Resources for Seattle, Washington Mass Violence Event
If you need assistance that does not apply to any of the services below, please call my office at 206-674-0040 and we’ll connect you.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for free, confidential help if you or somebody you know is experiencing a mental health, substance use, or suicide crisis. Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org to be connected to a trained crisis counselor. Deaf and Hard of Hearing call 711, then 988 or click here for ASLNow. Veterans call 988, then press 1 or text any word to 838255. 988 Lifeline ofrece servicios gratuitos en español las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana. For other language support, you can call 988 and ask for help in the language you speak. They will get you a Tele-Interpreter.
SAMHSA National Disaster Distress Helpline
- A 24/7, free, confidential national helpline that connects you to immediate crisis counseling if you are experiencing emotional distress related to a disaster. This includes survivors of the disaster, loved ones of victims, first responders, rescue and recovery workers, faith leaders, local leaders, and parents and caregivers. Call for yourself or for someone else.
- Contact the helpline by phone:
- English: Call or text “talk” to 1-800-985-5990 and press “1”
- Español: Llama o envía un mensaje de texto 1-800-985-5990 presiona “2”
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing ASL: Please text or call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 using your preferred Relay provider.
- Disaster Distress webpage in other languages:
NAMI HelpLine
Available Monday Through Friday, 7 AM– 7 PM PT. A free, confidential nationwide service that provides the one-on-one emotional support, help, and information needed to tackle tough challenges that you, your family or friends are facing. Or, you can look through our online resources to find your answers. Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text NAMI to 62640, or email helpline@nami.org.
- Ways to Support Yourself After A Mass Violence Incident NAMI HelpLine Article
- Estoy sintiendo estrés relacionado con un incidente de violencia masiva u otro trauma. ¿De qué manera puedo apoyarmi bienestar? NAMI HelpLine Article
Local Resources
NAMI Seattle HelpLine (will respond within 1 week)
Call or Text: 425-298-5315
Email: helpline@namiseattle.org
City of Seattle Victim Support Team
Provides a wide range of support, including counseling and other services, for people impacted by a violent incident.
Call (206) 684-7721
Email VictimSupportTeam@seattle.gov
Harborview Medical Center, Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP)
- Extensive bedside support for all victims of firearm injury.
- Immediate basic needs assistance for patients and families.
- Bereavement and trauma support including counseling referrals and coordination with victim assistance for funeral cost support.
Trauma Survivors Network (TSN) — Harborview Medical Center
TSN focuses on connecting, educating, and empowering trauma survivors and their families, offering resources and advocacy for improved recovery.
Patricia Anderson, TSN Coordinator
plander@uw.edu
hmctsn@uw.edu
Call 206-744-4173
Washington Warm Line (2 p.m. – 9 p.m. PT daily)
Offers free, confidential emotional support and is operated by Crisis Connections using trained volunteers who have personal experience with mental health challenges.
Call 877-500-9276
City of Seattle Victim Support Team (VST)
VST delivers provides short-term advocacy to victims and can help address immediate safety concerns and offer connections to resources, working in close partnership with the Seattle Police Department and City of Seattle co-responders.
Leave a message at (206) 684-7721 or email VictimSupportTeam@seattle.gov.
Guides for Talking to Children After Traumatic Events
- Helping Children Cope with Frightening News by Child Mind Institute provides tips on how parents and guardians can help kids process grief and fear in a healthy way. Cómo ayudar a los niños a afrontar noticias alarmantes enespañol.
- Disasters and Scary Events: Helping Children Cope includes a list of tips from Seattle’s Children Hospital on how to help your child cope when natural disasters or scary events occur.
- Helping Children with Tragic Events in the News by PBS Kids helps children who want to know, “Who will take care of me?” and has tips to help reassure children during scary times.
- How to Talk with Kids About Violence, Crime, and War will provide ideas for supporting your child when they learn about tragic events. Cómo hablar con los niños sobre la violencia, el crimen y la guerra en español.
- Meet Little Monster, by NAMI Washington, a mental health coloring and activity book created for young children as a tool for them to express and explore their feelings in a fun, creative and empowering way, as well as to help foster dialogue between children and the safe adults in their lives. ¡CONOCE A MONSTRUITA! en español.
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has mass violence resources, including common age-related reactions to mass violence and suggestions on how parents and caregivers can support them.
Trauma Resources
- Tips for Survivors: Coping with Grief After Community Violence is a tip sheet is designed for individuals impacted by gun violence and provides information about the signs of grief and anger, as well as how to cope with grief, including tips specific for helping children.
- Caring for Your Mental Health by the National Institute of Mental Health gives an overview of self-care, tips to get started, information about when to seek professional help and videos on managing stress and anxiety. El cuidado desu salud mental en español.
- EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) offers a “Find an EMDR Therapist” locator on its website. EMDR therapy is psychotherapy for the treatment of trauma.
- Emotional Wellness Toolkit by the National Institutes of Health includes fact sheets on managing emotions, stress reduction, sleep, mindfulness and coping with loss. Estos son algunos consejos para mejorar su salud emocional enespañol.
- How to Cope with Traumatic Events by the JED Foundation includes tips for adolescents and young adults on coping and recognizing when trauma requires professional help.
- International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation offers a treatment locator for finding therapists and treatment facilities that specialize in treatment of trauma and dissociation, and FAQs about dissociation.
- Resources for Survivors and the Public Following Disaster by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD includes information sheets about common reactions, short- and long-term coping strategies, tips on self-care after disasters, tools to help with symptoms following trauma and links to crisis services.
- TF-CBT National Therapist Certification Program offers a “Find a therapist” locator on its website to find a clinician in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) treatment for people impacted by trauma.
- Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event from SAMHSA
- Trauma and Grief webpage from Child Mind Institute offers information about signs, symptoms, and treatment for common mental health issues, including trauma, that affect children and teens. Trauma y duelo en español.
- The website Psychology Today offers a searchable database of therapists. If you have insurance, it is helpful to call the number on the back of your insurance card to determine whether the therapist you find is in-network with your insurance. If you don’t have insurance, you can search for a nonprofit counseling center, which may be able to offer you a sliding scale fee arrangement.