Gun Violence Resources for Physicians & Your Patients
(listing provided by Maine Medical Association - used by permission)
How physicians can talk to patients about gun violence and firearm safety with Sandra Fryhofer, MD -
VIDEO WITH Sandra Fryhofer, MD:
Access AMA's CME module to help prepare physicians to counsel their patients on firearm safety on the AMA Ed Hub.
Additional free firearm resources available at:
- The BulletPoints Project provides clinical tools for doctors and medical educators to help prevent firearm injury. This tool equips clinicians with knowledge on firearms, their uses, benefits, risks and safety to help reduce chances of firearm injury and death in their patients. Also view this guide.
- Lock To Live provides tools that can help you talk to patients and families about temporarily reducing access to potentially dangerous things like firearms, medicines, sharp objects or other household items.
- Firearm Life Plan offers peace of mind to older adult firearm owners and families. This site provides resources and downloadable toolkits to preserve firearm legacy and maintain safety. Safe firearm storage is recommended by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
- Read the American Journal of Public Health article, "Talking About “Firearm Injury” and “Gun Violence”: Words Matter."
Dial 9-8-8 if you or anyone you know needs help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the U.S.
Disaster Behavioral Health Resources
SAMHSA Disaster App – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration The SAMHSA Disaster App makes it easy to provide quality support to survivors. Users can navigate pre-deployment preparation, on-the-ground assistance, post-deployment resources, and more—at the touch of a button from the home screen. Users also can share resources, like tips for helping survivors cope, and find local behavioral health services. And, self-care support for responders is available at all stages of deployment.
Disaster Kit – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Provides a toolkit for disaster recovery workers in mental health awareness.
Explaining the News to Our Kids – Common Sense Media This resources provides tips for talking to children about distressing incidents they may see on the news or hear about in conversation.
Managing Your Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting – American Psychological Association This page provides tips and strategies to identify and manage stress and feelings following a mass shooting.
Mental/Behavioral Health Topic Collection – ASPR TRACIE This Topic Collection addresses the impact of post-disaster mental and behavioral health-related challenges on the healthcare system.
Responder Safety and Health Topic Collection – ASPR TRACIE The resources in this Topic Collection focus on safety strategies (e.g., preventing fatigue, ensuring the availability and correct use of personal protective equipment) and maintaining behavioral health (e.g., working through stress and preventing/addressing compassion fatigue).
Select Disaster Behavioral Health Resources – ASPR TRACIE Incorporating DBH into all phases of emergency management can ensure resident and responder preparedness, an effective, compassionate response effort, and a more resilient community moving forward. The resources on this page can help our stakeholders accomplish these goals.
Talking to Children about the Shooting – The National Child Traumatic Stress Network This Tip Sheet provides information for caregivers to consider when talking to children about a shooting incident.
ACS: Clinicians who responded to recent mass shootings release recommendations for an effective healthcare response in the future
EMS clinicians, emergency physicians, and surgeons who responded to six recent mass shootings publish consensus recommendations and lessons learned in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Key Takeaways
- Recommendations developed during a consensus conference can help healthcare facilities and communities be ready to respond if a mass shooting occurs nearby.
- A modified triage plan specific to mass shootings may help get patients to the right care as quickly as possible.
- Prehospital care, such as STOP THE BLEED®, can help save a life by stemming blood loss before arriving at a hospital for treatment.