Resource Library on Guns and Violence

AACAP Resource Library on Guns and Violence

February 2026

NCTSN and CSTS Resources

Coping after Mass Violence
College Students: Coping After the Recent Shooting
Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth After Mass Violence
Talking to Children about Mass Violence
Coping with Stress Following a Mass Shooting (CSTS)
Grief Leadership: Leadership in the Wake of Tragedy (CSTS)
Talking to Children: When Scary Things Happen (En Espanol)
Creating Supportive Environments: When Scary Things Happen (En Español)
Psychological Impact of Mass Violence
Helping Teens with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers (En Español)
Helping School-Age Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers (En Español)
Helping Young Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers (En Español)
Helping Youth After Community Trauma: Tips for Educators (En Español)
After a Crisis: Helping Young Children Heal (En Español)
Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event (En Español; ASL)
Once I Was Very Very Scared (En Español) – children’s book for young children
After the Injury—website for families with injured children
Health Care Toolbox—website for pediatric health providers working with injured children
Pause-Reset-Nourish (PRN) to Promote Wellbeing

AACAP Resources

Virtual Forum on Gun Violence in the 21st Century – Its Effects, Treatments & Solutions, presented by AACAP’s Guns & Violence Resource Group - May 2024
- AACAP Statement: Congress Must Address Two National Crises: Gun Safety and Mental Health - June 2022
- AACAP Policy Statement on Children and Guns – June 2022
- How to Talk to Children About Mass Shootings - May 2022
- AACAP Statement Responding to Gun Violence – Feb 2018
- Facts for Families, Disaster: Helping Children Cope
- Facts for Families, News and Children
- Facts for Families, Firearms and Children
- Facts for Families, Threats by Children: When are they Serious?
- Facts for Families, Grief and Children
- AACAP Disaster Resource Center
Resources in Response to Mass Shootings
Clinical Resources
Firearm Injury Reduction Advocacy Groups
Legal Resources
- Everytown Gun Law Navigator
- NRA-ILA Guide to the Interstate Transportation of Firearms
Advocacy Opportunities
Policy Recommendations
- Recommendations from the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma's Firearm Strategy Team (FAST) Workgroup: Chicago Consensus 1
Additional Peer Organization Resources
- AMA Adopts New policies on Firearm Violence - (June 14, 2023)
- U.S. Gun Violence in 2021: Accounting of a Public Health Crisis - Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions
- Gun Violence - American Medical Association
- Resource Page on Gun Violence – American Academy of Pediatrics
- Mass Violence Resources - The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
- Talking to Children About the Shooting - The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
- Restoring A Sense of Safety in the Aftermath of A Mass Shooting: Tips for Parents and Professionals - Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
- How to talk to your kids about active-shooter drills at school - Today
- Lockdown Anxiety: Teachers Talk About How to Explain Drills and Calm Kids' Fears – Scholastic
- Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event - The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
- America’s Heartbroken Physicians Demand Action on Gun Violence (2019) – American Medical Association
- Firearm-Related Injuries Affecting the Pediatric Population (2012) – American Academy of Pediatrics
- APA Condemns Loss of Life from Gun Violence, Disputes Link to Mental Illness (2019) - American Psychiatric Association
- Resolution on Firearm Violence Research and Prevention (2014) – American Psychological Association
- Reducing Firearm Injuries and Deaths in the United States: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians (2018) – American College of Physicians
- Position Statement 72: Violence: Community Mental Health Response – Mental Health America
- Call for Comprehensive School Safety Measures and Common Sense Gun Violence Prevention Efforts – National Association of School Psychologists
Guns as a Public Health Crisis
- Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America -The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory (2024)
- This school tried to keep kids safe. Then graduation ended in gunfire. (November 15, 2023) - Washington Post
- In the Aftermath - Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  This FBI-produced documentary focuses on best practices after school shooting tragedies, including family reunification, dealing with accompanying trauma, and crisis planning. It highlights the difficult journey of recovery while also giving hope to survivors.
- The Blast Effect -This is how bullets from an AR-15 blow the body apart - Washington Post
- Americans’ Experiences With Gun-Related Violence, Injuries, And Deaths - KFF
- Mass shooters exploited gun laws, loopholes before carnage - ABC News
- Gun violence is surging in cities, and hitting communities of color hardest - NBC News
- Canada bans assault-style weapons after its worst ever mass murder - CNN
- Gun Violence: A Public Health Problem - American Psychological Association
- A Public Health Approach to Gun Violence - Harvard Medical School
- AMA calls gun violence "a public health crisis" - American Medical Association
- A public health approach to preventing mass violence - The Hill
- Dr. Sakran on gun violence: We are facing a public health crisis - MSNBC
Guns and Children
- Firearm-Related Injuries Affecting the Pediatric Population – American Academy of Pediatrics
- Guns in the Home – American Academy of Pediatrics
- What are Active-Shooter Drills Doing to Kids? - The Atlantic
- Mitigating Psychological Effects of Lockdowns - National Association of School Psychologists
- Psychological effects of active shooter drills in schools - Baylor College of Medicine
- Creating a Trauma-Informed School Active Shooter/Intruder Drill – The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
- Active Shooter Drills Causing Trauma for Elementary School Children - ABC 4 Utah (KTVX)
- How Are Lockdown Drills Affecting American Kids? - Guns & America
- Mental Illness isn’t Main Driver of Mass Shootings, Experts Say - CBS News
Information on Mass Shootings and Mental Illness
- Mass Shootings and Mental Illness - American Psychiatric Association
- The Dangers of Linking Gun Violence and Mental Illness - Time
- Restoring A Sense of Safety in the Aftermath of A Mass Shooting: Tips for Parents and Professionals - Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
- How to talk to your kids about active-shooter drills at school - Today
- How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings - CNN
Allied Groups