As communities throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee reel from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, federal businesses, support organizations, and on a regular basis volunteers have stepped as much as assist present pressing reduction.
However with unfathomable loss — together with a rising loss of life toll — rebuilding consists of greater than offering meals, shelter, and energy.
It additionally consists of confronting the toll these disasters tackle survivors’ psychological well being.
“It’s regular for hurricanes to trigger folks to expertise emotional misery,” the Substance Abuse & Psychological Well being Providers Administration explains on its web site.
“Emotions resembling overwhelming nervousness, fixed worrying, bother sleeping, and different depression-like signs are widespread responses earlier than, throughout, and after a lot of these storms.”
That’s why SAMHSA created the Catastrophe Misery Helpline.
The DDH is the primary nationwide hotline devoted to offering 24/7 catastrophe disaster counseling to all residents within the U.S. and its territories.
It’s toll-free and affords multilingual help in over 100 languages, in addition to providers for Deaf or Arduous of Listening to callers.
“The helpline places folks in want of counseling on the trail to restoration. While you name or textual content, disaster counselors take heed to what’s in your thoughts with endurance and with out judgment,” a DDH net web page explains.
“DDH is staffed by skilled counselors from a community of disaster name facilities situated throughout the US.”
Callers can discover disaster counseling associated to any pure or human-caused catastrophe, info on how you can acknowledge misery, referrals to native disaster facilities for extra follow-up care, and wholesome coping suggestions.
Many in areas like Western North Carolina and Japanese Tennessee nonetheless lack entry to cell service, energy, or Wi-Fi. Anybody impacted by the storm and in want of counseling is inspired to name or textual content 1-800-985-5990 each time they’re in a position.
“The helpline is open to anybody experiencing emotional misery associated to disasters,” the DDH net web page continues. “This consists of survivors of disasters; family members of victims; first responders; rescue, restoration, and reduction staff; clergy; and fogeys and caregivers. It’s possible you’ll name for your self or on behalf of another person.”
Disaster counselors don’t require any figuring out info from callers, although counselors could ask a number of basic questions on the finish of their session to assist enhance the helpline’s providers.
“When you or somebody you recognize is struggling to manage emotionally with the consequences of Hurricane Helene, you are not alone,” DDH posted on X (previously referred to as Twitter). “Assistance is only a name or textual content away.”
Those that are in search of extra details about disaster-related evacuations, shelters, reduction distribution, volunteer alternatives, and extra are inspired to name 211 for extra info.
Header picture courtesy of North Carolina Division of Transportation
