Issues & Answers

Issue #1 – Hurricane Katrina

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, social workers from across the country are offering assistance to those impacted by the recent natural tragedy.   In partnership with the American Red Cross, licensed mental health practitioners are gearing up to meet the urgent and ongoing need for disaster workers.

Social workers are the largest providers of mental health services in the country.   Social workers also make up more than 40 percent of Red Cross mental health volunteers.   They have the training and education to help victims of disasters to work through their grief and loss and to connect them to the resources they need to rebuild their lives.

Here are several informative articles  written by social workers  regarding grief and loss,  stress management, and ways to cope.

• Grief and Loss:    Recovering From High-Profile Traumatic Events
• Grief and Loss:   Supporting Children Through Grief
• Stress Management:    The ABCs of Stress
• Issues & Answers: Hurricane Katrina: The Effect of Hurricane Katrina on One Opinionated Person with Spinal Chord Injury/Disability
• Mental Health Support and Resources from the  weekly public radio  program, The Infinite Mind.
• Children of the Storm – A short film by social worker Betsy Weiss in which school children affected by the disaster tell their stories.

Below  is Hurricane Katrina assistance information from the federal government and  other organizations.

• HHS Awards $600,00 in Emergency Mental Health Grants to Four States Devastated by Hurricane Katrina – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, September 18, 2005
• Hurricane Katrina Response and Guidance for Health-Care Providers, Relief Workers, and Shelter Operators – MMWR Weekly, September 9, 2005
• Crisis Hotline Available for Victims of Hurricane Katrina – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, September 7, 2005
• CMS Actions to Help Beneficiaries, Providers in Katrina Stricken Areas – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, September 2, 2005
• Guidelines  for Parents to Help Students After a Hurricane, The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
• FEMA Assistance for Individuals Who Are HIV+.     If you are a Hurricane Katrina evacuee with HIV, register for disaster assistance as soon as possible by calling (800) 621-FEMA.   When registering, tell the operator that you have special needs and are HIV+.   This will put you in the queue for follow-up by a special needs case worker.