FEMA Provides $25.4 Million To Continue Case Management In Mississippi
Release Date: August 13, 2008
Release Number: 1604-666
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BILOXI, Miss. -- Hundreds of case managers from the various volunteer organizations of the Katrina Aid Today (KAT) consortium will be able to continue providing much-needed case management assistance to thousands of families across the Gulf Coast. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently awarded more than $25.4 million to Mississippi to assist with case management.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) formed Katrina Aid Today, a national case management consortium, following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina to provide disaster case management services to individuals and families. KAT was funded through more than $66 million in donations from foreign countries and non-profit organizations.
Due to the success of KAT and the ongoing needs of the Gulf Coast, FEMA proposed to implement a two-phase disaster case management plan to continue service to March 2009.
During Phase One, April 1 to May 31, 2008, FEMA provided direct Cora Brown grants to Mississippi specifically for the cases that remained open from the KAT program. During this two month period, more than 2,000 cases were closed and families received sufficient aid to rebuild their lives.
The Cora Brown Fund is used as a last resort to assist families following a presidentially-declared disaster who have unmet disaster-related needs. Potential recipients do not need to apply for this assistance. FEMA representatives identify them through information provided from various sources, including federal, state, local and voluntary relief agencies.
In Phase Two, Mississippi determines the needs of their individual case management providers. While FEMA has not identified a budget amount, the agency has provided program guidance for the state. Eligible recipients for Phase Two case management assistance will be families living in FEMA temporary housing, families with health-related concerns living in FEMA-funded hotels or motels and families whose case management services are not yet fully completed and were in the Cora Brown case management Phase One program.
Prior to the establishment of the two-phase plan, FEMA did not have the authority to implement a case management program and KAT funding was exhausted. Through the partnership established with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP), a case management component was negotiated with FEMA. The Phase Two Case Management Plan is not an additional program, but will work in coordination with DHAP utilizing services provided through the state.
KAT successfully reached several, unprecedented achievements including the standardization of forms such as an assessment tool, recovery plan, and case presentation; utilization of a nationally available technology platform to record, track and transfer cases; several evaluation activities through UMCOR's Monitoring and Evaluation team, national partners and external consultants.
Applicants in 32 states were served since the KAT program began in October of 2005. KAT consisted of nine national partners and local grassroots social service organizations including: Boat People SOS, Catholic Charities USA, Episcopal Relief and Development, Lutheran Disaster Response, National Disability Rights Network, Odyssey House of Louisiana, Society of St. Vincent DePaul, The Salvation Army, and Volunteers of America. Oversight is provided by UMCOR, the humanitarian and relief agency of The United Methodist Church.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 13-Aug-2008 10:52:45