FEMA Changes to Support Disaster Survivors
‘The most comprehensive updates’ in ‘20 years’
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may provide assistance to disaster survivors through the Individual Assistance (IA) program pursuant to a presidential declaration of emergency or major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Some stakeholders, including members of Congress, federal officials, emergency managers, scholars and survivors, have expressed concern that federal disaster assistance does not adequately reach underserved populations. FEMA has recently made changes to its provision of IA, aimed at improving the experience of disaster survivors, including by streamlining its disaster assistance programs and removing barriers to accessing assistance.
