Americares Launches New Long-Term Mental Health Program for Frontline Responders Affected by Hurricane Helene

Stamford, Conn. – May 20, 2025 – In response to the extensive emotional toll on communities devastated by Hurricane Helene, Americares is launching a new year-long mental health and psychosocial support initiative focused on supporting first responders, health workers, nonprofit staff and volunteers.

A team of Americares mental health specialists based out of Asheville, N.C., will provide free individual and group staff support sessions and tailored trainings in Psychological First Aid, stress management, coping techniques and more. The initiative will help individuals working in high-stress environments learn coping skills and build resilience. This non-clinical approach is designed to equip frontline workers and community volunteers with practical tools and sustainable practices to meet both current recovery needs and navigate future crises. At the same time, it will help organizations create internal systems to support staff in future emergencies.

The initiative is part of Americares long-term recovery work in hurricane-impacted communities and aims to support hundreds of local doctors, nurses and community members who stepped up to help in the aftermath of the storm. Americares announced the new recovery effort today during Mental Health Awareness Month.

“When I was was in North Carolina after Helene I saw firsthand the resilience of health workers staffing emergency shelters and mobile medical teams. They are survivors themselves, yet they put their communities first,” said Americares President and CEO Christine Squires. “This new initiative will provide essential support for these remarkable frontline workers. We are caring for the caregivers.”

Programming will launch first in the hardest-hit areas near Asheville and expand across North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee over the next 12 months. Americares staff will also be available for remote mental health support for first responders in affected areas of Florida and Georgia. Priority will be given to underserved and marginalized communities.

Services will include:

After the storm made landfall in late September, Americares deployed emergency response teams to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee to meet health needs in the hardest-hit communities.

To date, Americares has delivered more than 17 tons of medicine and relief supplies, installed temporary water purification systems, dispatched a mobile medical clinic to provide care for survivors and awarded more than $1 million in emergency funding to restore health services in communities damaged by Helene. Americares has also provided Psychological First Aid, mental health trainings and individual and group support sessions to over 400 survivors, many of whom have experienced significant trauma and loss.

Americares responds to more than 35 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings preparedness programs to communities vulnerable to disasters. Americares relief workers are among the first to respond to emergencies, helping to restore health services for survivors, and often stay for months —or years—helping communities recover.  

To learn more about how Americares can support your nonprofit organization during the Helene recovery, contact us at helenerecoveryteam@americares-sampler.materiell.net or (828) 367-9259.