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FEMA resources:
FEMA's Hurricane Katrina Page, has disaster declarations, information on disaster benefits, and many links.
FEMA Telephone Registration:
You can apply for Federal Disaster Assistance by telephone by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or for the hearing/speech impaired at TTY: 1-800-462-7585. The current hours and days of operation are 24 hours per day 7 days per week. Online Registration to apply for
disaster assistance: http://www.fema.gov/register.shtm
FEMA Applicant's Guide to Individual and Household Assistance Programs.
Links to resources for finding missing people.
Social Security and SSI:
Information for how affected people can get their Social Security benefits. Instructions from SSA to its staff about how various actions affect SSI eligibility rules - many rules are suspended during a disaster:
Medicaid:
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt declared a public health emergency for affected areas, allowing it to waive certain Medicaid, SCHIP, Medicare, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements. The public health emergency also allows HHS to make grants and enter into contracts more expeditiously. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is currently working to ensure that Medicaid, SCHIP, and Medicare will accommodate the emergency health care needs of beneficiaries and medical providers in states devastated by the hurricane. CMS also will ease the programs' normal operating procedures to speed provision of health care services, waiving some documentation requirements. Federal Medicaid officials are also working with state Medicaid agencies to coordinate resolution of interstate payment agreements for recipients served outside their home states.
For details, see the following: Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services: CMS Actions to Help Beneficiairies, Providers in Katrina Stricken Areas (9/2/05)
Waives various Medicaid and Medicare rules primarily regarding provider payment. Especially important is the direction that hospitals should waive documentation and presume eligibility.
Food Assistance:
In addition to state administered Disaster Food Stamp Programs in the affected areas, FNS has issued guidance on how receiving states should provide assistance to evacuees through its Food Stamp and Child Nutrition Programs. See attached CBPP memo for details.
FNS Katrina page: http://www.fns.usda.gov/disasters/disaster.htm The Food Research and Action Center posts up-to-date information. FRAC's Advocate's Guide to Disaster Food Stamp Programs is here. More information:
US Department of Agriculture: Memo on the Emergency Feeding of School Children in Areas Devastated by Hurricane Katrina (8/31/05)
US Department of Agriculture: Expanded Disaster Evacuee Policy (9/6/05)
US Department of Agriculture: Memo on Emergency Feeding in the Child and Adult Care Feeding Program in Areas Affected by Hurricane Katrina (9/2/05)
Disaster Unemployment Benefits:
Alabama - Claims may filed by (toll free) at 1-866-767-8103
Louisiana - individuals may report in person to the nearest Job Center, file over the internet. Or call 1-800-818-7811. Mississippi - UI and DUA claims are taken in person in Mississippi at job centers. An 800 number will be available at a later time.
Information on filing for benefits and office locations may also be obtained by calling 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627) and office locations are available at www.servicelocator.org . US Department of Labor page on Katrina Disaster Unemployment Assistance.Information on Disaster Unemployment Benefits from the National Employment Law Project.
Employment:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will not sanction employers for hiring victims of Hurricane Katrina who are otherwise eligible for employment but are unable to provide the necessary documentation. Employers still need to complete the Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9) to the extent possible, but should note at this time that the documentation normally required is not available due to the events involving Hurricane Katrina. This policy will be in place for 45 days. At the end of 45 days, DHS will review the policy and make further recommendations. Press release from DHS.National Emergency Grants (NEGs): Impacted states can apply for NEG funds to temporarily employ dislocated workers. These funds can be used to employ workers on projects that provide food, clothing, shelter and other humanitarian assistance for disaster victims.
Application information
Job Training Services:
U.S. Department of Labor: Information About One-Stop Career Centers in States Affected by Katrina
Education:
National Education Association: Potential Federal Legislative and Administrative Action to Help Children, Educators, and Schools
Steps Congress and the Administration can take to help families left homeless by the hurricane, help school districts and communities that are taking in displaced families and students, and help rebuild schools and communities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Concludes with NCLB provisions concerning natural disasters. Mauk and O'Connor, LLP: Education Rights of Homeless Children
This memo briefly summarizes basic education rights of all "homeless" children, and also reviews rights of children with disabilities. Websites at the bottom of the memo offer more detailed information.
Head Start:
Administration on Children, Youth and Families: Memo to Head Start and Early Head Start Grantees 9/2/05)
All Head Start grantees are asked to open their doors to those displaced families who have sought refuge in their community and to seek new ways to support children, parents and others affected by this disaster. Crisis counseling hotline (referrals to local crisis counseling hotlines around the country): 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).
HHS news release on hotline.
US Postal Service:
Displaced People are encouraged to file a change of address online at www.usps.com, at the nearest Post Office, or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). The Astrodome has been assigned a Zip Code of 77230 and is working to set up special ZIP codes for other sites being used to house evacuees. Postal employees at those locations are assisting people with the Change of Address process .
People needing immediate cash are generally referred to Disaster Unemployment, charities or Local Social Services Offices. There was an AP report that FEMA will be handing out $2000 debit cards to each adult affected by Katrina, but details on that assistance are not yet available. AP report
People with Disabilities:
National Council on Disability Information - information for victims of Katrina who have disabilities and for those who wish to help.
Texas: As you might expect, Texas is providing comprehensive services to evacuees.
• Suspended collection of state and local hotel and motel taxes from victims of the Hurricane: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/proclamations/proclamation.2005-09-02/view
• Allowed victims of Hurricane Katrina to qualify for in-state tuition rates at Texas colleges and universities: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/priorities/health_safety/hurricane/index_html/view See the CPPP's "Katrina series" for details on the range of services being provided. http://www.cppp.org/research.php?aid=448
Arkansas
• Allowing hurricane evacuees to take begin Basic Adult Education courses, GED classes and tests, or English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for free
• Waiving out-of-state tuition and fees for students from the impacted areas of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi who wish to enroll in an Arkansas college http://www.kare.arkansas.gov/
Virginia
• Granting overweight, over-width, registration, or license exemptions to all carriers transporting essential commodities until October 30 http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Press_Policy/Executive_Orders/html/EO_97.html
Indiana
• Admitting all evacuees into grades K-12, and granting high school credits based testing their knowledge http://www.doe.state.in.us/reed/newsr/2005/09-September/disaster090105.html
North Carolina : State Medicaid officials will provide emergency medical services to Medicaid eligible Hurricane Katrina victims who have temporarily relocated to North Carolina. Guidance.
Georgia Pre-K: Georgia has opened its Pre-K Program to children from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama who have been impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Story
Tennessee: Tennessee Gov. Bredesen signed an executive order Tuesday temporarily modifying the Families First program to allow the one-time cash assistance to qualifying Hurricane Katrina evacuee households with children under 18 and without access to assets at home. The one-time grant will be $750 for one- and two-person households, $1,250 for three- and four-person households and $1,500 for households of five or more. The grant will be delivered on the same kind of electronic benefit cards Families First and Food Stamp recipients receive and which are accepted at retailers across the state.
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