The Virginia Tech Tragedy: Tips and Resources

Mental Health America expresses its deepest sympathies to the family, friends and classmates of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University shooting victims. Since the incident, our organization and affiliates have provided support and perspective to those directly affected and to the nation as a whole. Tips and other Mental Health America resources related to the shootings are collected below.

Tips

Press Releases

Mental Health America Warns Public to Avoid Diagnosing or Profiling Others as a Reaction to the Virginia Tech Shootings (4/18/07)
Mental Health America Provides Guidelines to Help Parents, Student and Educators Respond and Cope with the VA Tech Shootings (4/17/07)
Mental Health America Offers Tips for Coping with Shootings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (4/16/07)

Media Teleconference Call

Mental Health America hosted a media teleconference call, Friday, April 20, to discuss violence and mental illness, building safe school environments, predicting versus preventing violence and culturally competent mental health care. Experts on the call included David L. Shern, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mental Health America, DJ Ida, Ph.D., Executive Director, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association and Randy Borum, Psy.D., Associate Professor, University of South Florida and the Florida Mental Health Institute and an author of Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates.

Media Highlights

New York Times: Privacy Laws Slow Efforts On Gun-Buyer Data (5/2/07)
FOXNews.com: Federal Gun Background Check Rules Create New Alliances (4/29/07)
Associated Press: Changes Urged For Student Privacy Law (4/25/07)
Diane Rehm Show: Identifying and Treating Severe Mental Illness (4/25/07)
ABC World News: Outrage Over Ability to Aquire Guns (4/19/07)

Additional Resources

Mental Health America position statement: Constitutional Rights and Mental Illness
Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates

.:: INFORMATION

Primary Goal: A primary goal of Mental Health America is to educate the general public about the realities of mental health and mental illness. For more information choose from the fact sheets below or view the entire list.

> Anxiety Disorders
> Children’s Health
> Depression
> Bipolar Disorder
> Eating Disorders
> Older Adults
> Other Illnesses
> Recovery
> Schizophrenia
> Suicide

.:: HELP

In Crisis? 1-800-273-TALK If you, a friend or a loved is going through a tough time in your life and you need someone:

> find treatment
> find support group
> medication info.
> prescription payment
> inpatient treatment
> find clinical trials
> treatment problems
> find a local affiliate
> help for a friend

.:: ACTION

Mental Health America’s Advocacy Network is a powerful voice for change that is made up of thousands of individuals nationwide who take an active role in protecting America’s mental health through legislative advocacy.
Sign up today!

> Current Legislation
> Capitol Hill Update
> Federal Funding
> Mental Health Parity
> Legislator Locator
> Donate

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