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Updated January 3, 2023
A Brief Overview of FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program
When a disaster occurs, the Federal Emergency
program, see CRS Report R46014, FEMA Individual
Management Agency (FEMA) may assist individuals with
Assistance Programs: An Overview.
their recovery through the Individual Assistance (IA)
program if the President authorizes such assistance pursuant
Figure 1. Timeline of IA Program Delivery
to a declaration of emergency or major disaster under the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (Stafford Act; P.L. 93-288, as amended;
codified at 42 U.S.C. §§5121 et seq.).
IA Programs
FEMA may provide the following forms of IA:
The Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program
(CCP) provides grant funding to local, state, territory, and
tribal governments, which may contract with local mental
health service providers, for CCP services. The CCP assists
individuals and communities through community-based
outreach and the provision of psycho-educational services
following an emergency or major disaster (42 U.S.C.
§5183).
Disaster Case Management (DCM) partners case
managers with disaster survivors to develop and implement
disaster recovery plans that address the survivor’s unmet
needs following a major disaster (42 U.S.C. §5189d).
Disaster Legal Services (DLS) are provided for free to
low-income individuals to assist them with securing
Source: Developed by CRS based on “Figure 3: Timeline of
benefits or making claims arising from a major disaster (42
Individual Assistance Programs” from the FEMA Individual Assistance
U.S.C. §5182).
Program and Policy Guide (IAPPG), v. 1.1, FP 104-009-03, May 2021, p.
11, https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_iappg-
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) provides
1.1.pdf.
unemployment benefits and re-employment assistance to
Notes: Additional acronyms are as follows: Blue Roof = Blue Roof
individuals who are ineligible for regular unemployment
Program; CCP ISP = Immediate Services Program; CCP RSP =
insurance, and were previously employed or self-employed,
Regular Services Program; CNA = Critical Needs Assistance (this is a
and rendered jobless or whose employment was interrupted,
form of IHP-ONA); and TSA = Transitional Sheltering Assistance.
as a direct result of a major disaster (42 U.S.C. §5177).
Blue Roof and TSA are authorized and funded through the FEMA
Public Assistance program, and are forms of emergency work. FEMA
The Individuals and Households Program (IHP)
may extend the period of assistance/performance if it is in the public
provides financial and/or direct assistance for housing, as
interest, when requested by an affected state, territory, or tribe.
well as financial assistance for other needs (referred to as
Other Needs Assistance (ONA)), to eligible individuals and
Requesting and Authorizing IA
households who have uninsured or under-insured necessary
There is no threshold or trigger that automatically
expenses and serious needs resulting from an emergency or
authorizes IA. Federal assistance is intended to
major disaster, which cannot be met through other means or
supplement—not supplant—the local, state, territory, or
forms of assistance (42 U.S.C. §5174).
tribal government’s response and recovery efforts. Thus,
the governor of an affected state or territory or the chief
The federal government provides 100% of the funding for
executive of an affected tribal government must request that
CCP, DUA, DLS, DCM, and IHP-Housing Assistance.
the President declare an emergency or major disaster
IHP-ONA, however, is subject to a statutorily set 75%
authorizing IA. Using information submitted by the
federal and 25% nonfederal cost share, borne by the
governor or chief executive in their major disaster
state/territory/tribe. Figure 1 depicts the general timing of
declaration request, FEMA evaluates specific factors to
IA program delivery. For more information on FEMA’s IA
determine whether there is a need for supplemental federal
assistance to individuals (i.e., IA). FEMA then provides a
https://crsreports.congress.gov
A Brief Overview of FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program
recommendation to the President, who has sole discretion to
Casualties: FEMA considers the number of individuals
authorize a declaration that provides IA (the declaration
who are missing, injured, or deceased as a result of a
approval may limit the types of IA that are authorized).
disaster, which indicates community trauma.
IA Factors
Disaster Related Unemployment: FEMA considers the
There are two sets of IA factors FEMA may consider: one
number of individuals who may have lost work or become
applies to governors’ requests (see 44 C.F.R. §206.48(b)),
unemployed as a result of the disaster and who do not
and one applies to chief executives’ requests (see FEMA’s
qualify for standard unemployment insurance. FEMA also
Tribal Declarations Pilot Guidance, January 2017).
considers impacts to major employers in the affected
jurisdiction, which could indicate the potential for a
Factors for Evaluating Governors’ Requests
prolonged recovery process.
