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Community Support Resources

People walking through a field arm in arm

Connect with experts in communities across the country to access resources and services for keeping your community safe, including security assessments, educational tools, and physical security enhancements.

Find ideas and best practices regarding a range of threats and challenges, including violence against K-12 schools, campuses, faith-based organizations, churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship, health care providers, and other infrastructure; bullying; substance abuse; domestic violence; race-based violence and hate crimes; active shooters; bomb threats; financial crimes; cybersecurity threats, and much more. 

Community support tools are available for educators, law enforcement, health care practitioners, behavioral and mental health professionals, faith-based organizations, affinity organizations, and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments.

Each set of resources below is searchable by keyword. You can also filter the results to see the resources most relevant to different stakeholder groups (key audience) and which department/agency/office provided the resource, as well as filter by subcategory.

All the information in the Prevention Resource Finder is government-owned or sponsored.

  • Department of Justice Helping Victims of Mass Violence & Terrorism: Planning, Response, Recovery, and Resources Toolkit

    Victim assistance plans support and enhance response and recovery efforts for mass violence and terrorism victims. This toolkit supports communities and public safety officials develop comprehensive victim assistance plans, as a part of a community’s existing emergency response plan. The checklists included in the toolkit can be tailored to fit the needs of your community.

    Categories:
    Community Support Resources, Discrimination/Hate Crimes Guidance
    Dept/Org/Agency:
    Department of Justice (DOJ), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
    Key Audience(s):
    Law Enforcement, State/Local/Tribal/Territorial Government
    Last Updated:

  • Office of Justice Programs Research, Programs, and Initiatives that Address Hate Crimes Fact Sheet

    The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) provides states and localities with federal leadership, grants, training and technical assistance, and other resources. The fact sheet includes hate crime research and statistics, and provides communities with guidance on how to report these crimes.

    Categories:
    Community Support Resources, Discrimination/Hate Crimes Guidance
    Dept/Org/Agency:
    Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
    Key Audience(s):
    Law Enforcement, State/Local/Tribal/Territorial Government
    Last Updated:

  • Office Community Oriented Policing Services Hate Crime Resources Web Page

    The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) advances the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. This web page includes over 40 different resources for state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders.

    Categories:
    Community Support Resources, Discrimination/Hate Crimes Guidance
    Dept/Org/Agency:
    Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office)
    Key Audience(s):
    Law Enforcement, State/Local/Tribal/Territorial Government
    Last Updated:

  • Department of Justice Protections Against Employment Discrimination Based on Citizenship, Immigration Status, and National Origin

    The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division (CRT) enforces a part of the Immigration and Nationality Act that protects non-U.S. citizens with permission to work in the United States and U.S. citizens against certain types of employment discrimination based on citizenship, immigration status, and national origin. Someone who believes they’ve been discriminated against can file a charge with CRT’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section. CRT also has free hotlines for workers and employers. With a caller’s permission, sometimes the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section can offer to contact an employer to help a worker resolve an employment-related issue directly, without the need for any investigation. CRT also has several educational materials discussing rights and obligations under this anti-discrimination law, including materials in multiple languages discussing employment rights for asylees and refugees; Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries; work-authorized individuals arriving under Operation Allies Welcome and Uniting for Ukraine; and workers being run through E-Verify. Additional materials provide information to employers on how to avoid unlawful discrimination when hiring employees and when verifying their permission to work. 

    Categories:
    Community Support Resources, Discrimination/Hate Crimes Guidance
    Dept/Org/Agency:
    Department of Justice (DOJ), Civil Rights Division (CRT)
    Key Audience(s):
    General Public
    Last Updated:

  • Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Insider Threat Mitigation Resources

    To mitigate the threat of an insider using their authorized access or understanding of an organization to harm it, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Insider Threat Mitigation Resources includes comprehensive guidance to support the design and implementation of an insider threat mitigation program, including fact sheets, video trainings, guides, and a framework.

    Categories:
    Community Support Resources, Prevention and Preparedness Guidance
    Dept/Org/Agency:
    Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
    Key Audience(s):
    Faith-Based and Cultural Organizations, State/Local/Tribal/Territorial Government
    Last Updated:

  • The Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism Global Counterterrorism Forum

    The Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and its related institutions, such as the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), Hedayah, and International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ), provide best practices and practical guidance for the establishment of effective prevention efforts in the United States. The Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) works through GCTF and its related initiatives to strengthen partnerships among the United States and foreign partners and share information from around the world to counter evolving terrorist threats and prevent the spread of violent extremism.

    Categories:
    Community Support Resources, Prevention and Preparedness Guidance
    Dept/Org/Agency:
    Department of State (DOS)
    Key Audience(s):
    Law Enforcement, Mental Health/Behavioral Health/Human Services, State/Local/Tribal/Territorial Government
    Last Updated:

  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Support

    The Department of Veterans Affairs provides a variety of mental health resources, information, and treatment options to support the health and wellbeing of veterans, veterans’ supporters, and the general public. If you need help or someone you know is showing concerning behaviors, use this resource to find local care, schedule appointments with a mental health care provider, learn more about treatments and benefits, or contact the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and Pressing 1, texting 828255, or for those with hearing loss, dialing TTY: 800-799-4889.  For all other questions related to VA benefits and care, Veterans and families can call 1-800-MyVA411 24/7 for assistance. 

    Categories:
    Community Support Resources, Prevention and Preparedness Guidance
    Dept/Org/Agency:
    Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
    Key Audience(s):
    General Public
    Last Updated:

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration National Child Traumatic Stress Network

    Funded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA), the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) was created to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for children and families who experience or witness traumatic events. The NCTSN provides clinical services, develops new interventions and resource materials, offers education and training programs, and informs public policy and awareness efforts.

    Categories:
    Community Support Resources, Youth Violence Prevention Guidance
    Dept/Org/Agency:
    Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
    Key Audience(s):
    K-12 Schools/Colleges/Universities, General Public, Health Care, Mental Health/Behavioral Health/Human Services, State/Local/Tribal/Territorial Government
    Last Updated:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (known as YVPCs or Youth Violence Prevention Centers) advance the science and practice of youth violence prevention through academic community collaboration. Through local partnerships, the YVPCs develop, implement, and rigorously evaluate innovative strategies to prevent violence and create safer and healthier family and community environments for youth.

    Categories:
    Community Support Resources, Youth Violence Prevention Guidance
    Dept/Org/Agency:
    Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Key Audience(s):
    K-12 Schools/Colleges/Universities, State/Local/Tribal/Territorial Government
    Last Updated:

  • Department of Justice Combating Discrimination Against Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander and Muslim, Arab, Sikh, and South Asian Students Fact Sheet

    The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division (CRT) and Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforce federal civil rights laws in public and federally funded schools at all educational levels. These laws protect all students, including Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and Muslim, Arab, Sikh, and South Asian (MASSA) students, from discrimination based on race, color, and national origin (including language and shared ethnic characteristics). Anyone with information about discrimination occurring in schools may file a complaint by reaching out to the contacts listed on this fact sheet.

    Categories:
    Community Support Resources, Discrimination/Hate Crimes Guidance
    Dept/Org/Agency:
    Department of Education (ED), Department of Justice (DOJ), Civil Rights Division (CRT)
    Key Audience(s):
    K-12 Schools/Colleges/Universities, Faith-Based and Cultural Organizations, General Public
    Last Updated:
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