FEMA Awards More Than $2.2 Million for Crisis Counseling Services in Illinois

CHICAGO, Illinois, July 2 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release:

FEMA has released more than $2.2 million in grant funding to the state of Illinois for crisis counseling services to assist residents struggling with stress and anxiety as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The assistance is being made available under the major disaster declaration for COVID-19 previously approved by President Trump on March 26, 2020.

The program will use local providers to deliver the counseling services at no cost to any individual who has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the program is implemented by the Illinois Department of Human Services, additional information will be made available for how individuals can seek these services. For immediate assistance while Illinois establishes their state-specific program, call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990 (TTY 800-846-8517). Spanish-speakers can call the hotline and press 2 for bilingual support. Individuals can also text "TalkWithUs" for English or "Hablanos" for Spanish to 66746.

"The COVID-19 outbreak has affected everyone in some way, and those impacts can be overwhelming at times," said FEMA Region 5 Administrator James K. Joseph. "Accessible counseling services is such an important resource to help Illinoisans mitigate the added stress of this health crisis and provide emotional support in the days and weeks ahead."

The Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training program is funded by FEMA and overseen by FEMA in coordination with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The program assists individuals and communities in recovering from the psychological effects of natural and human caused disasters through community-based outreach and educational services. This grant is provided for the Regular Services Program, which provides funds for up to nine months following a disaster declaration.

Due to the COVID-19 nationwide emergency and the need to protect the safety and health of all Americans, the crisis counseling will be delivered by phone, internet and the media (including social media). For more information, visit www.fema.gov/community-services-programs.