Gun Violence Community Resources
Louisville’s Victim’s Assistance and Resources Guide
National Bank Shooting 4/10/2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Resources for Victims, Survivors, and Community Members
- Twelve Self-help Tips for Coping in the Aftermath of Mass Violence Incidents | Read here.
- Tips For Survivors of a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event: Managing Distress: Read here
- Tips For Survivors: Coping with Grief after a Disaster or Traumatic Event via the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Read here
- Managing Distress: Grounding Tips for Crime Victims, Survivors, and Family Members of Mass Violence Incidents (MVIs): Read here
- How to Identify an Experienced Trauma-Focused Therapist | Read here
- Federal Office of Victim’s Compensation
- Giffords has a tool-kit for gun violence survivors and allies.
Kentucky and Louisville Specific Resources
- Kentucky Crime Victim Compensation Board: program, funded in part through the OVC-administered Crime Victims Fund, may help offset a victim’s financial burden related to funeral, mental health, medical, and other expenses. Phone: 502-782-8255. Email: crimevictims@ky.gov
- The OVC released resources for victims, survivors, and community members of the shooting in Louisville
- Kentucky Office of Victim Advocacy
- Louisville Victims Services Unit
- Kentucky 2-1-1: Contact Kentucky 2-1-1 for free and confidential health and human services information in the area. To get connected to a certified resource specialist, simply dial 2-1-1 from a cell phone.
- Metro United Way: Provides health and basic needs services in Jefferson, Bullitt, Oldham and Shelby counties in Kentucky and Clark, Floyd, and Harrison counties in Indiana
- LouieConnect: This website pulls together services in the community that provide support in a difficult time. Only services that are free are included. Go to this website and select the demographic information that applies to you or someone you know and get connected to services: www.louieconnect.com/#/dial-who-select.
- Hosparus Health Grief Counseling Center: Offers grief counseling services to grieving families and friends as well as anyone else in the community suffering from a loss. Dial 502-456-5451 for services.
- Seven Counties Services: Provides mental health services to individuals and families throughout Jefferson, Bullitt, Henry, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer and Trimble counties. Dial 502-589-4313 or 1-800-221-0446 for services.
- The Louisville Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods works to create a city of safe neighborhoods where people feel supported by their government and their neighbors.
DOJ Resources for Victim Service Providers, Law Enforcement, and First Responders
Compensation Protocol: A Guide to Responding to Mass Casualty Incidents
The product of the OVC-funded Mass Casualty Protocol project, this manual examines the role of victim compensation programs during a mass casualty incident and describes a strategy for serving victims, survivors, allied victim professionals, and compensation program staff.
Complex Homicide Resource for Victim Advocates and Allies
This report may be used as a resource for victim advocates, law enforcement or other allied professionals that participate in existing multidisciplinary teams that respond to homicides, or those that are aiming to create one.
Effects of Traumatic Stress After Mass Violence, Terror, or Disaster
This online article from the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) describes the emotional, cognitive, physical, and interpersonal reactions that disaster survivors may experience. The article also presents information on risk and protective factors in disaster survivors.
Field Manual for Mental Health and Human Service Workers in Major Disasters
This Field Manual is intended for mental health workers and other human service providers who assist survivors following a disaster. This pocket reference provides the basics of disaster mental health, with numerous specific and practical suggestions for workers.
Helping Victims of Mass Violence and Terrorism: Planning, Response, Recovery, and Resources
This toolkit is designed to help communities prepare for and respond to victims of mass violence and terrorism in the most timely, effective, and compassionate manner possible.
The OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center also has a dedicated Mass Violence and Terrorism Resource page that contains more than a dozen recorded webinars on topics related to the toolkit mentioned above. Webinars include—
- Are You Prepared – the Role of Victim Assistance Providers;
- the First 24-48 Hours;
- 48 Hours and Beyond;
- Volunteer Management;
- Donation Management;
- Addressing the Impact of Trauma When a Mass violence Incident Occurs;
- How to Design and Implement a Resiliency Center;
- and other topics.
Media Coverage of Traumatic Events: Research on Effects
This article discusses the potential impact of viewing news coverage of mass violence and terrorism on adults and children. It concludes with tips on how to address stress symptoms caused by viewing traumatic events.
