THE CONTINUING HEALTH CARE
CRISIS OF THE GULF COAST

Parked in the driveways of homes that still bear the scars of the floodwaters that destroyed them, FEMA trailers now pepper the landscape of New Orleans’ Katrina-ravaged Ninth Ward. The neighborhoods, once home to families that had lived there for generations, now stand in silent testament to those lives that have been decimated by the storms.

Recently, however, this scene of absolute destruction has been juxtaposed with the hopeful appearance of a few newly constructed, freshly painted houses - simple acts of defiance in the face of the indifference that, after seventeen months, has left the largest part of these neighborhoods still destroyed and which made them vulnerable to the floods in the first place.

The rebuilding of New Orleans is underway but there can be no doubt that, a year and a half after Katrina made landfall, most of the hardest hit neighborhoods remain ghost towns.

Many of the problems that plagued the early days of recovery remain: over 50% of New Orleans residents are still displaced; critical questions regarding housing and education are left unanswered as crime rates soar; and, the National Guard is once again patrolling the streets.

While the particulars are different, the pace of rebuilding along the hurricane battered coastline of Mississippi is equally glacial. Mile after mile of empty foundations and empty neighborhoods tell an equally distressing tale. The truth is that post Hurricane Katrina recovery has left both communities, both states still dazed and with steep uphill climbs towards normality.

A recent OPUSA staff visit to the region helped us gain a better understanding of these harsh realities. We met with our local partners, community health clinics and coalitions in both Mississippi and Louisiana, to exchange knowledge, experience, and ideas.

Community health clinics in both states report an increasing strain placed on their always - fragile status. Hospital closures, especially those serving the poor and uninsured as well as the loss of health care professionals due to displacement have served to further exacerbate their existing burdens. In addition, serving the medical needs of the large displaced population has presented them with a unique challenge.

However, those with whom we spoke stress that some of the most pressing healthcare issues are not entirely new in a post-Katrina world. Rather, Katrina exposed and exacerbated problems already present, magnifying their scale and scope.

Based on the visits we had, Operation USA has identified the following four issues as being most pressing:

• Mental Health Care – Three distinct concerns exist: 1) the trauma of the storm and continuing displacement has placed a severe mental and emotional strain on the affected populations; 2) the decrease in healthcare providers combined with the increase in healthcare demand has led to staff depression and “burnout”; 3) one of the largest impacted populations –African Americans—has a long standing cultural stigma against seeking mental health care.

• Staff Retention and Recruitment – Among the displaced were healthcare providers that have yet – and may not – return, despite the growth in patient populations in many of the areas. Several of these areas were medically underserved prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. While certain segments of the health system have seen an influx in funds to recruit and retain staff, the community health centers – essential to the safety net – have seen little direct financial support. As such, current staff is being recruited away and new staff is difficult to hire. Thus, clinic capacity continues to decrease as patient demand concurrently increases

• Childhood Nutrition – The damage in the education infrastructure and continuing delays in repairs, combined with the population displacement, has resulted in a decrease in the quality of food and nutrients provided to area infants and children

• Increased Hispanic Patient Population – The region has seen a dramatic increase in the Hispanic population as laborers have migrated into the area. Clinics uniformly have reported a rise in demand for women and infant healthcare. Unfortunately, the population is largely uninsured and often Medicaid ineligible and local providers are not equipped to deal with this new culture.

Programs to address these new concerns and other pressing issues are being implemented by Community Clinics and other partner agencies, but achieving successful outcomes will require a sustained effort. Operation USA will continue to support our partners in this vital endeavor but the future success of these and other, important programs now hinge on the continued interest and involvement of our donors.

This last year has taught us much. Through our close collaboration with partners on the ground, we understand the depth and complexity of the need. We understand the timeframe required to move from relief to restoration to transformation. While many relief agencies have moved on, Operation USA remains firm in our commitment to the people of the Gulf Coast region. We will continue to empower those agencies on the frontline through grant-making, supplies, and advocacy. We will continue to provide a voice for those silenced by the storms.

Jason Cuomo
Director of Domestic Programming
Operation USA

Susan Fassig
Director of Administration
Operation USA

To read further about our work in the Gulf Coast, please click here.

12/2006