Child and Adolescent Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic Research Summary

Understanding if, and how, the pandemic has contributed to mental health difficulties for children is a priority as the pandemic continues to impact many facets of everyday life. This research summary provides a review of existing studies examining mental health concerns during the pandemic. … more

Behavior Threat Assessment and Management in the Virtual Environment

This document was designed to assist schools with behavior threat assessment and management (BTAM) decisions in a virtual environment, and it may be particularly useful as schools experience extended closures due to the worldwide coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. … more

Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM):Best Practice Considerations for K–12 Schools

Preparing for Virtual School Suicide Assessment Checklist

This checklist is designed to complement the guidance offered in Comprehensive School Suicide Prevention in a Time of Distance Learning and to stimulate thinking about preparing to provide school suicide intervention via telehealth. … more

Conducting a Virtual Suicide Assessment Checklist

This checklist complements the guidance offered in Comprehensive School Suicide Prevention in a Time of Distance Learning, is supported by the checklist titled Preparing for School Suicide Intervention in a Time of Distance Learning: A Prevention Checklist and is designed to stimulate thinking about conducting school suicide intervention via telehealth. … more

Comprehensive School Suicide Prevention in a Time of Distance Learning

There are good reasons to believe that a global pandemic will influence suicide risk. Specifically, the need for physical distancing may increase a sense of social isolation. This document provides recommended suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention strategies. … more

Coping With the COVID-19 Crisis: Distance Caregiver Training

This new resource highlights considerations for crisis teams regarding distance caregiver training. … more

Responding to Death in the COVID-19 Context: Guidelines for Administrators and Crisis Teams

This new resource highlights key considerations for administrators and crisis teams in communicating a death with the school community. … more

Coping With the COVID-19 Crisis: The Importance of Care for CaregiversTips for Administrators and Crisis Teams

The COVID-19 pandemic is creating significant stress and uncertainty—not only for children and youth, but also for those charged with caring for those students at home and in educational and mental health contexts. Having an understanding of what can put individuals at higher risk for traumatic stress, as well as those strategies that are helpful in mediating this stress can empower leaders to support themselves and others. … more

The PREPaRE Model, Crisis Intervention, and Global Pandemic

The PREPaRE model is a sequential, hierarchical approach to school crisis preparedness. This infographic illustrates is application when responding to the stress generated by a global pandemic. … more

Responding to COVID-19: Brief Action Steps for School Crisis Response Teams

This resource outlines tips for school crisis response teams, including communications, public health, medical, mental health, and continuity of operations actions, and recovery planning. … more

Preparing for Infectious Disease Epidemics: Brief Tips for School Mental Health Professionals

This NASP resource offers tips for school mental health professionals when preparing for an infectious disease epidemic. … more

Preparing for a Pandemic Illness: Guidelines for School Administrators and School Crisis Response Teams

This NASP resource offers guidance for school administrators and school crisis response teams when preparing for a pandemic illness. … more

Addressing Grief

This NASP resource offers resources and tips on how to address grief among youth. … more

Coping During COVID-19: How to Support LGBTQ+ Youth

LGBTQ+ youth are especially vulnerable to the effects of social distancing because many of them rely on school staff and friends for validation and affirmation. This document provides resources so that school staff can continue to inspire, empower, and promote protective factors for already resilient LGBTQ+ youth. … more

Coping With the COVID-19 Crisis: The Importance of Care for Caregivers—Tips for Parents and Teachers

Parents and teachers are encouraged to take time to take care of themselves and model self-care strategies for children. The following strategies can be effective in managing some of the challenges associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic. … more

Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource

This resource offers tips for parents of how to talk about the COVID-19 outbreak with their children. … more

Countering Coronavirus Stigma and Racism: Tips for Teachers and Other Educators

This NASP resource offers tips for educators on countering stigma and racism taking place as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. … more

Countering COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Stigma and Racism: Tips for Parents and Caregivers

This NASP resource outlines tips for parents on addressing stigma and racism taking hold as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. … more

Preventing Youth Suicide: Tips for Parents and Educators

This NASP resource outlines tips for parents and educators on how to prevent youth suicide. … more

Care for the Caregiver: Tips for Families and Educators

This resource outlines tips for caregivers to take care of their own emotional needs during a crisis. … more

Health Exception Disclosures

This resource, from the U.S. Department of Education, discusses FERPA's health/safety exception disclosures and when they can be used. … more

Telehealth and FERPA (Ed.gov)

This technical assistance list from the US Department of Education identifies resources that may be helpful on the issue of virtual learning. … more

FERPA and COVID 19

This guidance from the Department of Education was published to answer questions that school officials may have had concerning the disclosure of personally identifiable information from students’ education records to outside entities when addressing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). … more

Guidance for Schools and Childcare Programs (CDC.gov)

This CDC website offers guidance and resources for schools and considerations for school closures. … more

ASCA-NASP School Re-Entry SEL Considerations Guidance

Local education agencies and individual schools planning for students and staff to return following COVID-19 closures must prioritize efforts to address social and emotional learning and mental and behavioral health needs. Equally important is ensuring staff feel their physical and mental health needs are supported. … more

Depression: Helping Handout for Home (PDF)

Although we usually think of depression as an individual and mostly personal experience, the child's environment can influence the depression and the child's depression can influence those in the environment. … more

Grief: Helping Handout for School and Home (PDF)

Grief can be difficult and may create challenges at home or in school. Support from teachers and caregivers helpful to foster healthy bereavement. … more

Suicidal Thinking and Threats: Helping Handout for Home (PDF)

Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors are common. Parents and other caregivers should be prepared to respond to youth who have thoughts of ending their own lives. … more

Anxiety: Helping Handout for School and Home (PDF)

Anxiety is the reaction to situations perceived as stressful or dangerous. Most children experience some level of anxiety or worry in response to unfamiliar situations and everyday stressors. … more