Other Needs Assistance

What do chemical spills and dam failures have in common?

They are incidents that could pose a threat to life, safety, and property beyond the response capabilities of local and state government.

At the request of the state Governor and the recommendation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), The President of the United States declares the incident a major disaster. The "Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act" was created in response to major disasters: natural, technological, or manmade.

Section 408 of the Stafford Act provides Assistance to Individuals and Households.  It is implemented if the Governor requests it as part of the disaster declaration. The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) - Other Needs Assistance provides grants up to $28,200 to victims of a presidential declared disaster. Grants are cost shared; 75% of the actual cost is federally funded and 25% of the actual cost is provided by the state.

The purpose of the IHP Program is to provide financial assistance through grants to individuals and families who sustain damage or develop serious needs because of the declared disaster. The grants are provided only after verification that the serious needs and necessary expenses cannot be met by insurance, another federal program, or other sources of assistance.

Serious needs and necessary expenses include:

• Housing
• Personal Property
• Transportation
• Medical and Dental
• Funeral
• Flood Insurance
• Moving and Storage

The program is not intended to provide for the purchase of non-essential, luxury or decorative items. Also, it is not the intent to return the grant recipient to his/her pre-disaster status or provide assistance for verified pre-existing conditions.

To date, the state has awarded over $3.6 million in grants to South Dakota citizens with disaster related serious needs and necessary expenses.