Mental Health Response to Mass Violence and Terrorism: A Field Guide
This guide is intended for service providers and professionals in the mental health field providing the basics in responding to and assisting victims and families during the aftermath of mass violence and terrorism.
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: Officer Safety and Wellness
This section of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services website contains resources on protecting law enforcement personnel from the physical, mental, and emotional health problems associated with the job. Resources on this page include guidance on handling mass casualty incidents.
Preparing for the Unimaginable: How Chiefs Can Safeguard Officer Mental Health Before and After Mass Casualty Events
This publication offers expert advice and practical tips for helping officers to heal emotionally, managing the public, dealing with the media, building relationships with other first responder agencies, and more.
Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide
Developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD, Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed approach for assisting survivors of disaster and terrorism.
SAMHSA Disaster App
This mobile app helps responders focus on people in need by providing resources for any type of traumatic event, including tip sheets; guides for responders, teachers, parents, and caregivers; and a directory of behavioral health service providers in the impacted area. Key preparedness materials are available and information can be shared with others via text message, email, or transfer to a computer for printing.
Tips for Disaster Responders: Preventing and Managing Stress
This tip sheet helps disaster response workers prevent and manage stress. It includes strategies to help responders prepare for their assignment, use stress-reducing precautions during the assignment, and manage stress in the recovery phase of the assignment. This tip sheet is available in Spanish.
Tips for Disaster Responders: Understanding Compassion Fatigue
Disaster behavioral health response work can be very satisfying, but it can also take its toll on disaster responders. This fact sheet discusses the causes and signs of compassion fatigue and tips for how to prevent it.
Tips for First Responders, 5th Edition (supporting victims with disabilities)
This booklet offers tips that first responders can use during emergencies to support and communicate with people with disabilities. The booklet is divided into sections that focus on older adults and on people with service animals, mobility impairments, autism, multiple chemical sensitivities, cognitive disabilities, and hearing or visual impairments.
The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit
Research shows that vicarious trauma, when left unaddressed, can lead to staff burnout, turnover, stress, and a lesser quality of services for victims. This OVC toolkit offers guidance to help organizations strengthen their ability to address work-related exposure to trauma.
- Develop a comprehensive victim assistance plan for responding to incidents of mass violence, terrorism, natural disasters, and high-profile criminal incidents.
- Bring key partners together to review existing emergency plans, and to initiate or continue the development of a victim assistance plan within a community.
- Establish victim assistance protocols, which can greatly enhance the effectiveness of response and recovery efforts.
- Follow protocols for short- and long-term responses to victims following incidents of mass violence.
National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center Resources
The mission of the OVC-funded National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center is to improve community preparedness and the nation’s capacity to serve victims recovering from mass violence through research, planning, training, technology, and collaboration.
The Center offers a number of tip sheets for Victim Service Professionals supporting those affected by mass violence. The Center also provides a Core Compendium for victim service professionals and allied professionals that address Readiness, Response, and Resilience relevant to mass violence incidents.
The Planning and Implementation Guide for Comprehensive, Coordinated Victim Assistance for Mass Violence Incident Trials is designed to help prosecutors, victim services and mental/ behavioral health providers, and allied professionals plan for high-profile trials with a focus on victims’ and survivors’ needs, and effective and coordinated strategies to meet them.
Visit the National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center website for additional resources.
Community Mental Health Resources
In the aftermath of this shooting, mental health is important to prioritize. There are many resources available to all those struggling with trauma, crisis, and emotional stress.
Mental Health Services
Mental Health Lou helps connect people in the Louisville Metro area to mental health services
Louisville.gov has put together a list of mental health resources and you can find another list here
VictimConnect VictimConnect is an OVC-funded service that offers confidential assistance to victims of crime. Trained specialists are available to help you locate services in your area, including mental health counseling, legal services, and more.
Contact VictimConnect, Monday-Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time at:
Phone or text: 855-4-VICTIM (855-484-2846)
Chat:https://chat.victimsofcrime.org/victim-connect
Dial 711 and VictimConnect staff can provide services through an interpreter in more than 200 languages and to hearing- and speech-impaired individuals.
