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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 20

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 15 Chapter 20 Emergency and Special Assistance Programs

20.2.2.N Emergency Needs Created by Natural or Man-Made Disasters Natural disasters are catastrophic events and are limited only to floods, high winds, severe electric storms, earthquakes, hail, blizzards, heavy snowfall, and sub-zero temperatures. Man-made disasters are catastrophic events and are limited only to fire, explosions, falling objects, exposure to toxic elements such as gas, chemicals or other poisonous substances and dangerous situations created by automobile, airplane, and train crashes. In order to be eligible for payment, the emergency need must have been created by any of the catastrophic events referred to above. When an applicant requests EA as a result of a fire that has destroyed the applicant’s living quarters, the Worker must verify through a collateral contact with the local fire department that the fire did occur and that the item of need was destroyed. When an applicant requests EA as a result of natural or man-made disaster, the Worker must determine, as in any application for EA, the existence of resources available to the applicant prior to the approval and authorization for payment of the request for assistance. The Worker must determine whether or not insurance benefits are available prior to the authorization of EA. In addition, the Worker must determine that disaster related resources through such agencies as HUD, Red Cross, Community Services Administration, Rural Housing Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Volunteer and other local organizations, etc., are not available prior to the authorization of EA. When such resources are available, the Worker must refer the applicant to these resources. The Worker, therefore, provides a referral service to eliminate or prevent an emergency. When an area or locale has been declared a disaster area and Federal and/or State aid is forthcoming, but not immediately available to eliminate emergencies, the Worker must carefully evaluate the nature of the applicant's emergency to determine if the Federal and/or State aid will eliminate or prevent the emergency. If the Worker feels that authorization for payment of EA must be made, he must obtain verification of need through a collateral contact with the responsible local agency or person who is in charge of assessing the damages or loss to the community. Applicants who have received EA within the last 12 consecutive months, including the current month of application are not denied EA as a result of natural or man-made disasters if they are otherwise eligible for such benefits. However, EA payments are made from 100 percent state funds.