Animals

If you have lost your animal or need support providing for your animals, please contact:

Kerrville Pets Alive - Emergency Response

Austin Pets Alive - Emergency Response

Williamson County Animal Shelter - Needs help with fosters, supplies, or cash donations

Mental Health Support

No-cost mental health support from local counselors and therapists:

Trauma Therapists from Austin Concierge Therapy, are available to support flood-impacted Texans and volunteers. > Book by texting the numbers listed on the website < (mention HOCTX when booking)

Rapid Response Trauma Informed Counseling from SHINE Heather Elizabeth counseling for impacted Texans and volunteers >Book Here<

It is normal for people to experience shock in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. People like those with existing mental health conditions may see increased symptoms of stress. Others may focus on recovery and relief efforts but may feel symptoms of stress and trauma later on, according to experts.

Symptoms can include aches, trouble sleeping, changes in appetite, losing motivation, getting frustrated more frequently and feeling overwhelmed, sad, numb, lonely and physically or mentally drained.

Most emotional responses and stress symptoms are temporary, but if they persist for two weeks or longer, it is recommended to seek help. Signs of greater emotional distress can include feeling hopeless, feeling guilty without being sure why, having difficulty readjusting to home and work life, excessive smoking, drinking or drug use or thinking of hurting yourself or someone else, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

SAMHSA runs the Disaster Distress Helpline, which provides support to people experiencing emotional distress related to disasters. The helpline operates year-round, 24 hours a day and is free and confidential. You can call or text 800-985-5990 to be connected with a trained crisis counselor who can provide counseling, healthy coping tips and more information on signs of emotional distress. Crisis counselors can also provide local resources for additional support.

Trained crisis counselors are also available through the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

Read more tips about how to take care of your mental health during natural disasters here.

Request FEMA or insurance assistance

Texans who sustained damage caused by the storms are encouraged to report it through the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool. The tool helps emergency management officials understand the scope of the damage, which can influence emergency declarations and federal spending.

Apply online for assistance: DisasterAssistance.gov. Kerr County Texans Affected by July 2 and Continuing Severe Storms and Flooding Can Apply for Possible FEMA Assistance. Learn more at fema.gov. 

• Download the FEMA App for mobile devices.

• Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. CT. Help is available in most languages.
  

When you apply for assistance, have this information readily available:

• If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name

• A current phone number where you can be contacted

• Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying

• Your Social Security number, if available

• A general list of damage and losses

• Banking information for direct deposit
  

Assistance from FEMA can include grants for home repairs, replacement of uninsured personal property and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, homeowners and renters. Like FEMA, SBA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance.

Additional designations may be made later if warranted by the results of damage assessments. For more information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4879. Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at http://x.com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.

Before applying for assistance from FEMA, insured Texans should first file claims through their existing policies. People cannot receive disaster and insurance assistance for the same damages. Doing so would be considered insurance fraud, according to FEMA.

If you need help quickly, you can ask your insurance company about an advanced payment. If you aren’t able to live in your home after the disaster because of extensive damage, most policies will cover some housing costs, according to the Texas Department of Insurance, so be sure to keep your receipts.

If you need to file an insurance claim because your home or property was damaged, call your insurance company to report the damages and be ready to answer questions about how you were impacted. Be sure to take photos and videos to submit to insurance or FEMA and document damages for your records.

If you need help filing a claim, TDI has a helpline that operates Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Texans can call 800-252-3439 to find out contact information for their insurance company and ask any questions about claims.

The State Bar of Texas also offers a toll-free legal hotline to assist low-income Texans with issues like replacing lost documents, insurance questions, landlord-tenant problems, price-gouging or avoiding contractor scams following a natural disaster. Residents can call 800-504-7030, which is answered in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Those who qualify for assistance are matched with Texas lawyers who can provide free, limited legal help, according to the state bar’s website.