Crisis Counseling
Services Available in Wake of Hurricane Ike
Crisis counseling and
assistance with stress management are available
statewide to anyone who has have been affected by
Hurricane Ike.
People may call
2-1-1 to get a
crisis hotline number or to find stress management,
crisis counseling, substance abuse and spiritual
assistance in their community.
Help also is
available by calling the designated mental health/mental
retardation (MHMR) center, at shelters, at local points
of dispensing (PODs) and at Disaster Recovery Centers.
Most Disaster Recovery Centers are open from 9 a.m. to 6
p.m.
“Counseling and stress
management play essential roles in helping people begin
to recover from a disaster,” said Dr. David Lakey,
Commissioner, Texas Department of State Health Services
(DSHS).
“This hurricane season
has been a long and extremely active one. Some Texans
have suffered multiple losses from different severe
weather events this summer,” he said. “People can
benefit from these crisis counseling services on a daily
basis, learn coping techniques and have a safe place to
talk about these events.”
Lakey said crisis
counseling helps people deal with traumatic events that
may often bring out emotional reactions such as
frustration, nightmares, sadness or anger. Though these
responses are to be expected, they can sometimes
interfere with daily life, especially for children, the
elderly, the disabled and low-income residents for whom
recovery may be more difficult.
Services, available in
English and Spanish statewide, include outreach and
referral to other disaster assistance groups and
organizations.
The following mental
health/mental retardation centers provide crisis
services for affected counties:
ACCESS MHMR Center;
Anderson and Cherokee counties; (800) 621-1693.
Brazos Valley MHMR
Center; Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison,
Robertson and Washington counties; (888) 522-8262.
The Burke Center;
Angelina, San Augustine, Houston, Jasper,
Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Jacinto and
Shelby counties; (800) 392-8343.
Gulf Coast MHMR
Center; Brazoria and Galveston counties; (866)
729-3848.
Harris County MHMRA
Center; Harris County; (713) 970-7070.
Spindletop MHMR
Center; Hardin, Jefferson, Chambers and Orange
counties; (800) 937-8097.
Texana MHMR Center;
Austin, Colorado, Fort Bend, Matagorda, Waller and
Wharton counties; (800) 633-5686.
Tri-County MHMR
Center; Liberty, Montgomery and Walker counties;
(800) 659-6994.
