Center for Safe Schools (CSS) offers a variety of resources to support your school, organization and community.

Emergency Management Resources

Emergency Management

Click on your state for Safety and Emergency Management Information

Disaster Distress Helpline– National crisis helpline

Disaster Preparedness and Response from National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

Preparedness Guides

Building Youth Preparedness and School Safety Capacity by Integrating Educational Initiatives

Center for Safe Schools (CSS) Model Door Numbering System – storefront to buy decals

Fire Drills, School Security Drills, and School Bus Evacuations

Ready.gov– website for preparedness

Recovery From Large-Scale Crises: Guidelines for Crisis Teams and Administrators

Reunification Following School Evacuation: Guidelines for Administrators and Crisis Response Teams

Rocket Rules for PreK through 3rd – website with free program/videos

The Role Of Districts In Developing High-quality School Emergency Operation Plans: At a Glance

Safety Readiness Toolsurvey for schools to discover their safety readiness

Research/Best Practices

Active Shooter Drills: Guide & Resource (April 2020)

Best Practice Considerations for Armed Assailant Drills in Schools – National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

Family Reunification Guide– PDF of best practices for schools

School Safety After the Bell Rings – PDF article by Joey Melvin published in the Winter 2023 of Pennsylvania Administrator

School Safety Drills and Exercises for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Tips and Resources for Educators

Summary of Resources for State, Local, Tribal, Territorial, and Campus Law Enforcement Partners– PDF from DHS

Training

CPR Programs for Schools– through the Red Cross

Emergency Evacuations: Planning For The Whole School Community – Recorded Webinar

FEMA Incident Command System 100-free training

FEMA Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for School– free training

REMS Technical Assistance Center – provides trainings on emergency management topics with certificates

Ten Minute Tabletop – website with ideas on different topics for tabletop themes for schools

Pennsylvania Legislation Resources

Act 33

Act 44

Act 55

Please visit our legislation page for excerpts from key school safety legislation.

Mental Health Resources

#Bethe1To – Safety Plan information

Family Digital Wellness – free resources to help families talk to their children about being a good digital citizen

Information on Teacher Mental Health – 2022 pdf with resources

Me & My Emotions – free lessons for 13+

Mental Health First Aid – training program

Mental Health kits – free kits for gamers that educators order for students or staff

National Maternal Mental Health Hotline Call or text 1-833-943-5746 (1-833-9-HELP4MOMS)

PROQOL– free Professional Quality of life tool to help rate burnout, available digital and printout

Practical Guide for Implementing a Trauma-Informed Approach – Updated 2023 resource from SAMHSA

Providing Psychological First Aid: Teachers – training

Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health

Toolkit: Trauma-Informed Workplaces

Trauma ScreenTime – courses to learn how to screen children for trauma

Understanding Racial Trauma Among Asian Americans: Recorded Webinar

Vicarious trauma toolkit

We Are Not Invisible: Protecting Latina Mental Health in Schools: Recorded Webinar

Youth Violence Prevention Resources

Averted School Violence

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children – Different training options from in-person to online

National Crime Prevention Council

Safe and Sound Schools

Safe2Say Something -Pennsylvania reporting system

Safe Dates– Evidence-based Teen dating violence program

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)– 2021 data now available

Recommended Book Resources

CSS recommended book resources for bullying prevention, digital safety, emergency operation planning, personal preparedness, school climate, social-emotional learning, teacher (for kids) and threat assessment.