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Virginia Beach Disaster Recovery Center Hours Change

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Effective Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016, the Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) in Virginia Beach will begin operating under new hours. The new operating hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

Disaster survivors are urged to register with FEMA right away, and can visit the DRC nearest them or call the FEMA help line at 800-621-3362 for assistance. To find a DRC location closest to you, go to: https://www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers and click on ‘Search for a Disaster Recovery Center.’

DRCs are operated by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The centers provide FEMA registration assistance and disaster information to residents in the cities of Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach with damage from Hurricane Matthew.

Specialists at the recovery centers can review applicant cases, answer questions about claims, review information needed to process claims, and talk with a U.S. Small Business Administration representative.

These disaster centers are open Monday through Sunday until further notice:

Starting Wednesday:

Virginia Beach: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library

4100 Virginia Beach Blvd

Virginia Beach, VA 23452

Enter main door, turn right, near Cafe

Chesapeake: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Chesapeake Department of Human Services

City of Chesapeake

100 Outlaw St.

Chesapeake, VA 23320

Enter main door, turn right

Norfolk: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Norfolk City Work Force Development Center

201 Little Creek Road

Room 208

Norfolk, VA 23505

You don’t need to visit a DRC to register for Federal assistance, survivors can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov, on the FEMA Mobile App, or by calling 800-621-3362. TTY users can call 800-462-7585. Phone lines are open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. EDT until further notice. Help is available in almost any language.

Additional information about this disaster is available at www.fema.gov and www.vaemergency.gov. Virginians seeking information about disaster-related services needs should call Virginia 211, a statewide information and referral service.

Follow this link:

Virginia Beach Disaster Recovery Center Hours Change

Disaster Recovery Centers Hours Change in Chesapeake and Norfolk

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va— Effective Monday, Nov. 14, 2016, Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Chesapeake and Norfolk will begin operating under new hours. The new operating hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.

The Virginia Beach DRC operating hours will remain 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. Disaster survivors are urged to register with FEMA right away, and can visit the DRC nearest them or call the FEMA help line at 800-621-3362 for assistance. To find a DRC location closest to you, go to: https://www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers and click on ‘Search for a Disaster Recovery Center.’

These disaster centers are open Monday through Sunday until further notice:

Virginia Beach: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library

4100 Virginia Beach Blvd

Virginia Beach, VA 23452

Enter main door, turn right, near Cafe

Starting Monday:

Chesapeake: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Chesapeake Department of Human Services

City of Chesapeake

100 Outlaw St.

Chesapeake, VA 23320

Enter main door, turn right

Norfolk: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Norfolk City Work Force Development Center

201 Little Creek Road

Room 208

Norfolk, VA 23505

Excerpt from:

Disaster Recovery Centers Hours Change in Chesapeake and Norfolk

For Houston Family, Deep Faith—and Help From FEMA Partners—Drives Recovery from Storms

HOUSTON—Floodwaters drove Carol Lowrey, her son David and family friend Wanda Simons to seek refuge in a hotel after the April floods inundated their neighborhood. For 22 days, they shared a hotel room while the two women worked at restoring order to the chaos of their lives.

They divided the responsibilities. Carol took care of her 44-year-old son who is paralyzed as a result of spina bifida, a birth defect affecting the spinal column. Wanda worked the phones and the hotel computer, arranging for contractors and navigating the Medicare maze. She battled the insurance company that insisted, to the women’s dismay, the wheelchair-accessible van customized for David was a total loss. They knew it wasn’t. And Wanda began building a spreadsheet, cataloging what they lost and estimating the cost.

“We had to document everything. We had lists of stuff,” Carol Lowrey recalled.

With a ballooning “to do” list and mounting debt, it was clear the family was in crisis and needed help. As longtime friends from Believers Fellowship Baptist Church in nearby Spring, Harris County, Carol and Wanda continue to find support in their church family and federal disaster assistance programs.

