Grief and Trauma Resources

The death of a classmate, family member or teacher, or a frightening event in the community, can affect children in many ways. This page gathers trusted resources to help families talk with children about loss and to help schools respond. Your child’s school counselor is a good first contact for support.

Need help now?

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, available 24/7
resolve Crisis Services (Allegheny County): 1-888-796-8226, available 24/7. You can also walk in, with no appointment, at 333 N. Braddock Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15208. It’s free for Allegheny County residents.
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741

For families


These resources can help you talk with your child about loss and know what to expect at different ages.

Tips on talking with your child about death (AIU)
How children understand death at different ages (Nebraska Medicine)
Understand grief in children (National Alliance for Children’s Grief)
Grief and children (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)

Your school can help. School counselors, psychologists, and social workers can check in with your child and connect your family with local services.

When to seek more help

Reach out to your pediatrician or school counselor if, for more than two weeks, your child shows signs such as:

Trouble sleeping or nightmares
Changes in appetite
Trouble concentrating
Pulling away from friends or activities
Acting much younger than their age
A sharp drop in school performance
Talk about death or wanting to join the person who died
Use of alcohol or other drugs

For schools and educators

These resources can help you recognize grief in students and support them in the classroom.

Best practices for school-based support groups for bereaved students (National Alliance for Children’s Grief)
Addressing grief: Tips for teachers and administrators (National Association of School Psychologists)

Caring for yourself

Supporting grieving students and families can take a toll on the adults who help them. These tools can help you notice signs of stress and plan for your own care.

Self-care for providers of trauma patients (AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania)
Making a trauma-informed self-care plan (The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center)

More trusted resources

Highmark Caring Place
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Coalition to Support Grieving Students
The Dougy Center

Questions?

Families should start with their child’s school. School counselors, psychologists and social workers can offer support and connect you with services in your community.

The AIU also supports school districts across Allegheny County with these services:

  • Psychological Testing and Counseling Services: Certified school psychologists who provide assessment and counseling support for students
  • Social Worker Services: Social workers who help students and families find resources at school and in the community
  • Bridges to Wellness: Behavioral and therapeutic support brought directly into schools, including early intervention, case management, and connections to community providers
  • Trauma Education & Response (TEAR): Support for children in the Highlands School District who have experienced a traumatic event, plus community trauma-awareness training
  • Crisis Prevention Training: Training for educators and community partners, including Youth Mental Health First Aid, QPR suicide prevention and Sources of Strength

School staff and administrators: To ask about any of these services for your district, contact the AIU Pupil Services Department at 412-464-4057 or email Brian Welles.

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