Crisis Counseling

Crisis counseling is short-term intervention with individuals and groups coping with the stress created by a major disaster and its aftermath. Crisis counseling assists people in understanding their current situation and reactions, reviews their options, builds upon natural support systems and links individuals to other agencies.

Stress caused by a loss or devastating experience can take several forms. Anger, fatigue, hyperactivity, sleeplessness, nightmares, depression, inability to concentrate, loss of appetite and increased alcohol or drug use are common emotional responses to stress. Disaster stress may immediately follow a traumatic event or may surface days or even months later.

There are a number of ways to relieve the symptoms of emotional distress caused by a traumatic event:

• Talk about your feelings with family, friends and neighbors. Sharing common experiences helps people deal with a overcome anxiety and feelings of helplessness.
  
  
• Get back into daily routines as soon as you can. Try to maintain good eating and sleeping habits.
  
  
• Physical activity can reduce stress. Maintain your current level of activity, or consult your physician for a more intensive exercise program.
  
  
• Children are particularly vulnerable to emotional stress after a disaster. Reassure children that they are safe. Encourage them to talk about their fears. Emphasize that they are not responsible for what happened. Hold and hug them frequently.
  
  

Who is eligible for crisis counseling?

Individuals residing in designated counties declared Presidential Disaster Areas. Individuals impacted by a disaster, although not residing in a designated county may also be eligible.

What is the cost for these services?

There is no cost for these services to disaster victims. Funds are made available by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

How are crisis counseling services made available to the public?

The Division of Mental Health contracts with community mental health centers to provide crisis counseling in communities. The following is a listing of the community mental health centers that would provide crisis counseling in the event of a disaster and the counties they serve:

Mental Health Center	Address	Phone number	Counties Served
Behavior Management Systems	350 Elk Street Rapid City, SD 57701	(605)343-7262	Bennett, Butte, Custer, Fall River, Harding, Jackson, Lawrence, Meade, Pennington & Shannon
Capital Area Counseling Service	803 E. Dakota PO Box 148 Pierre, SD 57501	(605) 224-5811	Buffalo, Haakon, Hughes, Hyde, Jones, Lyman, Stanley & Sully
Community Counseling Services	357 Kansas SE Huron, SD 57350	(605) 352-8596	Beadle, Hand, Jerauld, Lake, Miner & Moody
Dakota Counseling Institute	910 West Havens Mitchell, SD 57301	(605) 996-9686	Aurora, Brule, Davison, Hanson & Sanborn
East Central Mental Health Center	211 Fourth Street Brookings, SD 57006	(605) 697-2860	Brookings
Human Service Agency	123 19th Street NE PO Box 1030 Watertown, SD 57201	(605) 886-0123	Clark, Codington, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Kingsbury & Roberts
Lewis & Clark Mental Health Center	1028 Walnut Yankton, SD 57078	(605) 665-4606	Bon Homme, Charles Mix, Clay, Douglas, Hutchinson, Union & Yankton
Northeastern Mental Health Center	628 Circle Drive PO Box 550 Aberdeen, SD 57402	(605) 225-1014	Brown, Campbell, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Marshall, McPherson, Potter, Spink & Walworth
Southeastern Behavioral Health Care	2000 S. Summit Sioux Falls, SD 57105	(605) 336-0510	Lincoln, McCook, Minnehaha & Turner
Southern Plains Behavioral Health Services	500 E. 9th Street PO Box 662 Winner, SD 57580	(605) 842-1465	Gregory, Mellette, Todd & Tripp
Three Rivers Mental Health Center	11 E. Fourth Street PO Box 447 Lemmon, SD 57638	(605) 374-3862	Corson, Dewey, Perkins & Ziebach

Federal Emergency Management Agency

South Dakota Division of Emergency Management