The associate directors at Student Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Emily Slife and Erin Williams, recently presented “Critical Incidents on Campus: Responding to Gun Violence” at the Association for the Coordination of Counseling Center Clinical Services (ACCCCS) annual conference held in Las Vegas on May 20-23.
Along with their co-facilitator from the University of Arizona, Slife and Williams discussed how despite multiple incidents of gun violence occurring on college campuses (Cannon, 2016), there is often not a protocol in place to respond due to so many nuanced and unique circumstances. This can result in confusion, miscommunication, and individual, departmental, and institutional trauma. The presenters provided guidance on addressing the short- and long-term mental health needs of the campus following a crisis based on current best practices. They addressed the impact of a campus shooting on university counseling center staff and shared strategies for reducing secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout. They provided evidence-based interventions for campus healing. They identified strategies to better support students who were uniquely affected as a result of their identities following a critical incident, and finally gave a call to action for the ACCCCS organization to develop a protocol following critical incidents.
