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Updated August 26, 2020
A Brief Overview of FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program
This In Focus provides an overview of the Federal
Figure 1 depicts the general timing of IA program delivery.
Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Individual
Assistance (IA) program, including brief descriptions of
Figure 1. Timeline of Individual Assistance Program
some types of IA and the factors considered when
Delivery
determining whether to authorize IA pursuant to a
declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act; 42 U.S.C. §§5121
et seq.).
IA Programs
Federal assistance is intended to supplement—not
supplant—the local, state, territorial, or Indian tribal
government’s response and recovery efforts. For this
reason, state, territorial, and Indian tribal governments do
not automatically receive a presidential declaration of
emergency or major disaster, nor do they automatically
receive IA. Instead, generally, the governor or chief
executive must request that the President declare an
emergency or major disaster and that IA be authorized.
When authorized, the forms of IA that may be available to
affected individuals and households include:
Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program
(CCP) provides grant funding to local, state, territorial,
and Indian tribal governments, and nongovernmental
organizations following a major disaster, to assist
individuals and communities through community-based
outreach and the provision of psycho-educational
Source: Developed by CRS based on “Figure 2: Timeline of
services.
Individual Assistance Programs” from the FEMA, Individual Assistance
Program and Policy Guide (IAPPG), FP 104-009-03, March 2019, p. 11,
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) may assist
https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1551713430046-
individuals ineligible for regular unemployment
1abf12182d2d5e622d16accb37c4d163/IAPPG.pdf.
insurance who were previously employed or self-
Notes: Acronyms are as follows: Disaster Case Management (DCM);
employed and rendered jobless, or whose employment
Individuals and Households Program (IHP); Disaster Legal Services
was interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster.
(DLS); Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP)
Regular Service Program (RSP); Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Disaster Legal Services (DLS) may be provided for
(DUA); CCP Immediate Service Program (ISP); IHP—Other Needs
free to help low-income individuals secure benefits or
Assistance (ONA): Critical Needs Assistance (CNA); Transitional
make claims arising from a major disaster.
Sheltering Assistance (TSA); and Operation Blue Roof Program (Blue
Roof). TSA and Blue Roof are authorized and funded through the
Disaster Case Management (DCM) partners case
FEMA Public Assistance program, and such emergency work must be
managers with disaster survivors to develop and
completed within six months of the declaration. FEMA may extend
implement disaster recovery plans that address their
the timing of program delivery in some cases.
unmet needs following a major disaster.
Requesting and Authorizing IA
Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides
FEMA evaluates specific factors to determine whether there
financial and/or direct assistance, in the forms of
is a need for IA using information submitted by the
Housing Assistance and Other Needs Assistance (ONA),
governor or chief executive in their declaration request.
to eligible individuals and households who have
There are two sets of factors: one applies to states/territories
uninsured or under-insured necessary expenses and
pursuant to a governor’s request, and one applies to Indian
serious needs resulting from an emergency or major
tribal governments pursuant to a chief executive’s request.
disaster, which cannot be met through other means or
There is no minimum threshold for authorizing IA. After
forms of assistance.
evaluating the factors, FEMA makes a recommendation to
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A Brief Overview of FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program
the President. The President determines whether to grant a
enrolled tribal members and, if requested and approved,
declaration request.
non-enrolled members of the tribal community.
FEMA evaluates governors’ requests using the following
Availability of Housing Resources.
factors:
Casualties: Identifies disaster-caused “deaths or injuries
State Fiscal Capacity and Resource Availability: This
of cultural, religious, and government leaders.”
indicates whether there are sufficient
local/state/territorial/Indian tribal government and
Impact to Community Infrastructure: This reveals
nongovernmental/private-sector resources based on two
impacts that may adversely affect the ability of people to
subfactors: (1) Fiscal Capacity, which evaluates the
safely and securely reside within the community,
state’s ability to raise revenue for disaster response and
including the large-scale disruption of community
recovery using either state total taxable resources (TTR)
functions and services; impacts to cultural and spiritual
or state gross domestic product (GDP), and per capita
facilities; and emergency needs.
personal income by locality; and (2) Resource
Availability, which evaluates whether the disaster-
Disaster-Impacted Population Profile: Indicates the
caused needs can be met using non-Stafford Act sources
affected population’s recovery challenges.
based on resources and services provided by non-federal
entities. Also considered is the cumulative effect of
Voluntary Agency and Other Assistance: Indicates
recent disasters occurring in the previous 24-month
the extent to which disaster survivors’ needs can be met
period.
by voluntary agencies, and the local and state
governments.
Uninsured Home and Personal Property Losses: This
uses the results of the Joint FEMA-State Preliminary
Tribal Government Resources: Details the efforts
Damage Assessment (PDA) process to identify the
made and the resources committed for response and
extent of damage and estimated cost of assistance. It
recovery.
includes seven subfactors: (1) the damage-causing peril;
(2) the percentage of affected applicants with insurance
The Unique Conditions That May Affect Tribal
for such peril; (3) the concentration of damages; (4) the
Governments (e.g., needs associated with remote
number of homes damaged and degree of damage; (5)
locations or the impact on the economy).
the estimated cost of assistance; (6) the estimated rate of
homeownership for the affected homes; and (7) other
FEMA also considers other relevant information submitted
relevant PDA data that may demonstrate a need for
by the governor or chief executive. Figure 2 depicts the
supplemental federal assistance.
declaration request process.
Disaster Impacted Population Profile: Indicates
Figure 2. Declaration Request Process and Timing
recovery challenges based on community demographics.
Impact to Community Infrastructure: This reveals
the disaster’s impact by considering disruption, damage,
or destruction for more than 72 hours to any/all of the
following: (1) “Life-Saving and Life-Sustaining
Services” that provide an “essential community function
that ... will affect public health and safety” (e.g., police,
medical facilities); (2) “Essential Community Services”
that improve quality of life (e.g., social services); and
(3) “Transportation Infrastructure and Utilities” that, for
example, render housing uninhabitable or inaccessible.
Casualties: Identifies the number of individuals who are
missing, injured, or deceased as a result of a disaster.
Disaster Related Unemployment: Identifies the
number of individuals who may have lost work or
become unemployed as a result of the disaster and do
Source: Developed by CRS based on 44 C.F.R. §§206.31-206.48.
not qualify for standard unemployment insurance.
FEMA evaluates tribal chief executives’ requests using the
For more information on FEMA’s IA programs, see CRS
following factors:
Report R46014, FEMA Individual Assistance Programs: An
Overview, by Elizabeth M. Webster.
Uninsured Home and Personal Property Losses:
Identifies the damage to the primary residences of
Elizabeth M. Webster, Analyst in Emergency
Management and Disaster Recovery
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A Brief Overview of FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program
IF11298
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