Disaster Relief and Crisis Counseling

Psychosocial Issues for Children
and Adolescents in Disasters

APPENDIX 1
AGENCY ASSISTANCE IN DISASTERS

SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

When a disaster strikes a community, it temporarily disrupts the infrastructure of community services on which many children and families rely. It is essential for disaster mental health workers to become familiar with the remaining available post-disaster resources. Most communities have developed resource guides describing the available community services in their area. Seeking out information from community resource guides is always a good place to find what pre-disaster assistance is available for children and their families. Health and social services are provided through municipal, county (parish), non-profit, and private agencies in most communities. Direct services are usually not provided by the state government; however, in some areas of the country state government is directly involved in the delivery of services.

Assisting persons to cope with the aftermath of a major disaster requires access to traditional mental health services and to basic social and physical health services. The role of disaster mental health workers is to be aware of resources that can be useful to families and children as they go through the recovery process. Below is a partial listing of the types of organizations that are actively involved with children and families. These organizations are potential sources of information about existing and new resources that may be developed following a disaster:

Area church /religious organizations

Community mental health centers

Case management agencies

Child Adolescent Services System Program (CASSP) local teams

Children's hospitals

Family service agencies

Foster care providers

Home health agencies

Local/county public health agencies

Local professional associations for mental health professionals

Local funding organizations such as the United Way and non-profit foundations

School counselors

Social service (welfare) and child protection agencies

Support groups for child-related disorders such as attention deficit disorder or support groups for various learning disabilities

HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS

Below is a listing of current programs administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other related federal agencies. These programs are authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Emergency Assistance and Disaster Relief Act or other federal legislation.

• CORA BROWN FUND
  These funds are used to assist survivors of Presidentially-declared major disasters for disaster-related needs that have not or will not be met by governmental agencies or other organizations which have programs to address such needs. Disaster survivors do not apply directly for these funds. The FEMA Regional Director, with assistance from other governmental agencies and disaster volunteer agencies, identifies potential recipients. This fund may not be used in a way that is inconsistent with other Federally mandated disaster assistance programs. A verification of the facts of each case must be conducted by the FEMA Regional Director, who then prepares a memorandum of recommendation and decision to the Deputy Associate Director, Response and Recovery Directorate.

• CRISIS COUNSELING ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING PROGRAM
  This program is designed to provide supplemental funding to states for short-term crisis counseling services to people affected by Presidentially-declared disasters. There are two separate portions of the Crisis Counseling Program which can be funded: immediate services for up to sixty days of assistance following the disaster declaration date and regular services for an additional nine months. The program is available to State Mental Health Authorities through the State Office of Emergency Services and is administered by FEMA with technical assistance and collaboration from the Center for Mental Health Services.

• DISASTER HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
  The Disaster Housing Assistance Program makes temporary housing and funds available to individuals whose home is uninhabitable because of a disaster.

• DISASTER LEGAL SERVICES
  Through an agreement with the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association, free legal advice is available for low-income individuals regarding cases that will not produce a fee (i.e., those cases where attorneys are paid part of the settlement which is awarded by the court). Cases that may generate a fee are turned over to the local lawyer referral service.

• DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE (DUA)
  Unemployment benefits may be available through the State unemployment office and are supported by the U.S. Department of Labor. The benefit period begins with the week (as defined by State law) following the disaster incident or date thereafter that the individual becomes unemployed and can extend for up to 26 weeks. The DUA benefit amount may not exceed the maximum weekly amount authorized under the unemployment compensation law of the State in which the disaster occurred. Individual eligibility is dependent on other available unemployment benefits to the victim/survivor. Individuals should contact a local office of the agency that administers the UI program in their State. It should be listed in the State government section of the telephone directory under such titles as Unemployment Insurance, Unemployment Compensation, Employment Security, or Employment Service.

• INDIVIDUAL FAMILY GRANT PROGRAM (IFG)
  The purpose of the IFG is to provide funds for the necessary expenses and serious needs of disaster survivors. IFG funds are for expenses that are not met through other means of federal or private assistance (e.g., Small Business Administration loan or private insurance). The maximum grant amount is adjusted annually in accordance with changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). IFG eligible categories include: real and personal property, medical, dental, funeral, and transportation. Ineligible costs are: improvements or additions to real or personal property, recreational property, cosmetic repair, business expenses, and debts incurred before the disaster. Home inspections are normally conducted before a check is issued. The IFG program is administered by the state.

• STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
  This program is intended to ameliorate, to the extent practicable, the stresses experienced by its disaster workers as a result of the demands of working directly in a disaster operation. The Center for Mental Health Services works in collaboration with FEMA on the implementation of this program.

• DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA)
  The VA provides death benefits, pensions, insurance settlements, and adjustments to home mortgages for veterans.

• INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS)
  The IRS can allow certain casualty losses to be deducted on Federal Income Tax returns for the year of the loss or through an immediate amendment to the previous year's return.

• U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DISASTER LOANS (SBA) Most, but not all, federal assistance is in the form of low interest loans to cover expenses not covered by the state or local programs, or private insurance. Loans are available to individuals, businesses, and farmers for repair, rehabilitation, or replacement of damaged and real personal property and some production losses not fully covered by insurance.

• SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (SSA)
  The SSA provides no special benefits during a disaster, however SSA staff are provided to the Federal Coordinating Officer and Disaster Recovery Centers to process SSA benefit services such as: processing survivor claims, obtaining eligibility evidence for claims processing, resolving problems with lost or destroyed Social Security checks, and redevelopment of lost/destroyed pending claims.