MADISON — School shootings have a traumatic effect on the entire school community and can cause long-term harm to youth mental health and well-being. Children who survive shootings have twice as many pain disorders, are 68% more likely to have a psychiatric diagnosis, and are 144% as likely to develop a substance use disorder than those who did not experience a shooting.

According to the latest fact sheet from the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health (OCMH), anxiety, depression, and PTSD, along with hypervigilance and fear are common mental health conditions of shooting survivors.

“We know from national research that gun violence is top of mind for many students, and some do not feel safe at school. But we also know there are steps we can take to curb school violence,” said OCMH director Linda Hall, who frequently hears that students are very concerned and taking action themselves. “We know that students are using SUSO — the Speak Up, Speak Out tipline created by the Wisconsin Office of School Safety — to identify bullying and report concerns about weapons or violence. That is great news because a school culture that promotes help seeking over secrecy is critical.”

In addition to utilizing the SUSO tipline, OCMH highlights three strategies experts say can help reduce school violence: school belonging, safe storage, and school safety drills. The fact sheet also includes a number of actions that parents, schools, physicians, and policymakers can take.

“We all have a role to play in protecting our children from harm. Parents who own guns can follow the safe storage guidelines; caregivers can emphasize building empathy and preventing bullying; educators can cultivate inclusive school environments that promote belonging and reduce isolation; pediatricians can embed mental health screenings into their routine practice; and policymakers can fortify school mental health funding, pass a safe storage requirement, and strengthen Wisconsin’s child access prevention law,” said Hall.

Resources on safe storage, bullying prevention, school safety, school safety drills, behavioral threat assessment, and violence prevention are included in the fact sheet.

“Everyone, no matter their role, can help create a sense of belonging and connectedness for our young people,” Hall emphasized. “When we reduce bullying and social isolation, we are doing the important work of supporting the physical and psychological safety needs of our youth.”