A presidential disaster declaration can trigger activation of FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program, which may prompt a governor to request implementation of the Immediate Disaster Case Management Program. This is a time-limited partnership administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. It pairs a disaster survivor with a case manager, or single point of contact, who helps determine the client’s unmet disaster-related needs. From that point, the case manager develops an individualized recovery plan and provides links to a broad range of resources, including funding and technical assistance, to support a more rapid recovery.

Storms unleashed heavy rains and flooding on Harris County for eight continuous days in April, prompting nearly 21,000 affected households to seek disaster assistance.

In the days and weeks afterward, disaster survivors were encouraged to call 211, a toll-free number sponsored by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to connect them with needed services.

Carol, who is 68, and Wanda, 64, were directed to the Immediate Disaster Case Management Program by FEMA’s disaster survivor assistance teams canvassing their neighborhood on May 11, the day after the family returned home from the hotel.

“We focus on being that single-source resource,” said Thelma Gutierrez, the program’s branch director in Houston and case manager for the Lowrey household. “Chaos comes with the disaster and we help (survivors) develop a plan, set tangible goals and help restore a sense of normalcy.”

Survivor needs range from basic to critical. With lives in turmoil, small stressors become overwhelming and can cause a survivor to become immobilized. The result: Nothing gets done. Addressing those challenges is tantamount to eating an elephant. Case managers help survivors through it, one small bite at a time.

“You have to understand who your client is and what their needs are,” Gutierrez said. “We look for resources that do not add an additional burden to the client.”

Forty case managers, most of them bilingual, were deployed to the April disaster, along with five strike team leaders and a staff of 15 management and support staff. They developed a community profile, assessed the need and identified local resources. Outreach teams notified city officials, community organizations and media outlets about the program. Most clients were referred to the program by FEMA, others transferred from voluntary organizations active in disaster and long-term recovery groups.

As of Aug. 4, the Immediate Disaster Case Management Program has served 2,746 individuals and families since launching in Texas June 5.

For the Lowrey household, and David in particular, the needs are critical. Visits to the chiropractor are three times a week, dental visits four times a year. There are annual visits to the urologist, neurosurgeon, pulmonologist and David’s primary care physician; annual check-ups accompany those visits.

Floodwaters damaged the electrical equipment in the customized van used to transport David to medical appointments. The night the family was rescued from their home by boat, floodwaters already up the front steps and licking at the door, Carol and Wanda took only David’s essentials, including medicines and a CPAP machine that delivers pressurized air to aid his breathing.

In the months since the floods, the Lowrey household has received rental assistance from FEMA and reimbursement for the hotel stay. The Immediate Disaster Case Management Program identified organizations that replenished some of David’s supplies, including furniture, durable and consumable medical supplies such as gloves and disposable wipes. They also provided a much-needed compassionate ear.

On a blistering summer day, the Lowrey family sat together for an interview in the cramped, second-floor master bedroom now serving as the main living space. The first floor of the house is gutted and under construction, and the family is restricted to the upstairs rooms. David hasn’t kept any medical appointments or attended church since the storms. Carol and Wanda can’t lift him or his 350-pound wheelchair.

There are many hurdles to overcome in getting their lives back to normal, but their deeply held faith keeps this family going. They believe God will not give them any more than they can handle.

The Immediate Disaster Case Management services are available to survivors of April 17–30 floods, who reside in Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Fort Bend, Grimes, Harris, Hidalgo, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Waller or Wharton counties. Survivors of May 22–June 24 storms and flooding in Brazoria, Brazos, Washington or any of the above counties may also access Immediate Disaster Case Management services.

For more information about the Immediate Disaster Case Management Program, visit SETexasFloodAssistance2016.com or call 855-742-5881. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-735-2989 (English) or 800-662-4954 (Spanish).

