South Carolina Flood Survivors Have Many Ways to Get Help

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s historic floods affected people’s jobs, mental state or left them needing legal assistance. But help is still available. There are several programs to assist survivors with these issues as they work to recover from the floods:

Disaster Unemployment Assistance

Disaster Unemployment Assistance application deadlines are approaching for several counties. DUA may be available to survivors who lost their jobs or businesses as a result of the recent floods. Survivors in any of the federally designated counties are eligible to apply. Apply by visiting mybenefits.dew.sc.gov or by calling 866-831-1724.

The deadline for survivors to file a claim is Nov. 4 in Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, and Williamsburg counties; Nov. 5 in Berkeley, Clarendon and Sumter counties; Nov. 6 in Calhoun, Darlington, Florence, Kershaw and Lee counties; Nov. 7 in Bamberg, Colleton and Greenwood counties; Nov. 12 in Newberry County; and Nov. 19 for Fairfield and Marion counties. Call 888-834-5890 for more information.

Disaster-Related Legal Assistance at No Charge

A free helpline is available for survivors who have disaster-related legal questions. A partnership between the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, the South Carolina Bar, the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division and South Carolina Legal Services is providing the service.

Survivors who have flood-related legal issues and cannot afford a lawyer should call 877-797-2227 ext. 120 or 803-576-3815 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Crisis Counseling Available

Many survivors recovering from the floods are also recovering emotionally. Free help is available for flood survivors who feel overwhelmed, exhausted or unable to cope. Mental health professionals are available at disaster recovery centers. Survivors can find their closest recovery center by calling 800-621-3362 or by logging onto fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Survivors who sustained losses in Bamberg, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Greenwood, Horry, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter and Williamsburg counties are eligible to register for federal disaster assistance.

Apply for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. Disaster assistance applicants who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities should call 800-462-7585 (TTY); those who use 711/VRS may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Survivors may also choose to visit a disaster recovery center in their county. To find the nearest center log onto fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.