COLUMBIA (AP) - The spring and summer of 2011 have brought severe storms, massive flooding and tornadoes to much of Missouri, leaving thousands of people coping with nightmares and other emotional issues.
Now, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is giving the state Department of Mental Health $1.5 million to provide crisis counseling to survivors of the disasters.
No appointments or office visits are needed. Crisis counselors assist people who call one of a half-dozen toll-free phone numbers, each one serving a designated county or counties.
The service is available around the clock to people who live or work in any of 25 counties affected by recent disasters. The counties are generally located in eastern and southern Missouri, along with Pettis County, where a tornado hit the city of Sedalia.
Weblink:
FEMA news release with toll-free numbers at www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id56902