The national Disaster Distress Helpline has received an influx of calls from people in North Carolina since Hurricane Florence. While the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration doesn’t provide specific information on call volume, Director of the Disaster Distress Hotline Christian Burgess said in an email to PRE that the 24/7 helpline experienced a 100 percent increase in volume compared to the 30 days prior to the hurricane. Within a month after Florence, over 30 percent of the total call volume was from areas codes in North Carolina, the most of any state. The helpline provides crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress from natural or human caused disasters. Burgess said the helpline continues to receive a steady number of calls from North Carolina as people continue to recover from the storm. Anyone experiencing stress, anxiety or depression-like symptoms can speak with a crisis councilor at 1-800-985-5990.
Disaster Distress Helpline Experiences 100 Percent Increase In Call Volume After Florence