# # #

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

For Houston Family, Deep Faith—and Help From FEMA Partners—Drives Recovery from Storms

Three Years after Sandy: Recovery by the numbers

Total Federal Assistance

Federal agencies have provided $6.8 billion in total funding to applicants in New Jersey

FEMA Individual Assistance

The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) approved 61,441 households for assistance to help with housing and disaster-related expenses. This program disbursed $422.9 million to survivors. Of that total, $369.7 million was for housing assistance. Maximum grants of $31,900 were given to 1,931 applicants. New Jersey survivors received $5.3 million in disaster unemployment assistance

FEMA Public Assistance

There were a total of 1,724 agency requests for Public Assistance, and 5,208 projects were written. The Public Assistance program has obligated $1.809 billion in PA funds for debris removal, emergency work and permanent work. 1,469 PW closeouts have been requested by the state to-date, and 1,095 PWs have been closed

FEMA 406 Mitigation

The 406 Mitigation program has written $497.2 million in grants for projects to protect against future disaster damage

Hazard Mitigation Grants and Planning

Hazard Mitigation Grants and Planning has obligated $258,456,164 million for acquisition, energy allocation initiative, retail fuel, infrastructure, elevation, and planning update programs

National Flood Insurance Program claims

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.5 billion in claims to flood insurance policyholders

Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration has approved 10,732 individuals and 1,719 businesses for SBA disaster loans totaling $847.9 million

The Top Ten Obligated Projects in New Jersey as of October 9, 2015

	10/9/2015					$773,753,097.90
#	Applicant Name	County	PW Number	Damage Category Code	Application Title	Federal Share Obligated
1	Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission	Statewide	4701	F – Public Utilities	UHBAJ37 Substations & Cables	$366,294,965.67
2	Ocean (County)	Ocean	2337	A – Debris Removal	9902901 Debris Removal Ocean County	$71,912,887.06
3	Middlesex County Utilities Authority	Middlesex	5061	F – Public Utilities	U04NE05 Sayreville Pump Station Permanent Repairs	$66,490,056.22
4	Dept. Of Environmental Protection	Statewide	3932	A – Debris Removal	UCT2E40 Debris Removal	$59,741,908.65
5	Dept. Of Environmental Protection	Statewide	4846	A – Debris Removal	UCT2E39 Navigable Channels	$55,417,971.87
6	New Jersey Office Of Emergency Mgmt.	Statewide	457	Z – State Management	324SMC Section 324 Management Costs	$54,676,032.00
7	Dept. Of Environmental Protection	Statewide	2470	A – Debris Removal	UCT2E39 Debris Removal	$27,792,056.65
8	Dept. Of Environmental Protection	Statewide	5035	A – Debris Removal	UCT2E57 Debris Removal	$27,288,778.10
9	New Jersey Dept. Of Human Services	Statewide	1	B – Protective Measures	U4BK201 Emergency Responders Accommodations	$22,480,000.00
10	Long Branch	Monmouth	3226	G – Recreational Or Other	4131008 Boardwalk and Roadway	$21,658,441.68

	Top Twelve PA Applicants – DR 4086 – NJ
	10/9/2015		Total	$1,121,197,593.66
#	Applicant Name	Applicant ID	County	Federal Share Obligated
1	PASSAIC VALLEY SEWERAGE COMMISSION	000-UHBAJ-00	Statewide	$443,288,036.84
2	DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION	000-UCT2E-00	Statewide	$232,038,911.20
3	OCEAN (COUNTY)	029-99029-00	Ocean	$95,426,680.41
4	MIDDLESEX COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY	023-U04NE-00	Middlesex	$94,873,721.79
5	NEW JERSEY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MGMT	000-UF7ER-00	Statewide	$58,241,859.87
6	NEW JERSEY DEPT. OF HUMAN SERVICES	000-U4BK2-00	Statewide	$33,947,638.06
7	BAYSHORE REGIONAL SEWERAGE AUTHORITY	025-UGW92-00	Monmouth	$31,886,005.54
8	PORT AUTHORITY OF NY AND NJ	000-U6L13-00	Statewide	$31,629,321.03
9	LONG BRANCH	025-41310-00	Monmouth	$27,903,463.30
10	NEW JERSEY STATE DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION	000-UZCCE-00	Statewide	$26,479,553.95
11	BELMAR	025-04930-00	Monmouth	$24,033,816.08
12	TOMS RIVER	029-73110-00	Ocean	$21,448,585.59

For an interesting video, please watch 100 Days after Sandy at http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/82034

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For more information on New Jersey’s disaster recovery, visit http://fema.gov/SandyNJ. Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/FEMASandy,www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, and www.youtube.com/fema.Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.”

