Free Crisis Counseling Services Available to Hurricane Survivors

ATLANTA – If you are experiencing feelings of hopelessness or stress as a result of Hurricane Idalia, you can get free crisis counseling from FEMA.  

FEMA has made the free help available to residents of Berrien, Brooks, Cook, Glynn and Lowndes counties.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and FEMA have activated a Disaster Distress Helpline or you can call or text 800-985-5990. This free crisis support service is available all day every day for Georgia residents experiencing emotional distress or mental health problems caused or aggravated by Hurricane Idalia or her aftermath.  

The helpline staff may provide confidential counseling and other needed support services, or, immediately connect callers to trained professionals from the nearest participating crisis counseling center.  

When calling, Spanish-speakers can press “2” for bilingual support. Callers can connect with counselors in more than 100 other languages via third-party interpretation services by indicating their preferred language to the responding counselor. A videophone option for American Sign Language users is also available by calling 800-985-5990 from a videophone-enabled device or via an “ASL Now” link at samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline.  

Survivors may also call Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) at 1-800-715-4225 for emergency crisis support.

To apply for FEMA assistance, survivors who live in Berrien, Brooks, Cook, Glynn or Lowndes county can visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS) or captioned telephone service, give FEMA the number for that service. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for other languages. Residents may also visit a Disaster Recovery Center to apply to FEMA for federal disaster assistance. For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.  

For the latest information on Georgia’s recovery from Hurricane Idalia, visit fema.gov/disaster/4738, follow FEMA on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/femaregion4 and at facebook.com/fema.