News
In the article, Coleman and Davis-Brown discuss Westover's continued work with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Since late September 2005, SAMHSA has deployed nearly 500 mental health professionals from around the country to deliver behavioral health services through the Katrina Assistance Project (KAP). The professionals travel to the affected areas in Louisiana and Mississippi on a 14-day rotation and have provided more than 40,000 individual and group counseling sessions. The teams include licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, substance abuse counselors, nurses, pastoral counselors and other mental health professionals with expertise across multiple disciplines. These professionals also have expertise with diverse populations-including children and the elderly-and possess cultural sensitivity.
And Westover has been managing the staffing and logistics for this $11.150 million federal contract. This effort, which extends through June, is being conducted in partnership with several national professional organizations that are identifying licensed mental health professionals for possible deployment.
Professionals have offered crisis and supportive counseling services to mental health clinics, shelters, and other service delivery locations in Louisiana sites including New Orleans, Algiers, Jefferson Parish, Florida Parish, Baton Rouge, Houma, LaPlace, Morgan City, Thibodaux, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Pineville, Alexandria, Monroe, and Shreveport; and Mississippi sites, including Pascagoula. In addition, services have been provided to the more than 5,000 Katrina first responders and their families-including some 500 children-who are currently or were recently living on two cruise ships in New Orleans and one cruise ship in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
To learn more about KAP, click here..