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Three Years after Sandy: Recovery by the numbers

Resources Available For Sandy Survivors

LINCROFT, N.J. — When Superstorm Sandy struck and thousands of New Jersey residents were left looking for assistance, public agencies and private entities created resources and programs designed to help them. Nearly 18 months after the storm, the status and scope of these programs have changed, but many of them are still active and available.

Survivors facing urgent safety issues should call 911 or the New Jersey Emergency Response Hotline (800-JERSEY-7). The hotline’s backup numbers are 609-775-5236 and 908-303-0471.

For non-emergency issues and updated news and bulletins, survivors can call the New Jersey 2-1-1 help line or visit www.nj211.org. For emergency-related news, they can also follow @nj211 on Twitter.

FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website, www.fema.gov/sandy, has the latest news and information on the disaster in New Jersey. Also, ‘like’ the FEMA Facebook page, and/or follow @FEMASandy on Twitter. www.DisasterAssistance.gov has links to community resources, government directories and alerts.

NEW JERSEY STATE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management’s website, www.ready.nj.gov, contains links to the Department of Community Affairs’ Block Grant plan and the state Public Assistance program. Search facebook.com/READYNEW JERSEY on Facebook to find the OEM’s page, and @ReadyNJ on Twitter for news update. The NJOEM also published a blog, which can be accessed at http://readynj.wordpress.com/

The New Jersey State Police can be found at www.njsp.org; @NJSP on Twitter; and at “New Jersey State Police” on Facebook.

FOOD ASSISTANCE

End Hunger NJ (www.endhungernj.org) has a statewide food bank database.

Community Food Bank of New Jersey: www.cfbnj.org; “Food Bank of NJ” on Facebook; @CFBNJ on Twitter.

Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties: 732-918-2600; www.foodbankmoc.org; “foodbankmoc” on Facebook.

Food Bank of South Jersey: www.foodbanksj.org; “Food Bank of South Jersey” on Facebook; @foodbankSJ on Twitter.

Ocean City, New Jersey C.A.R.E. Project: 855-622-2730; www.ocnjcare.org; “OCNJCARE” on Facebook.

GENERAL HEALTH AND WELFARE

The Department of Health and Human Services has a Hurricane Sandy Recovery Page: www.phe.gov/emergency/events/sandy/Pages/default.aspx. Search for “State of New Jersey EMS Taskforce” on Facebook, and @NJEMSTF on Twitter.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a page for hurricane preparedness and response at: www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes. Search for “CDC” on Facebook and follow @CDCEmergency on Twitter.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a hotline accessible by calling 800-321-OSHA (6742). www.osha.gov/sandy has information on keeping workers safe during recovery and cleanup operations.

The Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross has its own website at: www.redcross.org/nj/tinton-falls. Follow “Red Cross” on Facebook and @RedCross on Twitter.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

The New Jersey Directory of Mental Health Services is online at www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhs/news/publications/mhs in three parts.

For children/youth services through the State of New Jersey’s Department of Children and Families, visit www.nj.gov/dcf/families/csc or call 877-652-7624 for questions or to apply for services for developmentally disabled children.

New Jersey Mental Health Cares (www.njmentalhealthcares.org) has updated listings of public mental health providers in the state. Call hotline at 877-294-HELP (4357).

CHILDREN

The non-profit New Jersey Association of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies is an organization representing child care groups serving New Jersey. Call the hotline at 800-332-9227; visit www.njaccrra.org; or find and like “NJ Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies” on Facebook.

Contact the state Department of Education at 609-292-2070 if you have not been able to enroll your child in school in the town where you are currently living or if you have not been able to return to your home school district.

