Psychological First Aid for Schools - April 2023

      


Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed intervention model to assist students, families, school personnel, and school partners in the immediate aftermath of an emergency. 
PFA is designed to reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events and to foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning and coping. 
PFA is based on an understanding that disaster survivors and others affected by such events will experience a broad range of early reactions (e.g., physical, psychological, behavioral, spiritual). Some of these reactions will cause enough distress to interfere with adaptive coping, and recovery may be helped by support from compassionate and caring disaster responders. 
Preparing before a critical event is crucial for meeting the mental and psychosocial needs of students and staff so that the resumption of learning can return. 

Each participant will receive a field guide.