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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

83.539:  Crisis Counseling

Objectives:  To provide immediate crisis counseling services, when required, to victims of a major Federally-declared disaster for the purpose of relieving mental health problems caused or aggravated by a major disaster or its aftermath. Assistance provided is short-term in nature and provided at no cost to the disaster victims.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

83.539 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  States are eligible for grants. If the Governor determines during the assessment that because of unusual circumstances or serious conditions within the State or local mental health network, the State cannot carry out the crisis counseling program, he/she may identify a public or private mental health agency or organization to carry out the program or request the FEMA Regional Director to identify, with assistance of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), such an agency or organization.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Individual disaster victims in Federally designated major disaster areas.

Credentials/Documentation:  Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments. Grant awards will be determined in accordance with OMB Circulars No. A-102 and No. A-87 for State and local governments. Awards made to Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Non-Profit Organizations will be required to follow the requirements of OMB Circulars No. A-110 and No. A-21.

83.539 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  Consultation and assistance are available from FEMA and the Center for Mental Health Services of the DHHS. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  Upon declaration of a Federal emergency or major disaster, application for Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training is made through the Governor's Authorized Representative to the Regional Director of FEMA.

Award Procedure:  Funds are allocated from the President's Disaster Relief Fund. Immediate services grants are approved by the FEMA Regional Director from this allocation on the basis of the project application. Funds are awarded to State offices of emergency management which are responsible for distributing funds to State mental health or other agency or organization identified by the Governor.

Deadlines:  Immediate services applications are due within 14 days of a Presidential declaration.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  From 1 day to 2 weeks.

Appeals:  For immediate services grants, the State may appeal the Regional Director's decision in writing within 60 days of the date of notification of the application decision. The State may further appeal the Regional Director's decision to the Deputy Associate Director of the Response and Recovery Directorate.

Renewals:  Not applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Presidential declaration of a major Federal disaster. The State must justify that the needs are disaster related and beyond State and local resources.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Immediate Crisis Counseling Services for victims of floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other Federally declared major disasters as defined by the Stafford Act.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  Not applicable.

83.539 RELATED PROGRAMS:

• 93.982 Mental Health Disaster Assistance and Emergency Mental Health.

83.539 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

The program responded to 18 (18) major disaster declarations in 14 (14) States during fiscal year 1999.

83.539 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  RESPONSE AND RECOVERY DIRECTORATE, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants.

Obligations:  (Grants) Not separately identifiable.

Budget Account Number:  58-0104-0-1-453.

Authorization:  Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Section 416, Public Law 93-288, as amended; Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Act, Public Law 100-707.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  44 CFR 206.171, Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training; and RR-9, State Handbook Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training.

83.539 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  See Appendix IV of the Catalog for a listing of addresses for FEMA's Regional Offices.

Headquarters Office:  Laurence Zensinger, Director, Human Services Division, Response and Recovery Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC 20472. Phone: (202) 646-3642.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

83.539 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  This program has no statutory formula or matching requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Immediate services are provided from date of incident up to 60 days from the date of declaration. Assistance is awarded as required.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Grants to States to provide immediate crisis counseling services including screening, diagnostic, and counseling techniques, as well as outreach services such as public information, community networking, consultation and education which can be applied to meet mental health needs immediately after a major Federal disaster declaration. Mental health workers specified in the grant are eligible for training that will enable them to provide crisis counseling services. The grant may not be used to provide treatment for substance abuse, mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, or any pre-existing mental health conditions.

83.539 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Quarterly, interim and final progress reports are required. Site visits are conducted as deemed necessary by the FEMA Regional Director.

Audits:  In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records:  Expenditure records and related documents must be retained for 3 years from date of final payment.