Project Recovery Helps Cope, Builds Hope
Release Date: August 17, 2006
Release Number: 1604-418
» More Information on Mississippi Hurricane Katrina
BILOXI, Miss. -- Many Mississippians easily relate Hurricane Katrina stories: There are tales of howling winds, of storm surge wiping out neighborhoods, of roofs peeling off and cars floating away, of all the devastation in the storm's aftermath. What is not so easy for survivors to relate, however, are their post-Katrina feelings of sorrow and anger, fear and frustration the whole range of emotions people deal with as they recover from disaster. Only days after the historic event, Project Recovery began to offer an ear, a shoulder, a hand to help Mississippians cope with all the emotions emerging from Katrina's destruction.
Project Recovery is a counseling program funded through a grant provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The program is operated by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. Project Recovery was organized to assist people in finding ways to cope with Hurricane Katrina-related stress.
"We're highly visible in communities. People know they can get help from Project Recovery," said Stephanie Sellier, one of the program's team leaders, a resident of Diamondhead who also suffered from the effects of the storm. "We listen, that's our job. We also help people prioritize their recovery needs."
Needs include, but are not limited to housing, jobs, transportation, counseling or crisis intervention.
"Right after the storm people needed food, water and clothing," said Project Recovery area manager, Bob Collins, whose Ocean Springs home was completely destroyed by Katrina. "In the early stages, we directed people to shelter or found tents and located food, diapers and clothing for them. We also hooked people up with voluntary agencies that could help. Housing was the biggest challenge."
Project Recovery outreach workers are counselors highly trained to deal with crisis situations. If they don't have the resources to help disaster victims, they provide referrals to voluntary agencies and faith-based organizations that can.
Most problems people confront are the day-to-day variety: how to pay bills, how to deal with insurance companies, where to find a job.
The everyday problems are a sign of life getting back to normal.
"There's progress in our area," said Project Recovery Area Manager Ron Elias who covers Hancock County with the help of four outreach workers, including Stephanie Sellier. We're getting lives going, schools are back in session, hope is building. "We provide short term care, then we check on them to see if they need more help."
Stephanie Sellier, Bob Collins and Ron Elias are among 371 Project Recovery outreach workers in Mississippi . Project Recovery has had more than one million brief encounters (less than 15 minutes) and about 206,000 individual encounters (more than 15 minutes) since Sept. 22, 2005. It serves the 49 counties that were declared a disaster area by President Bush. Since Sept. 22, 2005, Project Recovery has received more than 7,000 helpline calls.
The grant funding the counseling program ends in November, but a three-month extension will be requested to continue working in the lower counties through the holidays.
"We want people to know that we are still here and steadily providing our services to the public," said Jennie Hillman, Project Recovery Director.
For more information or assistance, visit www.Projectrecovery.ms.gov or call 1-866-856-3227.
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: Friday, 18-Aug-2006 14:18:04