Fostering Youth Resilience After Crisis

Health care access

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Trauma and loss have profound and lasting impacts on children’s social, emotional, and psychological development, as well as their mental and physical health. By the time they finish high school, 90 percent of children will experience the death of someone close to them, and many will experience or witness a traumatic event. The rates of crises are increasing—there were 219 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2024—up from 158 in 2023. Moreover, there has been a four-fold increase in natural disasters of increasing severity over the past 50 years. Meanwhile, youth suicide increased 62 percent from 2007 to 2021 and is now the second leading cause of death among children 10 and older. A lack of coping skills to confront crisis and loss impacts daily functioning, compounding emotional distress, poor school performance, and behavioral issues that can compromise development. Because children spend most of their time at school, school staff are uniquely positioned to provide support.

The National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement (NCSCB) is dedicated to supporting schools and students navigating crisis and loss. Since 1990, the NCSCB’s medical and mental health experts have assisted thousands of schools and communities in the U.S. and abroad in coping with the aftermath of tragedy, playing a vital role in cultivating resilience. A critical difference in NCSCB’s approach is its commitment to building and supporting local leadership and professionals. Rather than providing direct services to students that may potentially disempower or displace local experts, the NCSCB provides confidential support, consultation, and technical assistance aimed at positioning local leadership and school professionals to be best equipped to respond to crises in their own communities. Through empowering school leadership, the NCSCB fosters resilient schools and communities prepared to respond to crisis events as well as effectively support children experiencing grief and trauma.
Services include:
Confidential on-site and remote technical assistance and consultation for K-12 school leadership and professionals at no cost to schools
Practical and timely advice via a 24/7 toll-free number and via email
Ongoing support in the immediate aftermath of a crisis and throughout the long-term recovery period
Educational resources and crisis management tools
School staff training and community presentations, as well as professional development for a range of professional audiences

The NCSCB envisions a future in which all children and adolescents in LA County receive compassionate, coordinated support to navigate crisis and loss. With support from LA 2050, we will expand access to grief- and trauma-informed training for school staff throughout the LA County Office of Education and LAUSD, engage community members and pre-professionals pursuing school- and pediatric-related careers, and increase immediate response time to support schools in crisis. An investment will bolster the NCSCB’s ability to pursue long-term goals, including embedding grief sensitivity into school cultures throughout LA County; cultivating future leaders to continue the work of the NCSCB; decreasing negative outcomes for students including absenteeism, behavioral issues, and mental health challenges; developing partnerships with smaller school districts, the LA County Department of Public Health, and child advocacy groups; and establishing a presence in 50% of LA County school districts.