RIDGELAND, Miss. – A disaster can shock the emotions of the people who lived through it. Survivors frequently report feelings of anger, depression, sadness, and stress or anxiety for months after the event.
Free crisis-counseling services are available to storm survivors of Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, Montgomery, Panola and Sharkey counties.
The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is providing the free service and referrals; all you need to do is determine from the list below which location best suits your needs and call that number:
§ Panola County: Region 2 – 866-837-7521
§ Monroe County: Region 3 Lifecore Help Group — 866-255-9986;
§ Carroll, Humphreys, Sharkey and Montgomery County: Region 6 Life Help Community Mental Health Center – 866-453-6216;
§ The Department of Mental Health at 877-210-8513 (the statewide number) provides information and referral services;
§ The 988 Suicide and Crisis Line is also available for you to speak with trained crisis counselors by simply dialing 988.
Counselors are available to meet with adults and children affected by the disaster in non-traditional settings such as shelters, homes and community buildings – not in clinical or office settings. They provide emotional support, education, basic crisis counseling and may refer survivors to local resources and disaster relief services in their own area. All services are anonymous, and no records or case files are kept. Counselors usually live in the disaster area and are sometimes survivors themselves.
The Crisis Counseling program is administered through a partnership between FEMA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Mental Health Services (SAMHSA). The SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline, 800-985-5990, provides 24/7, 365-days-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
For the latest information on recovery from Mississippi tornadoes, visit March 24 2023 Severe Weather Disaster Information – MEMA (msema.org) and 4697 | FEMA.gov.fema.gov/. Follow FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.
###
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.
All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, you can call the Civil Rights Resource line at 833-285-7448.