Federal Grant to Help Tulare County in Counseling Freeze Disaster Victims
Release Date: April 21, 1999
Release Number: 1267-09
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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- A grant of $21,098 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will go towards helping the County of Tulare provide crisis counseling and mental health services to victims of last December's severe freeze disaster.
The counseling program will run through May 17, 1999, according to FEMA and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES). It is available to those affected by the freeze of December 20 through 28, which was declared a disaster by President Clinton.
"Losing one's job or income because of a disaster takes an emotional toll on a person," said Dallas Jones, director of OES "Many people from Tulare County lost their livelihood because of the freeze. Their emotional recovery must be addressed as well as their physical needs."
The counseling grant will go to the county through the California Department of Mental Health.
"Crisis counseling funds were made available as part of the state and federal aid for the disaster recovery," explained Michael Lowder, federal coordinating officer for FEMA. "This grant is intended to help Tulare County provide quality mental health care for freeze victims."
Tulare County residents and workers in need of counseling to cope with the disaster should contact their local county mental health department at: 1-800-320-1616 or 559-733-6877.
Last Modified: Thursday, 18-Dec-2003 10:48:51