Center for Safe Schools (CSS) offers a variety of resources to support your school, organization and community.
Emergency Management Resources
Emergency Management
Click on your state for Safety and Emergency Management Information
Disaster Distress Helpline– National crisis helpline
Disaster Preparedness and Response from National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Preparedness Guides
Building Youth Preparedness and School Safety Capacity by Integrating Educational Initiatives
Center for Safe Schools (CSS) Model Door Numbering System – storefront to buy decals
Fire Drills, School Security Drills, and School Bus Evacuations
Ready.gov– website for preparedness
Recovery From Large-Scale Crises: Guidelines for Crisis Teams and Administrators
Reunification Following School Evacuation: Guidelines for Administrators and Crisis Response Teams
Rocket Rules for PreK through 3rd – website with free program/videos
The Role Of Districts In Developing High-quality School Emergency Operation Plans: At a Glance
Safety Readiness Tool– survey for schools to discover their safety readiness
Research/Best Practices
Active Shooter Drills: Guide & Resource (April 2020)
Family Reunification Guide– PDF of best practices for schools
School Safety After the Bell Rings – PDF article by Joey Melvin published in the Winter 2023 of Pennsylvania Administrator
School Safety Drills and Exercises for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Tips and Resources for Educators
Summary of Resources for State, Local, Tribal, Territorial, and Campus Law Enforcement Partners– PDF from DHS
Training
CPR Programs for Schools– through the Red Cross
Emergency Evacuations: Planning For The Whole School Community – Recorded Webinar
FEMA Incident Command System 100-free training
FEMA Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for School– free training
REMS Technical Assistance Center – provides trainings on emergency management topics with certificates
Ten Minute Tabletop – website with ideas on different topics for tabletop themes for schools
Funding Opportunities Resources
Pennsylvania Legislation Resources
Crisis Resources
8 tips for Restoring a Child’s Sense of Safety After School Shootings
Center for Safe Schools (CSS) Critical Incident Signage – storefront
Free Service to help take down your online under 18 Sexually explicit photos
Helping School-Age Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
Helping Students After a Disaster
Helping Youth after Community Trauma: Tips for Educators
Leadership Communication: ANTICIPATING AND RESPONDING TO STRESSFUL EVENTS
National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement
National Association of School Psychologists – School Safety and Crisis resources and podcasts
Sample letter temples for death notification
School Crisis Toolkit from California
Mental Health Resources
#Bethe1To – Safety Plan information
Family Digital Wellness – free resources to help families talk to their children about being a good digital citizen
Information on Teacher Mental Health – 2022 pdf with resources
Me & My Emotions – free lessons for 13+
Mental Health First Aid – training program
Mental Health kits – free kits for gamers that educators order for students or staff
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline Call or text 1-833-943-5746 (1-833-9-HELP4MOMS)
PROQOL– free Professional Quality of life tool to help rate burnout, available digital and printout
Practical Guide for Implementing a Trauma-Informed Approach – Updated 2023 resource from SAMHSA
Providing Psychological First Aid: Teachers – training
Toolkit: Trauma-Informed Workplaces
Trauma ScreenTime – courses to learn how to screen children for trauma
Understanding Racial Trauma Among Asian Americans: Recorded Webinar
We Are Not Invisible: Protecting Latina Mental Health in Schools: Recorded Webinar
Youth Violence Prevention Resources
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children – Different training options from in-person to online
National Crime Prevention Council
Safe2Say Something -Pennsylvania reporting system
Safe Dates– Evidence-based Teen dating violence program
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)– 2021 data now available
School Safety and Climate Resources
CDC School Employee Wellness Resources
Center for Humane Technology– Youth toolkit for school districts and educators
Center for Safe Schools (CSS) Safety & Prevention – storefront
Center on PBIS – Resources on tier one intervention
Considerations for Social Media Monitoring and Response– examples of implementing social media monitoring systems
Cyber Safety Video Series– Tips on how to stay safe online
Digital Futures Initiatives-Resources for educators and parents on creating good digital citizens
FBI’s Safe Online Surfing Internet Challenge to Launch for 2023 – 2024 School Year
Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates – link to a pdf
NASP School Climate, Safety and Crisis
National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO)
National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments
PCCD School Safety and Security Assessment Criteria Toolkit – Learn more about Act 44 assessments guidelines
Podcast: What is the Role of a School Resource Officer? Part 1
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2021
School Climate and Student Discipline Resources – US Department of Ed
Smokeless Saturday -Vaping intervention program
SAVE Promise Club– Learn more about starting a club in your school
Start with Hello– Free program from Sandy Hook Promise
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Resources
Threat Assessment Management Tools Resources
Pennsylvania Threat Assessment Guidelines
2nd Edition of PCCD’s Model K-12 Threat Assessment Procedures & Guidelines (updated in 2022)
PCCD Threat Assessment Case Management Form (available as Word and PDF documents, and aligned with the model procedures/guidelines)
- Video Module – “Introduction to School-based Threat Assessment in PA”
- Guidance on Communication and Information on Confidentiality
An exploration of K–12 school shooting threats in the United States – Sept 2023 study
Maryland Center for School Safety Tabletop Exercises (TTX)
National Threat Evaluation and Reporting (NTER) Office’s Behavioral Threat Assessment Integration
Overview of the Comprehensive Threat Assessment Guidelines – CSTAG
Threats of Violence by Students in Special Education – journal article
Recommended Book Resources
CSS recommended book resources for bullying prevention, digital safety, emergency operation planning, personal preparedness, school climate, social-emotional learning, teacher (for kids) and threat assessment.