Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved his request to make funding available for crisis counseling, which will help support mental health initiatives designed to benefit people affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Stitt said this is a portion of his ongoing request for disaster assistance as part of Oklahoma’s Major Disaster Declaration due to the pandemic.
Stitt said that the Crisis Counseling and Training Program is funded by FEMA in coordination with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Here in the state of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services will manage the program through a community-based outreach and educational services.
FEMA recently approved Stitt’s request for public assistance funding for emergency protective measures, allowing impacted state agencies, municipalities and tribal nations in all 77 Oklahoma counties to be reimbursed by the federal government for 75% of the costs associated with their response and emergency protective measures.
Stitt’s request to increase that reimbursement to 100% is still pending, along with a request for additional assistance to include disaster unemployment assistance, disaster legal services and other programs.
