Natural disasters can occur at any time with little warning, so it is important to always be prepared. To help you with your planning, Benefits.gov highlights some of the benefit programs available to provide disaster relief to people impacted by a federally declared natural disaster.
Crisis Counseling
The Crisis Counseling program provides immediate crisis counseling to victims of major federally declared disasters. The program was created in order to relieve mental health problems caused or aggravated by a major disaster or its aftermath. The assistance provided through this program is short-term in nature and incurs no cost to the disaster victims.
Disaster Legal Services
The Disaster Legal Services program provides legal assistance at no cost to individuals affected by a major federal disaster. This free legal assistance is provided through an agreement between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association. In order to quality for disaster legal services, you must reside in an area that has been declared a major disaster zone by the president.
Individual and Household Assistance
The Individual and Household Assistance Program provides aid to individuals and households affected by a disaster to enable them to address necessary expenses and serious needs, which cannot be met through other forms of disaster assistance or insurance. Grants to repair or replace a damaged primary residence, temporary housing assistance, and rental assistance are included in the types of aid disaster victims may be eligible to receive through this program.
Need more information?
Whether it be wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, or even earthquakes, there are steps you can take to be better prepared to deal with the repercussions of natural disasters. These steps include becoming familiar with hazards common in your area and being ready to deal with their effects and making family disaster kits containing food, fresh water, and essential medicines.
For more information on how you and your family can be better prepared for a natural disaster, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) web page.
