On Friday, July 4, heavy rainfall caused extreme flash floods that swept through the Hill Country region of Central Texas, creating a state of emergency. The floods have resulted in extensive damage to infrastructure, including road washouts. The disaster claimed at least 135 lives, including 36 children, with more than 100 people still reported missing, making it one of the deadliest US floods in over a century.
International Medical Corps deployed an emergency response team at the request of the Texas Association of Community Health Centers (TACHC) and local health center networks. Our team—comprising mental health clinicians and staff—continues to deliver critical mental health services to first responders, healthcare workers and community members across the affected Texas Hill Country. We have partnered with Frontera Healthcare Network, a local federally qualified health center, to augment mental health support and resources in affected communities, including the town of Hunt in Kerr County—near where nearly 30 campers and counselors lost their lives at Camp Mystic. Team members are conducting daily wellness checks and outreach visits and are connecting affected first responders and community members who have been involved in search-and-recovery operations—and are thus coping with the sudden loss and grief—with national, state and local mental health resources.
Beyond Kerr County, the International Medical Corps team and local health center network have identified pressing and underserved flood-related needs in Gillespie, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch and Menard counties, which also suffered severe
flooding and infrastructure damage. In addition to the daily services our team provides in Hunt, we are delivering services in community hubs such as food pantries, school districts and community centers, as well as being present with the community, conducting wellness checks and disseminating free mental health and self-care resources. To date, the clinical team has conducted 821 wellness checks and visits. Team members have met with community members and provided a space to listen to their stories and experiences, allowing them to process safely.
International Medical Corps has also partnered with Frontera to deploy its mobile medical unit (MMU) to reach flood-affected patients—particularly those considered high-risk and/or with chronic conditions—in their homes. The MMU, which operates daily, includes Frontera’s medical staff and our mental health clinicians. Additionally, our teams have distributed critical supplies and items to first responders and affected community members, including 287 hygiene kits, 377 wound care kits, and 361 hygiene products and essential items—such as baby wipes, deodorant, socks and t-shirts—across schools and community hubs
By supporting this project, you can help bring urgently needed medical care and supplies to communities in Texas that have been affected by the flooding, and help them rebuild from this disaster.
*Please note for recurring donations: Once we have determined that the community can continue to respond to the after-effects of this emergency without us, we will scale back our response efforts. At that time, we will redirect your future donations where they are needed most to help us respond to future outbreaks of conflict, disease or disaster.
