Crisis Line Offers Help, Hope To Ida's NJ Victims A Year Later

NEW JERSEY ? It's been nearly a year since the remnants of Hurricane Ida ripped through New Jersey, bringing tornadoes to the southern part of the state and massive flooding to the north, and leaving more than 20 people dead.

While the physical recovery is well underway or nearly complete for many, the emotional toll from destructive storms can linger for far longer.

That's where a program launched by the state of New Jersey comes in. New Jersey Hope and Healing, a crisis counseling program funded by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and operated in coordination with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

New Jersey Hope and Healing provides individual and group counseling, referral services and resources for those living in disaster-declared New Jersey communities.

The program also has been in operation during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide support for those struggling with the stresses.

The counseling services are free and accessible seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. by calling 866-202- HELP (4357).

The need to provide these supports was one of the findings of a report on the impacts of Superstorm Sandy on adults and children both short-term and long-term. The report was a collaboration by the Rutgers University School of Social Work, the New York University College of Global Health and the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University.

The report found high levels of stress especially among children whose homes were affected by the storm, and urged mental health professionals to be aware of and responsive to the needs of those children.

David Abramson of New York University, who was involved with the Sandy study, told New Jersey Spotlight that what affects people most is feeling they cannot get back to their former lives, physically or financially.

"All of these things then lead to long-term mental health effects when you feel as though you don?t have the ability to conserve or access the resources that you need to recover," he said.

That's where New Jersey Hope and Healing aims to meet needs, both in terms of the immediate aftermath and longer-term, helping survivors look at their disaster recovery options to deal with the physical challenges, and providing the emotional supports.

Those seeking supports can find full information on the New Jersey Hope and Healing webpage on the Mental Health Association of New Jersey website.