Tornadoes caused unseen damage to residents' mental health; in such cases, ramifications are often delayed, but help is available

Toskia Adamson at her mother's trailer site Feb. 11, two months after a tornado destroyed it and sucked her son and mother out of it and into the air. (Photo by Ryan C. Hermens, Herald-Leader)

Almost three months on, the devastating tornadoes of December are receding from the day-to-day memory of most Kentuckians, but thousands of people in the western half of the state "who’ve lost loved ones, homes and their livelihoods . . . are still battling with the toll on their mental health," reports Aaron Mudd of the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Mudd's story accompanies a long one by Alex Acquisto about one Dawson Springs family's struggle to recover from the damage, injuries and near death caused by the EF-4 twister that largely flattened the town of 2,500, sucked two of them out of one's trailer and threw them through the air. One thinks he has post-traumatic stress disorder, and there are many like him in the region, not all diagnosed. A study of the aftermath of the EF-5 tornado in Joplin, Mo., "found that emotional ramifications were often delayed, and that it may have correlated directly with a lack of mental health support services," Acquisto reports.

"In the first round of surveys six months out, close to 13% of participants showed signs of probable PTSD. At two-and-a-half years post-disaster, that amount more than doubled to nearly 27%. . . . Children, especially of parents who developed PTSD or depression, were more likely to exhibit borderline or abnormal behavior, the study found."

Mudd notes the 24-hour regional crisis hotlines in Western Kentucky:

• Four Rivers Behavioral Health in Paducah: 800-592-3980
• Pennyroyal Center, with clinics in Hopkinsville, Madisonville, Greenville, Princeton and Central City: 877-473-7766
• Adanta Group Behavioral Health: 800-954-4782
• LifeSkills in Bowling Green: 800-223-8913
• RiverValley Behavioral Health in Owensboro: 800-433-7291
• National Alliance on Mental Illness Lexington: 800-928‑8000

"These clinics are also offering support groups, one-on-one therapy sessions, and treatment for substance-use disorder," Mudd reports.

For mental health counseling, the Kentucky Counseling Center says it has more than 100 providers and accepts all major insurers, Mudd reports. If you don't have insurance or don't want to use it, “Kentucky Counseling Center offers some of the most affordable prices for mental health treatment in Kentucky,” its website says. Mudd reports, "According to a representative at the center, its therapy sessions are $100 per session. Medication appointments are $100 for the first visit and $75 for medication follow-ups, as needed."

Also, Open Counseling has a list of community mental health centers, which have income-based fees for patients without insurance.