How can I become a member of the TIG Consortium?
The TIG Consortium has been developed to assist school districts in Monroe County, New York. Membership in the TIG Consortium is limited to selected districts and schools in Monroe County. The Superintendent or chief administrator of each of districts or school is responsible for appointing the individuals they wish to represent the district or school in the Consortium. A pilot program was launched in 2001 involving six school districts and 31 school personnel. The program has grown over the years with 13 school districts and 2 BOCES programs having participated in the TIG consortium. TIG teams primarily consist of mental health staff and other health staff, i.e. school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and school nurses and school administrators. Interested districts can contact the TIG Program Manager.

Can I go to a TIG training?
TIG trainigs are limited to members of a district TIG team. If your school district is a member of the Consortium, you can contact the members of your TIG team to arrange a training on a specific topic. If your school has a specific training need and is not a member of the Consortium, contact the TIG Program Manager for further assistance.

What if my school is not in Monroe County? How can I obtain such services?
Many communities have organizations that assist those who are grieving, children with illnesses, and individuals who experience trauma. Teachers and other school personnel might wish to contact those organizations to explore what resources they can provide to a school. In addition, the TIG training model is one which can replicated in other communities. For additional information about implementing TIG in your community, please contact the TIG Program Manager.

I need some assistance talking to my elementary level class. What should do if a highly publicized and tragic event happens -- like the September 11th terrorist attack or the Virginia Tech shootings? We don’t have a TIG team.
First, check on your school’s crisis plan. There may be material there that is helpful on how to respond if the event affects the entire school. In such cases, your school may also have a policy on who talks with children and under what conditions. You can also go to the public “Resources” section of the Consortium website which contains materials for school personnel on talking with children under various circumstances. Lastly, use what you know about the children in your class. No one in the school knows them better than you! You know that children will bring their feelings about these events to school. It is important to acknowledge these events but not dwell on them. It is also important to answer children`s questions honestly, but without creating additional fear. It is essential to listen for the feelings that are being expressed and to acknowledge those feelings. The message that all school personnel should give children is that you will take care of the children and that their parents and the adults at school will keep them safe.

My school district is a member of the Consortium. Can I access the password protected part of the website?
The password prtected part of the website can only be accessed by the TIG team members of each participating district. Teachers and other district personnel can contact a member of their district team to obtain TIG handouts and materials (click on "About TIG" for a listing of TIG team members by district).

Can you tell me more about the Library?
The TIG library contains books and materials about trauma, illness, death, grief and loss. Materials range from books for children to professional books for teachers and school mental health clinicians. Access to the library is limited to TIG team members and members of the Community and School Planning Committee. For participating districts, contact your TIG team members if you need resources for a specific topic.