The Service Tree lists all services in "branched" groups, starting with the very general and moving to the very specific. Click on the name of any group name to see the sub-groups available within it. Click on a service code to see its details and the providers who offer that service.
Disaster Recovery Services
Disaster Donations Coordination
Organizations that assume responsibility in the aftermath of a major disaster or large-scale emergency for soliciting and/or collecting donations from the general public and distributing those items to people who have suffered a loss and are currently in need. Donations may include critical services, money, groceries, drinking water, blankets, personal comfort kits, disposable diapers, clothing, household goods, medical supplies, cleaning supplies, hand tools, plastic sheeting, tar paper, building materials and other relief supplies.
Programs that provide low-interest loans for people whose homes, personal property or businesses have been destroyed or have suffered disaster-related damage. Some programs require that the community be declared a disaster area by the President or the Governor before making the loans available.
Disaster Related Case Management
Programs that provide a single point of contact for disaster assistance applicants who need a wide variety of services that may be provided by many different organizations. The objective is to create a coordinated system that enables an individual or family who has survived a disaster to provide information about their situation to one organization that serves as their advocate and helps them organize and access disaster related resources and implement a recovery plan that will help them achieve pre-disaster levels of functioning and equilibrium. Disaster-related case managers assess the individual's needs, coordinate the delivery of needed services, ensure that services are obtained in accordance with the recovery plan, and follow up and monitor progress to ensure that services are having a beneficial impact on the problem. The service is particularly critical in situations where large-scale deaths and injuries have occurred.
Programs that provide cash grants to businesses, individuals and families who have been affected by a major disaster or large-scale emergency including a public health crisis like a pandemic that disrupts the normal functioning of a community. Monies can generally be used to pay for temporary housing, housing repair or replacement, permanent housing construction, moving and storage, personal property replacement, medical and dental services, funeral and burial services, transportation assistance and other expenses not covered by insurance or other programs. Included are the FEMA Individuals and Households Program (a program jointly funded by the federal government and the state and administered by the state), stimulus packages approved by Congress and signed by the President, state supplemental programs, and disaster related cash grant programs offered by local government and private sector organizations. Also included are tax rebate credit programs, also known as economic impact credits, for those who were eligible for such cash grants but who did not receive one or the full amount, which can be claimed on a 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, as well as the web tool launched by the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service that allows quick registration for payments for people who don't normally file a tax return.
Disaster Related Fraud Reporting
Programs that provide a hotline or other mechanisms that consumers can use during the aftermath of a disaster to report the activities of people who are involved in price gouging on necessary services, equipment and supplies and the appearance of unlicensed contractors, insurance adjusters who falsely promise to expedite proceedings and other shady opportunists.
Disaster Service Centers/Hotlines
Programs that establish one-stop centers that may be staffed by representatives from local, state and federal agencies, insurance companies and other disaster-related providers; or which operate hotlines that enable people to apply for financial and/or other assistance and/or to obtain the information they need to stabilize their current situation and begin to recover.
Programs that provide financial assistance, volunteer labor, equipment and supplies or other forms of support to help clear away rubble and clean up the community following a major disaster or large-scale emergency that has wreaked havoc on the community.
Post Disaster Housing Assistance
Programs that provide for the short and long-term housing needs of individuals and families who have lost their place of residence in a major disaster or large-scale emergency by providing them with a mechanism for reporting damage, by arranging for temporary housing while their homes are being repaired or rebuilt, by helping them identify alternative short and/or long-term housing replacement arrangements, by supporting their ability to make structural repairs that will enable them to return to their homes, or by supporting their ability to rebuild. Some forms of post disaster housing assistance are generally also available to individuals who have experienced a localized incident such as a house fire that has made them temporarily homeless.
Post Disaster Legal Counseling Services
Programs staffed by volunteer lawyers who provide counseling and advice at no cost for low-income individuals and families who need assistance with insurance claims, landlord/tenant issues, mortgage/foreclosure issues, home repair contracts and contractors, replacement of wills and other legal documents destroyed in the disaster, drafting powers of attorney, consumer protection matters and other disaster-related legal issues. People who require further assistance are generally referred to a private lawyer who may be able to represent them at no fee or for a reduced fee. Included are programs that operate under the agreement between FEMA and the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association and programs offered by local bar associations or local legal services programs. Legal assistance in the FEMA/Bar Association program is limited to cases that will not produce a fee for the attorney, such as lawsuits in which the lawyer receives a percentage of money obtained through the suit.
Spontaneous Volunteer Management
Programs that seek to maximize the effective utilization of convergent volunteers, i.e., people who spontaneously come forward to offer assistance following a disaster. Responsibilities may include providing information about volunteer opportunities, staging volunteers, providing appropriate tools and directing their activities.