Metro State is turning to what it does best—educating people—to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The college is sending Human Services Professor Nancy Rich, an expert in emergency mental health, to Louisiana for one week to teach disaster/crisis intervention and how to work with those who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to the counseling staff and faculty at two universities.

Rich, who already spent several days volunteering at the Lowry Evacuation Center where more than 700 evacuees are being housed, will teach at the University of Louisiana - Monroe and Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond Sept. 26-30.

"Those two areas have literally been inundated with evacuees according to my sources," Rich said.

For 33 years, Rich has worked in the field of crisis and disaster intervention, including 20 years serving on a volunteer team that counsels first responders such as fireman and police. "I've worked with thousands of first responders," says Rich, who is a certified trauma specialist and licensed professional counselor. In fact, Rich has worked at some of the country's most infamous disasters including the 9-11 terrorist attacks, the Oklahoma city bombing and the Columbine shootings in Littleton.

At Metro State, Rich teaches courses in crisis intervention and PTSD. She says that, given the magnitude of the hurricane's destruction, she will probably teach a combination of the two as well as disaster intervention. "Crisis intervention can focus more on intervening in one individual incident, such as a potential suicide, so I'll probably look at adding disaster intervention to the mix," she explained.

"I hope to give the counseling staffs at these two universities the skills they need to respond to and help the victims," Rich added. "Also, I'll maybe do a little caretaking of the staff members themselves as well."

Watch @Metro for a report of Rich's experience in Louisianna after she returns.

What can you do?
Today and tomorrow student organizations are collecting monetary donations for the American Red Cross relief effort in the Gulf Coast. It is hoped that every student, faculty and staff member at Metro State, CU-Denver, CCD and AHEC will donate $4 toward a goal of raising $200,000. All proceeds collected will be donated directly to the American Red Cross to assist Hurricane Katrina victims. Donations can be made at the flagpole from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. through Thursday, Sept. 15, or online at Auraria Cares.

Then, next week a blood drive will be held from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Sept. 21-22, in the NC atrium. Denver's Bonfils Blood Center is asking for donors to continue their support over the next three to four months, as the 17 blood centers in the greater New Orleans area will be incapacitated for some time. Although the patients and anyone requiring medical attention are being evacuated, Bonfils will be supporting the hospitals on the receiving end of those evacuated. On a smaller note, all blood donors will be registered to win an iPod.

Mail still affected
In an emergency action taken as a result of severe facility damage, evacuations and other issues resulting from Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. Postal Service is not accepting any standard mail (letters and flats) or periodical mail from any source addressed for delivery to any address with a zip code that begins in 395, 700, 701 or 704. A previous suspension of delivery has been restored to zip code ranges 365, 366, 369, 393, 394, 395 and 396.

For up-to-date information on postal code delivery suspension go to the U.S. Postal Service Update website at http://www.usps.com/communications/news/serviceupdates.htm#