SENIOR CITIZENS

The Division of Aging Services administers federal and state-run services for senior citizens. It also oversees the 21 Area Agencies of Aging in each county in the state, which develop coordinated community-based systems. Call 877-222-3737 or www.state.nj.us/humanservices/doas/home.

AARP: www.aarp.org; “AARP” on Facebook, @AARP on Twitter.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid services provides up-to-date information about natural disasters, extreme weather and emergencies for those with Medicare and Medicaid. http://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/index.html

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES OR ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS

The State of New Jersey has several agencies that deal with different groups of people who are disabled or have access and functional needs:

Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Call 877-685-8878 or visit www.state.nj.us/humanservices/cbvi/home.

Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Call 800-792-8339 or visit http://nj.gov/humanservices/ddhh/home.

The Division of Developmental Disabilities places its main focus on people with mental disabilities, including conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, and spina bifida, as well as those who have suffered traumatic brain injuries: Call 800-832-9173 or visit http://nj.gov/humanservices/ddd/home for updated information on programs and to apply for assistance.

The Division of Disability Services focuses on people who became disabled as adults. Call 888-285-3036 or visit http://nj.gov/humanservices/dds/home.

Good Neighbors, Community Living For People with Disabilities is the New Jersey Department of Human Services’ public education program. Call 877-DHS-LINE (347-5463) or visit http://www.nj.gov/humanservices/clients/disability/goodneighbors/ for program information.

The New Jersey Statewide Independent Living Council is a separate entity under the New Jersey Department of Labor. It has locations serving all 21 counties in New Jersey and the cities of Camden and Newark. Visit www.njsilc.org to find contact information for a CIL (Center for Independent Living) near you.

The New Jersey Group for Access and Integration Needs in Emergencies and Disasters (NJ GAINED) is an advisory board to the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management and to the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. Call 609-963-6818 or visit www.state.nj.us/njoem/plan/special-needs-njsnap.html for information on NJ GAINED projects and the organization’s strategic plan.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences provides documents and resources in English, Spanish and Vietnamese that address emergency preparedness in hurricane and flood situations. Links are at http://tools.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/index.cfm?id=2472.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has a Sandy Resources page (http://www.state.nj.us/dep/special/hurricane-sandy) with fact sheets and information on the buyout program, home elevations and beach replenishments.

The Environmental Protection Agency has a Sandy section on its website: www.epa.gov/sandy. Find “EPA” on Facebook, follow @EPAgov on Twitter or call 888-283-7626.

LEGAL SERVICES

Legal Services of New Jersey (www.lsnj.org) provides free civil legal assistance to low-income New Jersey residents. They have a special New Jersey Hurricane Sandy Hotline at 888-222-5765.

VOLUNTEER SERVICES

Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Hudson, Cumberland, Bergen and Union counties have established Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), which is an organization of volunteer groups, and/or Long Term Recovery Committees (LTRC), which coordinate volunteer and private sector efforts to help residents recover from disasters.

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications

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Resources Available For Sandy Survivors

Multiple Sources Fund Sandy Recovery Efforts

Main Content

Release date:

February 12, 2014

Release Number:

SRFO-NJ MA-001

LINCROFT, N.J. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency receives money from two different and distinct sources to help communities pay for damage caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

FEMA’s primary source of funding is the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), which was established by the Stafford Act. The DRF is regularly replenished to ensure that money for disaster relief and recovery is always available.

The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, also known as the Sandy Disaster Relief Act, budgeted $60 billion for relief and recovery efforts. Out of those funds, $5.4 billion was allocated directly to FEMA, and a total of $57.2 billion went to nine areas, including FEMA:

$9.7 billion to the National Flood Insurance Program.
$3.9 billion to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
$19.8 billion for transportation, housing and urban development through the Federal Highway Administration (not connected to either the Department of Transportation or HUD).
$5.4 billion to the Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Authority Emergency Relief for assistance and recovery for the four major New Jersey-New York transit overseers: Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Port Authority of NY-NJ, NJ Transit and NYC DOT ferries.
$6.5 billion to the Department of Homeland Security.
$4 billion for energy and water (restoring navigation channels, beaches; assisting with dredging, sustainability and flood control efforts).
$1.35 billion to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
$1.166 billion to Interior and Environment to repair damaged Department of the Interior facilities and restore wetlands.

