Crisis Counseling Available
Release Date: July 26, 2003
Release Number: 1479-08
» More Information on Texas Hurricane Claudette
Corpus Christi, TX - Crisis counseling and assistance with stress management is available to South Texas residents in nine declared counties affected by Hurricane Claudette. They may call designated Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (TDMHMR) centers for access to resources, or visit a Disaster Recovery Center. All of the Disaster Recovery Centers are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Crisis counseling helps disaster survivors deal with emotional reactions they may not be used to experiencing, such as sadness or anger, caused by stressful situations. Counselors can provide resources to children and adults by offering them coping mechanisms, including stress management techniques.
Counseling services for those affected by Hurricane Claudette are available to individuals and families in nine counties designated as major disaster areas: Bee, Brazoria, Calhoun, Galveston, Goliad, Jackson, Matagorda, Refugio and Victoria.
"Counseling and stress management tools can be very useful to anyone who has been through a disaster," said Dell Greer, State Coordinating Officer. "Some individuals in these areas have experienced losses not just this time around but from previous recent severe weather events."
"Stress can show up in many unexpected ways when a disaster strikes," said Carlos Mitchell, head of the recovery effort for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "Many people can benefit from learning stress management techniques, or just having some one to talk to about the experience."
| TDMHMR Center | Counties | Phone number |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf Bend MHMR Center | Calhoun, Goliad, Jackson, Refugio, Victoria |
800-421-8825 |
| Gulf Coast MHMR Center | Brazoria, Galveston | 800-643-0967 |
| Coastal Plains MHMR Center | Bee | 800-841-6467 |
| Texana MHMR Center | Matagorda | 800-633-5686 |
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Monday, 28-Jul-2003 09:23:22