Firearm Violence in Schools: Collaborative Interventions to Combat Trauma and Tragedy

Abstract: Title:

“Firearm Violence in Schools, Collaborative Interventions to Combat Trauma and Tragedy”



Background:

There have been over 200 instances of firearm violence involving children and teenagers in K-12 settings since the Columbine shootings in 1999 (1). In the wake of the 2007 Virginia Technical University shooting, the federal government commissioned the US Department of Education, Secret Service and FBI to study commonalities and make recommendations for preventing future tragedies. This report outlined the three approaches including profiling, professional judgment and automated decision making along with inherent risks (2).



Victims of school shootings experience symptoms consistent with severe trauma and stress. We will discuss a case involving mass firearm violence at school presenting to the emergency department for psychiatry evaluation. We will discuss conducting sensitive risk assessments and the role of the CL psychiatrist in providing a therapeutic interaction in acute settings.



Limited mental health services continue to plague the nation. Primary care providers routinely screen for and manage mental disorders in children and young adults. CL psychiatrists in collaborative care are uniquely positioned to educate our colleagues to conduct risk assessments for violence and providing psychoeducation to patients and their families. Lastly, we will discuss initiatives for reducing violence aimed at the early childhood level.





Live Workshop:

This interactive workshop will facilitate discussion around in firearm violence in schools. First, we will review forensic psychiatry evaluations and related literature. Participants will engage in group discussions around a series of case discussions. Next, we will discuss a case of acute stress disorder referred to the emergency psychiatry consultation service. A group discussion will then enlist participants in consideration of recommendations for evaluation and management of trauma in acute settings. We will then discuss liaison education on risk assessments and how to provide psychoeducation in collaborative care settings.





Sources:
1. Reddy M et al, Campus Attacks, Targeted Violence Affecting Institutions of Higher Education. Psychology in the Schools 2001;38(2):157-172.
2. Reeping PM, Gobaud AN, Branas CC, Rajan S. K-12 School Shootings: Implications for Policy, Prevention and Child Well Being. The Pediatric Clin of N America 2021;68(2):413-426.