Secretary Michael Leavitt of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services visited the PMAC and the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse on Wednesday to see how the facilities-turned-shelters have been doing.After tours of both shelters meeting volunteers, medical personnel and patients, Leavitt introduced a new plan to help displaced victims get back on their feet.Using a system the federal government uses for refugees in the U.S., Leavitt said this new pilot program on case management will allow evacuees to easily get back on their feet.With the help of Catholic Charities USA, a private social service organization, Leavitt said the plan will allow a person to work with families with different aspects of rebuilding.Leavitt said it is a new approach to helping disaster victims, but he has great confidence in the program.Kim Burgo, senior director of the disaster response office of Catholic Charities, said campaigns are being started to inform people about the program.Burgo said they are working with several charities with the systems and infrastructures in place to support disaster victims.”It’s not a new concept,” Leavitt said. “[It’s just] applied in a new way.”Leavitt said they are taking the same facilities and people and using them for people during a disaster.During Leavitt’s tour of the state and federal shelters in the PMAC and Fieldhouse, respectively, he said disasters are an ongoing learning process for the country and continues to get better.Leavitt said there have been an extraordinary effort on everyone’s part to help with the response after Hurricane Gustav.”We’ve succeeded in our core mission,” Leavitt said.He said there has been a significant difference in the response after Gustav than after Hurricane Katrina. Leavitt said individuals were better prepared this time.”Millions of people had a plan and exercised the plan,” Leavitt said.—Contact JJ Alcantara at [email protected].