Supporting Victims and Communities of Mass Violence Incidents
The American Hospital Association’s Hospitals Against Violence initiative is proud to partner with the National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center (NMVVRC) to provide resources and support surrounding incidents of mass violence for the communities and patients served by our hospitals and health systems. Established in 2017 in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), NMVVRC strives to establish best practices to achieve a social understanding of mass violence upon which civic leaders, health care professionals, journalists, policy makers and victim assistance professionals can rely.
The vision is to provide communities access to evidence-based information and resources needed to effectively prepare for and respond to mass violence incidents.
Blog: Mass Violence Is a Public Health Crisis

Mass violence and domestic terrorism comprise a major public health crisis in America.
It is a crisis that strikes at our most basic and collective sense of humanity. It is a crisis that repeats on a now regular basis in communities large and small across America. And it is a crisis that has literally struck fear in the lives of countless people, as indicated by a Gallup poll conducted in 2019, which found that nearly half of Americans fear that they or a family member will be a victim of a mass shooting.
Webinar Series:
Supporting Victims and Communities of Mass Violence Incidents
Road to Resilience: Discover the National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center
Las Vegas Mass Shooting: Lessons from Health Heroes
Road to Resiliency: Preparedness and Response: Planning for Mass Violence
Road to Resilience: Recovery and Resiliency: Building Community
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AHA News: Hospitals care for victims of mass shooting in California
AHA Today: HHS resource highlights lessons learned from mass violence events
AHA CEO Perspective: Stopping gun violence starts in the community
AHA CEO Perspective: Committing to care and preparedness
AHA News: Hospitals care for victims of mass shooting in California
AHA News: El Paso hospital shares importance of training, preparedness in response to mass shooting
AHA News: When disaster strikes, hospitals are there
AHA Webinar: Understanding the Biopsychosocial Aspects of Violence Involving Firearms
AHA Podcast: Working together to prepare for emergency scenarios
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Office of Victims of Crime: Victims of Mass Violence & Terrorism toolkit
The National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center
National Institute of Justice’s Advancing Mass Shooting Research to Inform Practice
The National Disaster Distress Hotline: 1-800-846-8517 (24/7 crisis intervention and support)
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Preparedness
- NMVVRC’s The Role of Victim Assistance Professionals in Preparing for Mass Violence Incidents
- NMVVRC’s Master Acronym List for Victim Assistance Professionals
- Greater New York Hospital Association’s toolkit helps hospitals prepare for mass casualty incidents
Response
- NMVVRC’s The Role of Victim Assistance Professionals in Responding to Mass Violence Incidents
- NMVVRC’s After a Mass Violence Incident: Helpful Websites and Social Media Accounts
Resilience
- NMVVRC Resource Page for Tulsa, Ok
- Twelve Self-help Tips for Coping in the Aftermath of the Attack on the U.S. Capitol
- Managing Distress: Grounding Tips for Crime Victims, Survivors and Family Members of Mass Violence Incidents (MVIs)
- American Hospital Association Webinar Series: Ten Core Victims’ Rights
- 23 National Toll-free Information and Referral Resources for Crime Victim/Survivor Assistance
- NMVVRC’s The Role of Victim Assistance Professionals in Building Resilience after Mass Violence Incidents
- Research: Children's Mental Health in the Context of Terrorist Attacks, Ongoing Threats, and Possibilities of Future Terrorism.
- Research: Psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents after man-made and natural disasters: a meta-analysis and systematic review.
- Research: Caregiver distress, shared traumatic exposure, and child adjustment among area youth following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
Community
Mass Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Victim/Survivors of Mass Violence and Other Traumatic Events and the COVID19 Pandemic: What Do We Know, and What Should We Do?
- NMVVRC’s Tip Sheet for Helping Victims of Mass Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic Target Audience: Victim Service Providers
- NMVVRC’s How to Juggle Priorities and Shifting Responsibilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Tip Sheet for Victim Service Providers (VSPs)
- NMVVRC’s Using Technology to Connect with Victims of Mass Violence Incidents and Help Victims Stay Connected with Others