Resources For Mississippi's Elderly, Disabled 

Release Date: April 5, 2006
Release Number: 1604-304

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BILOXI, Miss. -- Many resources provided by a number of private, state and federal agencies are available to assist the elderly and special needs population in Mississippi who are still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Some resources are available by filing an application for disaster assistance with the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Other resources are available through referrals from participating partners such as the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) or by contacting the agencies directly.

Working with elderly and special needs advocacy groups as well as other state agencies, FEMA's Special Needs Team identifies people who may require specialized outreach and connects them with the appropriate agencies and services. With more than 10 percent of Mississippi's total population 65 years or older and nearly 40 percent characterized as having some type of disability*, federal and state officials realize the importance of communicating with this special community.

"One of our goals after Katrina is to reach every Mississippian who may need assistance," said Nick Russo, federal coordinating officer for the Mississippi disaster recovery effort. "We want people to be aware of and utilize all available resources. If someone has not registered for disaster assistance because they are unsure how to do so, we want to help them."

One of the first tasks for the Special Needs Team is to ensure that affected families have registered to start the assistance process. Any senior citizens or disabled persons, who have not yet registered, should call the FEMA toll-free Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for hearing- or speech-impaired individuals. Both numbers operate between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. Central Daylight Time, seven days a week. Individuals may also visit with federal, state and voluntary agencies at one of the seven Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC's) open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The deadline for new applications for disaster assistance through FEMA is April 10, 2006.

"Now more than ever, our senior citizens and special needs individuals warrant special attention," said Robert Latham, Director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. "We don't want any Mississippians left behind in terms of receiving the assistance they need to make it through these difficult times.

Even though the deadline for new applications for FEMA disaster assistance is only a few days away, families with additional needs can contact the following organizations for more Katrina recovery information:

People who have already applied for assistance may call the FEMA Helpline at the same numbers, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired, even after the deadline to check on the status of their application, make changes to their personal information and receive additional details.

*statistics according to 2004 American Community Survey; U.S. Census Bureau

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Thursday, 06-Apr-2006 11:20:33