The remaining money has been allocated as follows:

$725 million for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (provides health services, case management, domestic violence services, child welfare/youth services and funding for the reconstruction and repair of health and child care facilities, damaged Head Start facilities, and damaged Social Security Administration buildings and equipment.)
$651 million for financial services (includes additional funding for the Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program and $7 million for the repair of damaged federal buildings)
$513.25 million for commerce, justice and science. Most of this money will go to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help improve severe weather forecasting.
$287 million to the Department of the Interior to repair national parks, lands and facilities.
$235 million to the Department of Veterans Affairs to repair the Manhattan VA hospital and other VA facilities damaged by Sandy.
$218 million for agriculture (emergency conservation and restoration efforts)
$161 million to the Small Business Administration. This will provide immediate funding for the Disaster Loan Program to repair and rebuild disaster-damaged private property for homeowners, renters, and businesses, as well as grants to assist affected small businesses.
$100 million to the Department of Health and Human Services (Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund for disaster response and recovery efforts. Includes funding for the Social Services Block Grants program, repairs to Head Start facilities, and replacement of equipment at the National Institute of Health)
$88.335 million to the Department of Defense to repair military bases, armories and other installations.
$32 million to Amtrak to repair damaged infrastructure only. None of this money will go to Administration-requested offsets for operating revenue losses or towards construction of a long-planned Hudson River tunnel.
$24.2 million to the National Guard for repairs to various buildings.
$14.6 million to the Federal Aviation Administration to repair control towers, navigation and power systems.
$6 million to the Department of Agriculture to replenish food banks and soup kitchens via the Commodity Assistance Program

Last Updated:

February 13, 2014 – 12:13

State/Tribal Government or Region:

New Jersey

Related Disaster:

New Jersey Hurricane Sandy

View post:

Multiple Sources Fund Sandy Recovery Efforts

FEMA Aids Mental Health Groups during Sandy

LINCROFT, N.J. — When a disaster strikes, the damage is not limited to property and nature. The fallout from severe storms and flooding can cause significant emotional stress on top of the physical and financial demands of dealing with the aftermath. Since Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey in October 2013, the counselors and volunteers of New Jersey Hope and Healing have been helping affected residents cope.

New Jersey Hope and Healing is coordinated by the Disaster and Terrorism Branch of the New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The organization provides advice and resources to victims of disasters who may be suffering mental and emotional distress.

After the storm hit, FEMA approved a grant of nearly $2 million for the Disaster and Terrorism Branch of New Jersey DHS, which sent mental health teams to shelters statewide at the beginning of the disaster and also sent specialists to FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers.

“During a disaster everyone reacts differently – you can never judge yourself based on anyone else’s reaction,” said Adrienne Fessler Belli, NJDHS Disaster and Terrorism Branch Director. “Our program will be able to help individuals at any stage of recovery from this disaster.”
The organization continues to conduct outreach programs and events to raise awareness of stress management and help direct residents seeking help to the appropriate services. These services will come to an end in February 2014. Recently, NJHH launched the Sandy Wave Riders program, a support group for families and caregivers impacted by Sandy, in several counties. The Sunnyside Up program put counselors in 16 Ocean County diners and restaurants to offer emotional support, referrals and resources.

New Jersey Hope and Healing has partnered with other health and assistance organizations, including the Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention, NJHelps.org, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, the VA Veterans Hotline, New Jersey Mental Health Cares, the National Foundation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the New Jersey Housing Resource Center.
The New Jersey Disaster Mental Health Hope and Healing Helpline is open from 8 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week at 877-294-4357 or TTY (Text Telephone) 877-294-4356. All calls are confidential. The organization has materials in English and Spanish, downloadable from www.disastermentalhealthnj.com or www.mhanj.org/new-jersey-hope-and-healing/. Events and photos can be found on the NJHH Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NJHopeandHealing.