Kentucky Crisis Services
Kentucky Crisis Lines & Hotlines
Kentucky Counseling Center has compiled a list of 24-hour crisis lines, hotlines, and helplines to contact if you are experiencing a mental health crisis.
University of Louisville Crisis, Urgent Care, and Emergency Information
Students in crisis can call 502-852-6585 Monday-Friday or walk-in to the Counseling Center between 9am and 4pm for an urgent consultation.
NAMI affiliates can provide information about local support and resources in your community.
Mental Health and Mass Violence
Mass violence is a particularly distressing and traumatic experience for all impacted.
The American Psychological Association has providedresources for coping with mass shootings and gun violence, including how to manage stress and explain the aftermath of shootings to children.
In addition, theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has compiled an extensive list of mental health resources in the wake of mass violence like shootings. These resources include information of who is at particular risk for emotional stress and how to cope with grief following mass violence.
SAMHSA has aDisaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990) that you can call or text for support.
Victim’s Compensation
Federal Office of Victim’s Compensation
Kentucky Crime Victim Compensation Board: On this website, you will find the resources for how to file a Victim Compensation Claim and all the forms necessary for filing that claim.
How to File a Claim:
- Fill out the form completely and be sure to submit all your documents. Remember to sign it.
- You may email it to crimevictims@ky.gov or mail it to Crime Victims’ Compensation Board, 500 Mero St., 2SC1, Frankfort, KY 40601.
- Remember when you send your email, it may not be secure. If you received this claim form from the office by email, you may submit your completed claim form by replying. To send securely otherwise, for Outlook, select from the tabs at the top when you start your email: Options>Permissions>OMEv2 Secure messages. For other email accounts, check with your provider
- Please note that photographs sent in the body of an email itself cannot be accepted due to readability issues. There are many free apps that you may download either through Play Store (Android) or the App Store (Apple) to convert your photographs to PDF.
- If you are having difficulty, please call 502-782-8255 for assistance with filing. Note that the office cannot provide legal advice.
Worker’s Compensation
Worker's compensation claims process information can be found here.
BE AWARE: Victim Compensation Fraud and scams
When mass tragedies happen, fraud and scams will target vulnerable individuals seeking out help or looking to donate. Most scammers take advantage of donors, however some will also target families and close friends of the victims. Community aid and victim compensation is a meaningful way for victims and the community to start healing, however it is important to be mindful of fraud and scams during this time.
Here are the main red flags to look out for:
1. Unfamiliar organizations
Research any entity that seems unfamiliar or suspicious. Charities and organizations can be vetted usingCharity Navigator,Charity Watch, andGuidestar. Any organization not listed or with a problematic track record is likely unreputable.
GoFundMe is a popular and fairly safe way to raise money. After mass tragedies, GoFundMe implements stricter measures to validate donation pages. Fraudulent activity can still happen, however. It is recommended to be closely acquainted with whoever may be organizing a donation page for you to ensure that the donations end up in the right hands.
Be wary about giving any personal information or money to callers claiming to be from funeral services or medical examiners’ offices looking to arrange services. Collect as much information from them as possible but do not give any in return, it is likely a scam.
2. Suspicious emails and phone calls
Look out for social media posts, phone calls, emails, or texts that are looking for any of your personal information or offering services. Unsolicited outreach that is unfamiliar is something to be wary of. Scammers will often send websites that have discrete misspellings or promote social media accounts that can look very official. Read web links, emails and social media accounts closely before considering clicking on them or giving any information. Legitimate nonprofit organizations or government agencies will almost always end in .org or .gov, not .com.
3. Posers
People will attempt to take advantage of victims by posing as aid workers, government employees, or even relatives. Be aware that neither federal nor state workers accept money, and most agencies will not charge victims for various financial applications or assistance. It has also been reported that once out-of-touch relatives may come back into the picture and attempt to skim money out of victim compensation and donations given to the family.
4. Door-to-Door Outreach
Although fraudulent activity happens mostly behind a screen, scammers will use the credibility of in-person confrontation to get information. If a stranger is claiming to help you and is looking for your personal information, the best course of action is to respectfully say no until you are certain of their intentions.
Surround yourself with trusted family and friends during this time to help you navigate the pitfalls of victim compensation. If you encounter suspected fraudulent activity, speak out. Letting others know can protect those around you going through the same hardship.