Crisis Counseling Grants and Resources

The Crisis Counseling Program (CCP) is one of a number of programs funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974 (Stafford Act). The Stafford Act was designed to supplement the efforts and available resources of State and local governments in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused by a federally declared disaster. Specifically, section 46 of the Stafford Act authorizes FEMA to fund mental health assistance and training activities in affected areas for a specified period of time. This mental health assistance is called crisis counseling.

Three entities are eligible to apply for and receive CCP funding after a Presidential disaster declaration for Individual Assistance: States , U.S. Territories, and federally recognized Tribes.

There are two FEMA grant programs:

1. Immediate Services Program (ISP) - provides supplemental funds to States for short term crisis counseling services for eligible disaster victims. The ISP may fund up to 60 days of services from the date of the disaster declaration.
2. Regular Services Program (RSP) - provides supplemental funds to States for up to nine months following a disaster declaration.

State Procedures for Filing FEMA Crisis Counseling Grants:
The Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DMHSAS) has the responsibility for developing FEMA Crisis Counseling Grant applications in coordination with Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM).

Staff Contact for the Crisis Counseling Program
Lila Schmidt
Bureau of Prevention, Treatment and Recovery
1 W. Wilson St . Room 850
Madison , WI 53707-7851
E-Mail: Lila.Schmidt@wisconsin.gov
Telephone: (608) 266-3145
Fax: (608) 266-1533

Providers of CCP Services
The Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DMHSAS) does not directly provide the CCP services but purchases them through a contract with a local agency or agencies that are capable of providing the services to the communities affected by the disaster.

Lutheran Social Services (LSS) of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc., under the name Project Recovery, is the current vendor for the Crisis Counseling Program (CCP) for the Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DMHSAS). http://www.lsswis.org/LSS/Services/Homelessness-Basic-Needs/Disaster-Response.htm (exit DHS)

Other Resources:

Psychological Response to Disaster

County Human Service and Community Programs Agencies and Crisis Services
Counties are responsible for providing emergency counseling to residents of their county. Counties are required to have a crisis program that responds to emergency situations, including emergency detentions and access to substance abuse detoxification services. Some counties have 24/7 Crisis Intervention Services that provide mobile outreach in addition to a telephone response system. These specialized program staff are trained and knowledgeable of how to respond to an emotional crisis individuals may face. A listing of county human services and community programs agencies can be found at: http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/areaadmin/HSDPgms.asp

Psychological First Aid: Field Operations Guide
The Psychological First Aid (PFA) Field Operations Guide, 2nd Edition was created by the Terrorism Disaster Branch of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD as well as others involved in disaster response. Production of this information was supported by SAMHSA.

PFA is an evidence-informed modular approach for assisting people in the immediate aftermath of disaster and terrorism: to reduce initial distress, and to foster short and long-term adaptive functioning. It is for use by mental health specialists including first responders, incident command systems, primary and emergency health care providers, school crisis response teams, faith-based organizations, disaster relief organizations, Community Emergency Response Teams, Medical Reserve Corps, and the Citizens Corps in diverse settings.

• Psychological First Aid (PFA) Field Operations Guide - http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/manuals/psych-first-aid.asp (exit DHS)
• Mental Health Response to Mass Violence and Terrorism: A Field Guide - http://store.samhsa.gov/product/Mental-Health-Response-to-Mass-Violence-and-Terrorism-A-Field-Guide/SMA05-4025 (exit DHS)
• Psychological First Aid: http://nctsn.org/content/psychological-first-aid (exit DHS)

Last Revised: July 20, 2012