Crisis Intervention Services
Every school at FCPS has a school-based crisis team to support student mental health and recovery following a crisis event
Emergency Situations
If your concern is an immediate, life-threatening emergency, you should call 911; TTY dial 711
Supporting Your Child After a Crisis Event
Experiencing a significant crisis event—such as the loss of a loved one, surviving a natural disaster, or exposure to community violence—can be incredibly challenging for children and families.
Every school in FCPS has a School-based Crisis Team, made up of administrators, school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers, to support student mental health and recovery following a crisis event. When further support is needed, Regional Crisis Teams may also provide assistance and intervention.
Below are some tips and resources to help you support your child through their grief and recovery following a loss or tragic event.
Common Grief Reactions
It's important to know that children process traumatic events and grief differently depending on their developmental stage. Grief reactions are normal and expected, and recognizing these common reactions can help you understand and respond to your child's needs.
- Increased acting out behaviors (e.g., tantrums)
- Developmental regressions (e.g., bedwetting, thumb-sucking)
- Increased anxiety/clinginess
- Difficulty sleeping, nightmares
- Increase in irritability, aggressive and/or disruptive behaviors
- Social withdrawal
- Feelings of guilt, depression, anxiety
- Repeated retelling of events
- Difficulty with school performance or attendance
- Avoidance, withdrawal from peers or activities
- High-risk behaviors (e.g., substance use)
- Difficulty sleeping, nightmares, flashbacks
- Emotional numbing and depressive symptoms
How to Help Your Child: Guidance and Support
Your consistent presence and support are the most important factors in your child’s healing.
- Reinforce feelings of safety and security: Remind your child what you and others are actively doing to keep them safe.
- Continue predictable routines and activities as much as possible to restore a sense of normalcy and stability.
- Ask direct questions about their understanding of what happened, but don't force them to talk about the incident if they don't want to—follow their lead.
- Provide developmentally appropriate answers to their questions.
- Ask direct questions about their emotional state (e.g., "How are you feeling about what happened today?").
- Listen, empathize, and reinforce that most initial reactions after a crisis are normal.
- Allow your child to grieve and be open to different types of emotional or behavioral reactions.
- Provide opportunities for self-expression (e.g., drawing, journaling, movement).
- Encourage and strengthen opportunities for positive peer and social support.
- Help your child identify healthy coping strategies (e.g., talking to trusted peers and adults, listening to music, artistic expression, physical activity, reading, mindfulness/meditation, etc.).
- Take care to address your own needs and reactions. Model healthy coping and self-care for your child.
- Seek out professional support for your child when grief reactions continue over a prolonged period of time or worsen.
How to Talk About a Crisis Event
The way you communicate with your child should be tailored to their age and developmental level to ensure they receive the right amount of information.
- Provide simple answers without going into too much detail.
- Balance information with reassuring safety messages.
- Provide facts to dispel rumors and correct misinformation.
- Help them identify and separate reality from fantasy.
- Monitor social media exposure to the event.
- Speak openly and honestly about the event, focusing on known facts.
- Reiterate school safety guidelines and remind them how to seek out support from trusted adults.
- Monitor social media use and exposure.
- Encourage self-expression and talk through ideas for healthy coping and how to help friends who may be struggling.
Where to Get Additional Support
- FCPS Resources to Support Student Safety and Well-being
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or Text 988
Chat: 988lifeline.org
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free, immediate help 24/7 for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis or supporting a loved one in crisis. Trained crisis counselors are available around the clock to offer support.
