Mississippi's Project Recovery Available To All Affected By Hurricane Katrina
Release Date: October 5, 2005
Release Number: 1604-049
» More Information on Mississippi Hurricane Katrina
JACKSON, Miss. -- The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is developing a special program to assist people in coping with the stress caused by Hurricane Katrina, state officials announced today.
Project Recovery, funded by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and facilitated with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), will provide crisis counseling services to anyone affected directly or indirectly by Hurricane Katrina.
“Project Recovery will provide crisis counseling services to individuals and families in shelters statewide without any qualifying screening process,” said Robert Latham, Director of Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). “Project Recovery will provide outreach services throughout the community, public education services and information and crisis counseling referral services,” Latham added. The program is expected to operate for a minimum of one year.
“Project Recovery will provide valuable services and resources to people affected by Hurricane Katrina. We look forward to working with this project to assist the people in need,” said Randy Hendrix, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health.
The Project Recovery Helpline has been established and is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-866-856-3227.
“The state of Mississippi is developing a much-needed program that will also be accessible to citizens visiting the Disaster Recovery Centers throughout the state,” said William Carwile, federal coordinating officer.
For additional information, visit the Mississippi Department of Mental Health web site at www.dmh.state.ms.us.
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 05-Oct-2005 10:57:58