Hurricane Ike

If you are volunteering at a Red Cross Shelter, please print out and take these 3 documents:

For NASW/Texas Volunteers going to Red Cross Shelters  posted 9/11/08

ARC Shelter Access Memo  posted 9/11/08

NASW/TX Volunteer Name Badge.  posted 9/17/08

General Information

Public Health Emergency  posted 9/12/08

Medicare and Medicaid Waiver  posted 9/12/08

FEMA - Apply for assistance information  posted 9/18/08

Meds for Uninsured Ike Survivors posted 9/19/08

Harris County Hurricane Ike Recovery Assistance Center posted 9/19/08

Texas Workforce Commission Ike Website posted 9/21/08

Psychological First Aid posted 9/24/08

Social Work Liability Protecting in Disaster Assistance posted 9/25/08

Cancer Resources for Hurricane Ike posted 9/25/08

Rx Funding Programs for Ike Victims as of September posted 9/25/08

Immaculate Home Health is fully open and accepting new patients.  Please call 713-462-0083 and fax 713-462-0091 for further information.  Heather Shain is also a contact and a fellow Social Worker. She can be reached at 713-231-4503.  We accept: Medicare, Tri-care for LIFE. posted 9/26/08

Montgomery County Resources posted 9/26/08

In Livingston - Pine Ridge Health Care, a long term care / rehab facility, is operational and accepting long and short-term patients. posted 9/26/08

Roger Harvill, Administrator

Katy Dupree - Social Worker/Admissions
Pine Ridge Health Care
1620 US 59 North
Livingston, TX  77351
936-327-5415

*** Attention ***

Case Managers, Discharge Planners and Social Workers

If you are looking for a living facility or home care (both medical and personal care services) that are up and fully operational please see the lists below. If you need a list of facilities that are taking short term stays right now, please give us a call and we will help you find one in the area needed. SRG office - (281) 277-2333

Living Facilities - <click here>

Home Care Services - <click here>

September 25, 2008 - Healthcare Services for Ike Evacuees

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) anticipates that federal legislation will be filed to provide relief for uninsured Hurricane Ike evacuees who seek medical care.  While HHSC awaits Congressional action, providers should be aware of information that may be necessary to process claims for services provided to uninsured Ike evacuees. 

It is important to understand that unless Congress authorizes funds, there is no guarantee that reimbursement will be made available for the treatment of uninsured evacuees.  However, in the event that Congress does not authorize funds, HHSC will still need to track the cost of uncompensated care.

If an evacuee seeks services, providers should collect the following information:

*    Name and Social Security number.
*    Citizen status.
*    County and Zip Code where evacuee resided before the hurricane (see attachment for counties/Zip Codes covered).
*    Monthly income.
*    Evacuee attestation that they are uninsured. 
*    Demographics, including:
      *    Age
      *    Gender
      *    Race

*    Household composition, including the following information about people in the client's household:
     *    Names of others in the household
    *    Ages of others in the household
    *    Relationship to client
    *    FEMA Registration ID Number
    *    Signature of client.

HHSC will provide more information about when to file claims; what period of time will be covered and other important details regarding reimbursement for providers as soon as Congress acts.  Thank you for your ongoing efforts to provide services to the victims of Hurricane Ike and for the work you do to support clients of the Texas Medicaid program.

Texas Department of State Health Services
NEWS RELEASE 
September 22, 2008

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.

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Note: List of MHMR centers providing crisis services follows.

(News Media: For more information, contact Emily Palmer, DSHS Assistant Press Officer, 512-532-4969 or 512-458-7400.)

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 MHMR 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.

Houston Information

Houston POD Social Work Volunteers

Report to the POD nearest to you and check in with the Incident Commander.  Email vhansen@naswtx.org indicating where you reported!
posted 9/18/08

List of Houston POD Locations  posted 9/17/08

Update on Open Pharmacies posted 9/19/08

Resource List for Ike posted 9/19/08

Hurricane Relief Information posted 9/21/08

Disaster Unemployment Assistance posted 9/21/08

WIC Clinics posted 9/22/08

WIC Clinics in Spanish posted 9/22/08

Disaster Recovery Centers Needing Social Workers posted 9/24/08

Housing Resources posted 9/30/08

NASW/Red Cross Volunteers Needed posted 10/2/08

DRC List Xcel file posted 10/3/08

Assessment for Evacuees with Medical or Mental Health Needs

posted 9/21/08

Forms required to apply for compensation for assessment services:

1.  Individual Encounter Forms
2.  Weekly Tally Form
3.  Travel Reimbursement
4.  Cover Sheet Required for Reimbursement

Fax form to NASW/Texas Chapter Office   512-474-1317

Hotels Accepting Evacuees under FEMA

posted 9/19/08

Federal agencies are working together with state and local partners to provide eligible disaster-affected individuals and families with a safe, secure and sanitary place to live until it is safe for them to go home.  FEMA, at the request of the State of Texas, has activated its transitional sheltering initiative to allow eligible Ike evacuees from Texas, who cannot return to their homes, to stay for a time in hotels or motels.  FEMA will pay for the lodging directly.  A listing of participating hotels is available online at http://www.FEMAEvacHotels.com.  To ensure reimbursement, evacuees must first apply for federal assistance.  To date, 9,179 households have applied for this assistance.

Support for individuals and families with special needs

posted 9/22/08

Deborah Nowinski of (JCC) Dionysis Theatre has arranged for supplies to be delivered to Houston.  If you or someone you know needs a wheelchair, walker, cain, power cord, or durable medical equipment for the bathroom, please call Marni Litvack at (713) 894-6188.

FREE CHILD CARE

posted 9/28/08

The University of Houston Recreation and Wellness center (http://uh.edu/recreation/) is providing child care (for 2 yr olds and up) that is open to the public (for free) between 7:30 AM- 5:30 PM until HISD opens.

Parents should bring lunches for the children. The parent who dropped the child off should be the one who picks the child up.

The Cubby Corner will serve children 2 - 10 years old.  Older children will be kept in separate room at the CRWC and camp type activities will be organized for them throughout the day.

This is a beautiful facility with lots of activities (such as rock climbing) including study halls with computers, and a playroom.

Directions to get there:
- From I45 South
- exit Spur 5
- turn right on University Dr.
- the building is on your left

Austin Information - Thank you NASW Member Volunteers!

The Convention Center will close Thursday, September 25!

Directions to the Austin Convention Center  posted 9/18/08

Social Work Volunteers Needed at the Austin Convention Center:  Click here for more information. posted 9/21/08

No One Who Sees A Disaster Is Untouched By It

posted 9/13/08

This two-sided handout describes key concepts of a disaster, common reactions to trauma, suggestions on how to deal with stress, suggestions on helping children cope and when to refer for professional assistance.

This Word document may be downloaded for any event or incident in which immediate, practical coping support would be useful to individuals, families, or businesses. It is one of two primary handouts that the Disaster Mental Health Services (DMHS) will distribute during a crisis-counseling program.

The information contained in the brochure is not copyrighted so may be copied and printed as needed. DMHS also suggests that the responding organization include contact information on the bottom of the second page.

No One Who Sees A Disaster Is Untouched By It - Understanding How A Crisis Affects The Way We Feel And Tips For Recovery

Adobe PDF (93.77 KB)

Word DOC (116 KB)

Quien vea un desastre no es afectado (No One Who Sees a Disaster is Untouched By It -Spanish)

Galveston Information

City of Galveston Information Link

Galveston Small Business Administration Disaster Loans