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications

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FEMA Aids Mental Health Groups during Sandy

Disaster Stress And Older Adults

TRENTON, N.J. — Many survivors of Hurricane Sandy find themselves under additional stress these days. But disaster-related anxiety can be especially high in older adults, particularly those living on their own or isolated from friends and family.

Because of their age and other unique circumstances, older adults often react much differently than younger people to catastrophic events. It’s not uncommon after a disaster for them to become withdrawn, agitated, disoriented and confused.

Family members, friends, neighbors and caregivers should be aware of this and be ready to safeguard both their physical and mental health. Be on the lookout for the following symptoms of senior stress:

Fear of losing their independence because of disaster-related injury or loss of their residence. This can be the biggest trauma that older people face after a disaster.
Problems talking to people and answering questions. Difficulties in communicating after a disaster can be increased by factors such as slower thought processes related to age, problems with seeing and hearing, and reduced mobility.
“Welfare” stigma. Many older adults are cautious about or even unwilling to accept government help because they have always “paid their way.” Their reluctance to accept assistance can be compounded by a lack of knowledge about government services for which they may be eligible.
Memories or flashbacks of other events in their lives when they were traumatized or suffered severe losses.
Anxiety caused by poor reading skills and inadequate command of the English language.
Worry about limited financial resources and having enough time to rebuild their homes.
Fear of being put in an institution because they cannot return to a home that was destroyed by the disaster.
Withdrawal and isolation from family and friends.
In severe cases, seniors also may undergo personality changes in the wake of a disaster.

Because older people may be on medication for health conditions, it’s important to ensure they are medically stable before deciding that any of the above symptoms are due to emotional stress.

It’s also important to keep in mind that seniors have decades of experience and strengths gained from facing previous disasters and adversity.

Those who live or work with older adults who have been adversely affected by Hurricane Sandy can take a number of steps to monitor and improve their mental health:

Provide consistent verbal reassurance.
Assist them in recovering personal possessions.
Help them re-establish contact with their family, friends and social networks.
Help them find a suitable residential relocation until they can return to their own home, ideally in familiar surroundings with friends or acquaintances.
Make frequent home visits and arrange for others to visit them.
Ensure medical and financial assistance.
Provide transportation to the doctor, grocery store, etc.
Re-establish and monitor their nutritional and medication needs.

Older people or their family and friends seeking additional information about stress counseling and services should contact their local mental health agencies. The New Jersey Department of Human Services is coordinating statewide efforts to help individuals and communities manage the emotional impact of the storm. Crisis counselors are currently providing support and assisting in FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers as needed.

In addition to providing face-to-face disaster crisis counseling, the state provides informational materials about coping, and it has partnered with the Mental Health Association in New Jersey to offer assistance through a toll free helpline: 877-294-4357 (also applies for VRS or 711-Relay users) or TTY 877-294-4356. More information about disaster-related stress can be found at the website: www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhs/disaster/.

POSSIBLE PHOTOS: See following links

Red Cross provides assistance for Hurricane Sandy survivors (ID: 60611)

http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=60611

Community Relations Specialists speak with Sandy Survivors (ID: 60564)

http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=60564

FEMA Community Relations Specialists assist residents in New Jersey (ID: 60443)

http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=60443

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Disaster Stress And Older Adults

More Than Three Quarters of a Billion Dollars Approved for Hurricane Sandy Survivors in New York State

NEW YORK – Just over a month after Hurricane Sandy made landfall, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $754 million in disaster assistance for New York State survivors under the agency’s Individuals and Households program.

As of Dec. 7, more than $754 million in grants was approved through FEMA’s Individuals and Households program. Of that, more than $689 million was for housing assistance and more than $65 million to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as funeral expenses and lost personal possessions.

