FEMA Administrator Announces Sweeping Changes to Disaster Assistance Program to Make it Easier for Survivors to Receive Assistance

[January 24, 2024] – According to a news release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), last week FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced the most comprehensive updates to FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program in the past 20 years.

Commissioner Frank Williams, who has advocated for simplification of FEMA’s individual assistance programs, said, “This is long overdue. I am cautiously optimistic that it is a step in the right direction, but the devil will be in the details.”

According to FEMA’s news release, these planned updates to reform the Individual Assistance program will:

• Establish new benefits that provide flexible funding directly to survivors when they need it most.
• Cut red tape and expand eligibility to reach more people and help them recover faster, while building back stronger.
• Simplify the application process to meet survivors’ individual needs and meet people where they are. 

Click here for the full release.

Related Links:

• Full details on the new changes
• Brunswick County Commissioner Frank Williams’ FEMA resolution adopted by National Association of Counties
• Commissioner Williams’ 100 Counties Prepared NCACC Presidential Initiative