FEMA’s factors for evaluating governors’ requests are
Factors for Evaluating Chief Executives’ Requests
State Fiscal Capacity and Resource Availability: FEMA
FEMA’s factors for evaluating chief executives’ requests
considers the availability of government and private-sector
are
resources, and the circumstances that contributed to the
state/territory having insufficient resources, potentially
Uninsured Home and Personal Property Losses: FEMA
necessitating supplemental federal assistance. FEMA
evaluates the damage to the primary residences of enrolled
evaluates (1) Fiscal Capacity (a principal factor for
tribal members and, if requested and approved, non-
considering the need for the IHP), which indicates the
enrolled members of the tribal community, by categorizing
state/territory’s ability manage disaster response and
homes based on damage and assessing the magnitude of the
recovery, by considering its ability to raise revenue for
disaster and concentration of damages.
disaster response and recovery based on either total taxable
resources (TTR) or gross domestic product (GDP), as well
Availability of Housing Resources: FEMA considers the
as per capita personal income by locality and other factors
availability of accessible temporary housing resources.
affecting the state/territory’s ability to collect funds; and (2)
Resource Availability, which indicates whether the
Casualties: FEMA considers disaster-caused “deaths or
disaster-caused needs can be met using non-Stafford Act
injuries [including] of cultural, religious, and government
sources. Also considered is the cumulative effect of recent
leaders.”
disasters occurring in the previous 24 months.
Impact to Community Infrastructure: FEMA considers
Uninsured Home and Personal Property Losses: FEMA
the disaster’s impacts that may adversely affect the
considers the results of the FEMA-State Preliminary
“population’s ability to safely and securely reside within the
Damage Assessment (PDA) process to examine the extent
community,” including the large-scale disruption of
of damage and estimated cost of IHP assistance (a principal
community functions and services; impacts to cultural and
IHP factor). An affected state/territory may provide data for
spiritual facilities; and emergency needs.
consideration, including (1) the damage-causing peril; (2)
the percentage of affected applicants with insurance for
Disaster-Impacted Population Profile: FEMA considers
such peril; (3) the concentration of damages; (4) the number
the affected community’s demographics, including
of homes damaged and degree of damage; (5) the estimated
populations that may have a greater need for recovery
cost of assistance; (6) the estimated homeownership rate for
support.
the affected homes; and (7) other relevant PDA data that
may demonstrate a need for supplemental assistance.
Voluntary Agency and Other Assistance: FEMA
considers the extent to which disaster survivors’ needs can
Disaster Impacted Population Profile: FEMA considers
be met by voluntary agencies, and the local and state
the affected community’s demographics as compared with
governments.
national averages (based on U.S. Census Bureau and other
federal data), to evaluate whether there is an increased need
Tribal Government Resources: FEMA considers the
for supplemental federal assistance.
tribal government’s efforts that have or will be made and
the resources that have or will be committed.
Impact to Community Infrastructure: FEMA considers
the disaster-caused disruption, damage, or destruction to
The Unique Conditions That May Affect Tribal
community infrastructure components, which may make it
Governments: FEMA considers the tribe’s unique needs
difficult for disaster survivors to reside in the community
and the conditions that are unique to the tribal community
and may hinder community recovery—specifically,
(e.g., needs associated with remote locations or the impact
disruption, damage, or destruction for more than 72 hours
on the tribal government’s economy).
to any/all of the following: (1) “Life-Saving and Life-
Sustaining Services” that provide an “essential community
No single factor is determinative; FEMA considers all
function that ... will affect public health and safety” (e.g.,
relevant information submitted by the governor or chief
police, medical facilities); (2) “Essential Community
executive as part of a declaration request, and the President
Services” that improve quality of life (e.g., social services);
has the discretion to authorize IA. For additional
and (3) “Transportation Infrastructure and Utilities” that,
information on the IA factors, see CRS Report R47015,
for example, render housing uninhabitable or inaccessible.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11298 · VERSION 10 · UPDATED
A Brief Overview of FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program
FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP)—
Elizabeth M. Webster, Analyst in Emergency
Implementation and Considerations for Congress.
Management and Disaster Recovery
IF11298
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11298 · VERSION 10 · UPDATED