“In the impacted neighborhoods of New York, we concentrated our efforts to get money into the hands of survivors,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Michael F. Byrne. “We targeted the hardest hit areas and were able to expedite initial assistance to people who needed it most.”

Grant money goes directly to survivors in the 13 New York counties designated for federal individual assistance, helping them rebuild their homes and lives. FEMA is focusing on the hardest hit areas of New York State which includes the following counties:

Bronx $1.9 million
Kings $161.6 million
Nassau $249.6 million
New York $10.9 million
Queens $193.1 million
Richmond $78 million
Suffolk $55.6 million

Those who have already registered for assistance should stay in close touch with FEMA throughout the recovery process. It is important that applicants keep FEMA updated with good contact information such as a current mailing address, cellphone or work number. The deadline for registration is Dec. 31, 2012.

Anyone with questions about correspondence from FEMA should visit one of the more than 30 disaster recovery centers open in New York or call the FEMA helpline 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day seven days a week until further notice.

To locate the nearest disaster recovery center, simply text “DRC” and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address of the nearest center. Also, check out the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or call the FEMA Helpline.

FEMA provides the following snapshot of the disaster-recovery effort as of Dec. 7th:

More than 248,000 New Yorkers have contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance with FEMA and more than $754 million has been approved. More than 125,000 people have applied through the online application site at www.disasterassistance.gov, or on their smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov.
33 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are open in the affected areas. These include mobile sites as well as fixed sites, and to date more than 81,000 survivors have been assisted at DRCs in New York.
172 inspectors are in the field, and more than 155,000 home inspections have been completed.
745 Community Relations (CR) specialists are strategically positioned throughout the affected communities, going door-to-door explaining the types of disaster assistance available and how to register.
7 Points of Distribution (PODs) are open and providing supplies to the affected residents.
3 Prescription Medication Task Force Teams (PMTFT) and 1 National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT) from the Department of Health and Human Services remain deployed in New York.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has removed 263,498 cubic yards of debris from rights-of-way.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved nearly $102 million in disaster loans to homeowners, renters and businesses. The SBA has staff members at 19 Business Recovery Centers in the New York area to provide one-on-one help to business owners seeking disaster assistance.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4085,
http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog

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More Than Three Quarters of a Billion Dollars Approved for Hurricane Sandy Survivors in New York State

Free Crisis Counseling Can Help Hurricane Isaac Survivors Cope

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisianians who survived Hurricane Isaac — or saw neighbors or family experience loss — may suffer emotional stress as real as the hurricane’s physical destruction.

To help people experiencing post-disaster emotional stress, free crisis counseling is available in the parishes designated for Individual Assistance under the major disaster declaration. The program, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and administered by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH), is open to any child or adult in designated parishes.

“FEMA funds this important program because counseling can help people understand and process their emotional reactions to the disaster,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Hall of FEMA. “The right support can help most survivors regroup and move on with their lives.”

Those who have suffered losses may be likely to experience at least one of several emotional responses, including anger, fatigue, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, nightmares, depression, inability to concentrate, hyperactivity, or increased alcohol or drug use. Children are particularly vulnerable to emotional stress after a disaster. Their stress symptoms may include excessive fear of the dark, crying, fear of being alone, and constant worry.

Trained counselors are provided by the network of state Human Services authorities and districts. Calls to the crisis lines are free of charge, as are face-to-face follow-up sessions for adults and children whose needs cannot be fully served through phone counseling.

Participating districts/authorities, the parishes they serve and their phone numbers are:

Florida Parishes Human Services Authority
Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington
1-800-272-8367
Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority
Jefferson
504-832-5123
Metropolitan Human Services District
Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard
504-826-2675
South Central Louisiana Human Services Authority
Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, Terrebonne
1-877-500-9997

Statewide resources include:

DHH-Office of Behavioral Health Louisiana Spirit Crisis Line: 1-866-310-7977
Louisiana Behavioral Health Partnership: 1-800-424-4399
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: 1-800-985-5990

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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Free Crisis Counseling Can Help Hurricane Isaac Survivors Cope