Disaster and tragedies can happen unexpectedly and can have strong emotional effects on people.
In the wake of Hurricane Florence, the Disaster Distress Helpline, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is being open to residents in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
"When disaster strikes, people react with increased anxiety, worry and anger.," said Elinore McCance-Katz, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use. "With community and family support, most of us bounce back. Some may need extra assistance to cope with unfolding events and uncertainties."
The helpline can be reached by calling 1-800-985-5990 or texting "TalkWithUs" to 66746 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. The resource responds to people who need crisis counseling after experiencing a natural or human-caused disaster or tragedy.
Callers will be immediately connected to trained professionals from the closest crisis counseling center in a nationwide network to provide counseling referrals and other support services.
The Disaster Distress Helpline is a national, toll-free hotline that provides confidential and multilingual disaster crisis counseling for those experiencing psychological distress of a disaster, mass violence, or another tragedy.
The Helpline complements the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, teh Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other disaster response activities.
For more information about the Disaster Distress Helpline, click here.
