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From the MHA Field

Research Notes

Hurricane Katrina changed the lives of millions of people who live along the Gulf Coast. Many residents of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama lost their homes and jobs, were separated from loved ones, and suffered through inhumane conditions for days without food and water while surrounded by death and destruction. Other states are also struggling with the influx of evacuees.

The psychological implications are yet unknown, but are guaranteed to be tremendous, now and in the months and years to come.

NMHA has personally felt the effects of this tragedy, as our affiliates in these regions were severely impacted. To our knowledge, fortunately, no MHA staff members or relatives were physically harmed by the hurricane, though some employees and families did lose their homes. As of September 13th:

• The Mental Health Associations (MHAs) in Louisiana are experiencing the full impact of the hurricane’s aftermath. However, all—except the MHA of New Orleans—are up and running. While the state Mental Health Association of Louisiana in Baton Rouge was initially limited in its ability to respond, having been evacuated from their building due to street violence, it is now providing assistance to evacuee shelters. Other MHAs are also helping out at shelters and connecting mental health consumers with needed services.
• Our affiliate in Mississippi has survived. The Gulfport office is operational and will soon staff case managers/counselors and will begin providing mental health services. The Biloxi office, though still standing, did sustain some damage and will remain closed at this time.
• The MHAs in Alabama weathered the storm and are actively providing mental health services in their communities.

NMHA has reactivated its Mental Health Crisis Response Fund—which was established in 2001 to provide mental health assistance in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.—to support our national and local work on behalf of the millions of Americans impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

The Fund will enable NMHA to continue to provide mental health information and resources to Katrina’s victims and responders, help affiliate staff in the affected regions cope with the aftermath and assist their communities, and respond to requests for mental health information and referrals through our National Resource Center. Donate online at www.nmha.org or contact NMHA’s Gift Office directly at 800-969-6642 or giftoffice@nmha.org.