Remembering Katrina Part Two: The Great Diaspora of New Orleans

The evacuation of 1.1 million residents from an area approximately equal in land mass to Great Britain resulted in 19 states participating in federally funded crisis counseling programs organized to address the evacuation, sheltering, and recovery needs of Americans displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The panel of presenters all played key roles in the Hurricane Katrina response. The speakers will address the unique set of challenges faced from the perspective of the directly damaged resident state of Louisiana, a “host” state (Colorado), a “host” city of Houston, and the federal response plan (SAMHSA). The content presented will provide essential information regarding early stage sheltering and stabilization, intermediate and longer-term assimilation into temporary communities, and repatriation to the survivor’s home state. The information presented will benefit policy makers, emergency response planners, treatment providers, public health officials, and local emergency response personnel.