How to Help People with Disabilities affected by Hurricane Katrina

The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare have said that there will be a waiver between all of the states housing hurricane survivors who were already receiving Medicaid to have their Medicaid accepted in their current location. Additionally, there will be an expedited process for Medicaid eligibility for those who may now be eligible due to their hurricane related situation.

Gulf States Independent Living Centers

The New Orleans and Biloxi, MS centers for independent living were severely affected by the hurricane. You can send direct assistance to them.

For the Biloxi Center, mail the check (payable to LIFE of Central MS and designated for the Biloxi Center) to:
LIFE of Central Mississippi
754 North President Street, Suite 1
Jackson, MS 39202

For the centers in Louisiana (make checks payable to Resources for Independent Living this is a branch of the N.O. center and designate for the New Orleans center) and mail to:
Resources for IL
11931 Industriplex Blvd. Suite 200
Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Mack Marsh of the Shreveport Center that centers in Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and Lake Charles are assisting evacuees.  Mack says they would also appreciate supplies if there is any way to get those supplies to the centers.

His list includes: manual wheelchairs, hospital beds, adult diapers, bed pads, catheters and other supplies. The address for the Baton Rouge center is shown above, addresses for the Shreveport and Lake Charles centers follow.

Southwest LA Independence Center, Inc.
Mitch Granger
1202 Kirkman, Suite C
Lake Charles, LA 70601

New Horizons, Inc.
Jerry Kidwell
9300 Mansfield Road, Suite 204
Shreveport, LA 71118

For a list of all the Centers in AL, LA & MS, go to:
http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html

Every hurricane survivor with a disability MUST register to be able to receive the full range of federal disaster relief assistance.

Here are the FEMA registration numbers. Registrants MUST make it clear that they have a disability or chronic health care need.

1/800-621-FEMA
1/800-462-9029
1/800-462-7585 TDD/TYY
http://www.fema.gov/about/process/ (For on-line registration)

The National Council on Disability compiled this list of Katrina emergency information for displaced individuals relocated to Texas. It also includes more information on missing person registries, jobs, and FEMA assistance.