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WACO, TX – Emotional support for the COVID-19 and 20 Texas Winter Storm disasters in Central Texas isn’t going anywhere but to the people of Central Texas who need to access the #TexansRecoveringTogether Crisis Counseling Program now that the grant to support the program has been extended through January 2022.

Free, anonymous, and confidential emotional support services are available for anybody six-county catchment area of McLennan, Bosque, Hill, Falls, Limestone and Freestone counties who have been affected directly or indirectly by the COVID-19 and 2021 Texas Winter Storm disasters. People can access the CCP webpage and browse the tabs on the list of services, who we serve, and a diverse, talented staff of crisis counselors, outreach liaisons and administration who are committed to providing accessible, caring, and responsive support services the CCP promises.

“Since March of 2020, our staff has delivered almost 18,000 primary support services to the people of our region. Primary services are brief, and in-person encounters shorter than fifteen minutes, individual and family encounters longer than fifteen minutes, and group/public education encounters longer than fifteen minutes,” said Vince Erickson, Project Manager for the Heart of Texas Region MHMR’s #TexansRecoveringTogether program. “Our data shows there is still a lot of anxiety surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as well as an increased amount of grief from what people missed out on during that time.”

#TexansRecoveringTogether is a program funded through a short-term relief grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMAO and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It uses a strength-based, outreach approach that utilizes crisis counselors to meet individuals or groups in non-traditional and virtual settings in the community to promote resilience, empowerment, and recovery.

“Our staff connects and meets people outside of an office setting—whether by phone, virtual meeting or a public community setting, “Mr. Erickson stressed. “We help people identify and access their own personal resources and community resources to help them cope with and recover from these disasters.

“We are honored to continue to offer our free, anonymous and confidential mental health and emotional support services through next January. We are committed to making sure our services are available to all six of our region’s catchment area. So far, 20 percent of all of our primary support services have been given to the people of Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill and Limestone counties.”

People can access #TexansRecoveringTogether services toll free at (866) 576-1101 on online at www.trthotccp.org.