Special Needs in Japan: Recommendations for Receiving Schools (Japanese) (PDF)
• New Schools for Children With Disabilities: Tips for Relocated Families (Japanese) (PDF)

Monitor Media Exposure

It is especially important for adults to monitor children’s exposure to media images, particularly young children and those with preexisting trauma risk. Exposure to graphic media images can trigger trauma response in children and adults. This can be true for children who are not directly connected to this tragedy.

Trauma and Crisis Resources

Other NASP resources specific to helping children cope with crisis and loss include:

• Identifying Seriously Traumatized Children - Tips for Parents and Educators
• Identifying Seriously Traumatized Children - Tips for Parents and Educators (Japanese)
• Helping Children Cope With Loss, Death, and Grief
• Understand Cultural Issues in Death (Coming Soon)
• Helping Children Cope With Crisis: Care for Caregivers
• Helping Children Cope With Crisis: Care for Caregivers (Japanese)
• Save a Friend: Tips for Teens to Prevent Suicide
• Save a Friend: Tips for Teens to Prevent Suicide (Japanese)
• Times of Tragedy: Preventing Suicide in Troubled Children and Youth, Part I - Tips for Parents and Schools
• Times of Tragedy: Preventing Suicide in Troubled Children and Youth, Part I - Tips for Parents and Schools (Japanese) (PDF)

Red Cross Resources

Coping with Shelter-in-Place Emergencies (PDF)
Coping with Radiation Concerns (PDF)

Helping Resources
Protective factors can include maintaining a sense of normalcy, focusing on people’s resilience and the outpouring of help from around the world, and taking action to help. Following

• American Red Cross (www.redcross.org)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (http://www.fema.gov/kids/index.htm)
• Happy Hearts Fund (http://www.petranemcova.org)
• U.S. AID Agency (www.usaid.gov )
• U.S. State Department (www.state.gov )
• U.S. Geological Survey (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/prepare)

We will update and add to these resources as necessary.

Information on the crisis in Japan from the National Association of School Psychologists may be adapted and distributed by school districts to meet the needs of their school community as long as the integrity of the content is not altered. NASP must be credited as the original source of the information (Adapted from....) PDF handouts may be posted and distributed without receiving specific permission as long as they are reprinted or posted to websites verbatim, credit NASP, and include links to the NASP website.