Premiered
Wednesday,
April 19th, 2006
at 8:00 p.m.
on WYES-TV/Channel 12

Rebroadcast
Monday, May 15 at 10pm


Listed below is the press release and contact names and
numbers of Mental Health Providers.

Thank you for watching WYES-TV/Channel 12.
Thanks to our Sponsor:

* PRESS RELEASE * PRESS RELEASE * PRESS RELEASE * PRESS RELEASE *

THE KATRINA EFFECT: COPING WITH STRESS AND DEPRESSION
April 19, 2006 from 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
THE KATRINA EFFECT: REACHING OUT
April 19, 2006 from 9:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
A SPECIAL ON MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SERVICES AND SUPPORT IN THE
GREATER NEW ORLEANS AND GULF COAST REGION

* Both programs are available to all area media outlets FREE
of charge with unlimited repeats.
For Beth Utterback, a lifelong New Orleanian and Director of Broadcasting for
WYES-TV, the realization that Hurricane Katrina had shattered her world hit her when she returned to her sister's home in Arlington, Virginia, after her first trip back to New Orleans since evacuating before the storm. Though she knew that her Lakeview neighborhood had flooded, nothing prepared her for the destruction she witnessed. The lovingly renovated brick home, which she had shared with her husband, Terry, was a casualty of the water and mud, which had poured in from the breach of the 17th Street Canal only a block away. During her visit, Utterback was also faced with the flooding of WYES-TV, the television station where she had worked for 25 years, the loss of her mother's home and with the devastation of the city she loved.
Back in Virginia, Utterback experienced a constant sense of worry and uncertainty that made functioning difficult. She had difficulty sleeping and felt anxious all the time. Utterback says today that she doesn't know if she would have made it without the support of her family who steered her to Dr. Jeffrey Jay, a disaster mental health specialist in Washington, D. C.
Dr. Jay, who is the director of the Center for Post Traumatic Stress
Studies and Treatment, helped Utterback through her post-Katrina “dark days.” Using his experience with Holocaust survivors, Vietnam veterans, Bosnian refugees, and victims of the Pentagon terrorist attack, Dr. Jay helped Utterback cope with what he refers to as “the terrible knowledge” of human existence that trauma victims share.
When Utterback was able to return to New Orleans to help rebuild the television station, she was determined to reach out to others in the community who were experiencing similar mental health challenges. The result is a 2-hour WYES-TV special, THE KATRINA EFFECT: COPING WITH STRESS AND DEPRESSION, that will air for the first time on April 19 th at 8:00 p.m. Dr. Jay will meet with a cross-section of Katrina survivors for a 90-minute discussion on the impact of the disaster on their personal lives. As the survivors recount their unique experiences, Dr. Jay will offer strategies for moving forward.

Immediately following on WYES-TV at 9:30 p.m., WWL-TV's medical reporter, Meg Farris will host THE KATRINA EFFECT: REACHING OUT, a half-hour follow-up program offering information about mental health services and agencies in the region affected by the disaster. The program will cover post-traumatic stress disorder and depression; the impact of Katrina on children and families; suicide and substance abuse.

Experts appearing on THE KATRINA EFFECT: REACHING OUT include: Dr. Howard Osofsky, Chairman of Psychiatry at LSU Health Sciences Center; Dr. Joy Osofsky, LSU professor of psychiatry and pediatrics/Intervention Program Director; Dale Standifer, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Battered Women's Program; Angela Henry, Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority; and Vanessa County, Training Coordinator, The McFarland Institute.
In conjunction with THE KATRINA EFFECT , WYES-TV has launched an unprecedented and extensive grassroots outreach campaign, making both programs available to all area media outlets free of
charge with unlimited repeats.
Both programs have been made possible through a grant by:

UNITED WAY OF ST. CHARLES is an agency committed to leading the community in partnering assets and resources to improve the quality of life for the citizens of the region.
####
Contact: Aislinn Hinyup, Promotion Manager, WYES-TV, (504) 838-0364, ahinyup@wyes.org


*Contacts for Mental Health Providers*

2-1-1
United Way of America
Louisiana Association of United Ways
This is like a 9-1-1 call. Counselors and operators are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They will offer help and direct connect for suicide prevention.
________________

LSU Health Sciences Center
Department of Psychiatry
(504) 568-8772
Offers assistance to help cope with the transition after Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita for all members of the family.
________________
The McFarland Institute
504-593-2320
www.tmcfi.org
Most “groups” come to them via managers and business owners seeking help for their employees. Individuals who seek help will be placed. The group will meet once a week for 6 weeks. If additional time is requested, the group will meet longer. They accept anyone free of charge.  Children are referred elsewhere.
________________
Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority
504-349-8708
www.jphsa.org
This agency does everything. They offer help with mental health, substance abuse         and job training for people with disabilities. This agency makes house calls when necessary. They will serve anyone in need including children.
________________
Metropolitan Battered Women's Program
504-837-5455 
www.metrobatteredwomen.com
Since Hurricane Katrina, this agency has seen more first time violence against women. Cases have shown an increase in rage; more intense episodes with injuries.
________________
Louisiana Spirit (a division of Catholic Charities)
1 (866) 891-2210
COPE LINE (800) 749-2673
This organization helps families, children, marriages and seniors.
________________

Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse - “CADA”
504-362-4272
www.cadagno.org
A program designed to aid in the recovery from alcoholism and drug abuse.
________________

East Jefferson General Hospital
Behavioral Health Services
504-454-4000   
www.ejgh.org
East Jefferson General Hospital accepts anyone in need for mental health services from everywhere. They are seeing more people outside their general area because so many are displaced at this time.  They do not service children at this time.
________________

Community Care Hospital
1421 General Taylor Street
New Orleans , LA  70115
504-899-2500
This hospital provides services to adult and geriatric patients who require psychiatric treatment at least 5 days weekly. They accept Medicare which pays 100%.  Free transportation provided.
________________

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration “SAMHSA”
(800) 789-2647
www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov
This is a national call center. They offer free publications and links for help online.
 They offer referrals and resources over the phone.
________________

The National Clearing House for Alcohol and Drug Information
(800) 729-6686 in English
(877) 767-8432 in Spanish
LIFELINE (800) 273-TALK (8255)
This is a suicide prevention hotline.
________________
United Health Care
(866) 615-8700
Will offer referrals in the New Orleans area.
________________

VA of New Orleans
504-568-0811
 ________________
All belowprograms provide life-giving counseling services to address life's problems and demands.
Qualified therapists provide all counseling modalities on  a sliding fee. Katrina support groups are currently
available at no charge. These are United Way funded programs. All are welcome.

Counseling Solutions
433 Metairie Rod., Ste. 106
Metairie, LA 70005
Phone: 504-835-5007
________________

St. Tammany Counseling Solutions
1925-C Cororate Square
Slidell , LA 70458
Ph: 985-641-8120
________________

St. Charles Regional Office
118 Lakewood Drive
Luling , LA 70070
Ph: 985-7852113
________________

St. John Counseling Solutions
1706 Cannes Drive, Ste 4
LaPlace , LA 70068
Ph: 985-652-4330