The Legacy of Katrina’s Children: Estimating the Number of Hurricane-Related At-Risk Children in the Gulf Coast States of Louisiana & Mississippi
The National Center for Disaster Preparedness at the Mailman School of Public Health
Columbia University & The Children’s Health Fund
December 2007

Abstract:


This report examines the impact of hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma on affected children. Specifically, it seeks to answer the four following questions: How many children were displaced as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita? Among those who were displaced, how many children have since returned to their home state or home communities? Among those who were displaced, how many children are still living in temporary or transient FEMA-subsidized group housing? Regardless as to whether they have returned or are still living in temporary housing, how many of these displaced children are at-risk for poor outcomes? Despite difficulty in collecting numbers, the report estimates that 51.4% of children in Louisiana and Mississippi will be affected by at least one of the following risks: education, health and mental health.