AREA MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ASSIST HURRICANE SURVIVORS

Nothing could have prepared Mati Stone for the devastation in South Florida.

"I'm talking about subdivisions, one adjacent to another, shopping centers, malls, factories, schools, everything damaged," said Stone, director of clinical services for the Community Counseling Center in Cape Girardeau.

To those who haven't seen the destruction caused by Hurricane Andrew, it's hard to imagine, she said.

"Imagine driving from Cape Girardeau to Sikeston and seeing devastation on both sides of the highway as far as the eye could see."

Stone was one of seven mental health professionals from Cape Girardeau who traveled to South Florida Sept. 27 to help out with relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, which roared ashore Aug. 24.

Four of the professionals spent a week helping out in tent cities, while the other three, including Stone, remained until Oct. 6.

In addition to Stone, those who made the trip included four other Community Counseling professionals: Bob LeFebvre, director of psychiatric rehabilitation services; Judy Johnson, director of the adult outpatient department; Jim Berry, director of the counseling center's Ste. Genevieve office; and Dr. Bob McCool, a psychiatrist.

Also making the trip were Connie Lape, director of social services at Southeast Missouri Hospital; Melva Tucker of the Missouri Probation and Parole office; and Gary Koch, a recent graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in guidance and counseling.

Stone said the team of mental health professionals spent the first few days in a hotel, but then moved into the tent cities. Some of them were in the Campbell tent city, while the rest were stationed at Harris tent city. Stone, for example, lived in the Campbell tent city.

In all, there were four tent cities set up to house and feed those left homeless by the hurricane.

Three of the tent cities Harris, Campbell and Homestead Middle School were set up in Homestead, while the fourth was in nearby Florida City, Stone said.

Campbell, she said, was serving as temporary home to about 1,100 people. Harris had a similar number, while the other tent city in Homestead had a population of nearly 700. The Florida City tent city had less than 400 residents, she said.

Stone said the counseling team concentrated on the Harris and Campbell tent cities.

Military units set up the tent cities, but an effort is now being made to remove the troops and replace them with civilian contractors, said Stone.

She said she and the other mental health professionals talked to many people living in the tent cities.

She said these are the people that have nowhere else to go. They basically have few financial resources and no relatives with which they can stay.

"We found a lot of people were still immobilized, having difficulty identifying what steps to take and taking action," said Stone.

"Many people do have nightmares about it," she added. "When they see a storm building up or it starts to rain or the wind begins to blow, many of them begin to experience fear, a general anxiety."

Despite the tragedy, she said, many people were optimistic about their future. "A lot of people were hopeful; a lot of people were full of faith. They were thankful they survived."