Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program

 

To provide death benefits to the eligible survivors of federal, state, or local public safety officers whose deaths are the direct and proximate result of a personal (traumatic) injury sustained in the line of duty. Effective November 29, 1990, the Act also provides the same benefit to a public safety officer who has been permanently and totally disabled as the direct result of a catastrophic personal injury sustained in the line of duty. The injury must permanently prevent the officer from performing any gainful work.

Active 16.571 Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice D - Direct Payments With Unrestricted Use Not applicable. Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act of 1976, codified at 34 U.S.C. §§ 10281 – 10288 (as reclassified effective September 1, 2017), formerly classified to sections 3796 – 3796c-3 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Public safety officer means-- (A) an individual serving a public agency in an official capacity, with or without compensation, as a law enforcement officer, as a firefighter, or as a chaplain; (B) an employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency who is performing official duties of the Agency in an area, if those official duties- (i) are related to a major disaster or emergency that has been, or is later, declared to exist with respect to the area under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and (ii) are determined by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be hazardous duties; (C) an employee of a State, local, or tribal emergency management or civil defense agency who is performing official duties in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in an area, if those official duties- (i) are related to a major disaster or emergency that has been, or is later, declared to exist with respect to the area under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and (ii) are determined by the head of the agency to be hazardous duties; or (D) a member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew who, as authorized or licensed by law and by the applicable agency or entity, is engaging in rescue activity or in the provision of emergency medical services. Disabled public safety officers and eligible survivors of deceased public safety officers in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Pacific Trust Territories and the Northern Mariana Islands are also eligible for benefits under the Act. Death benefit coverage for (1) state and local law enforcement officers and firefighters applies to deaths occurring on or after September 29, 1976; (2) federal law enforcement officers and firefighters applies to deaths occurring on or after October 12, 1984; (3) federal, state, and local rescue squad and ambulance crew members applies to death occurring on or after October 15, 1986; (4) members of certain nonprofit rescue squads and ambulance crews applies to deaths occurring on or after June 1, 2009; and (5) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel and state, local, and tribal emergency management and civil defense agency employees applies to deaths occurring on or after October 30, 2000. Disability benefit coverage for federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, firefighters and members of public rescue squads and ambulance crews applies to injuries sustained on or after November 29, 1990. FEMA personnel and state, local, and tribal emergency management and civil defense agency employees are covered for such injuries sustained on or after October 30, 2000. Disability benefit coverage for federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, firefighters and members of public rescue squads and ambulance crews applies to injuries sustained on or after November 29, 1990. FEMA personnel and state, local, and tribal emergency management and civil defense agency employees are covered for such injuries sustained on or after October 30, 2000 and Chaplains as of September 11, 2001. As of January 2, 2013, disability benefit coverage for members of public agency and certain nonprofit rescue squads and ambulance crews applies to injuries sustained on or after June 1, 2009; for injuries sustained between June 29, 1990, and June 1, 2009, disability benefit coverage extends only to members of public agency rescue squads and ambulance crews. The Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Act, enacted in 1976, was designed to offer peace of mind to men and women seeking careers in public safety and to make a strong statement about the value American society places on the contributions of those who serve their communities in potentially dangerous circumstances. The PSOB Program provides a one-time financial benefit to the eligible survivors of public safety officers whose deaths are the direct and proximate result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty. The benefit is determined by the date of the fatal or totally and permanently disabling injury and is adjusted annually for inflation. A table with the annually adjusted amounts is contained here: https://www.psob.gov/benefits_by_year.html The PSOB Death Benefits Application consists of two parts, Part A and Part B. Part A is completed by the Applicant or Authorized Representative, and Part B is completed by the Employing Agency. The PSOB Disability Benefits Application also consists of two parts, Part A and Part B. Part A is completed by the Officer or Authorized Representative, and Part B is completed by the Employing Agency. Preapplication coordination is required. Employing agencies and/or claimants should initiate an application via the online system at www.psob.gov, or by emailing, telephoning, or writing to the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 810 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20531. Telephone: (1-888) 744-6513. Upon receiving such notification, program staff will guide the Employing Agency and Applicant through the online filing process, including basic documentation requirements. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Submit Part A and Part B and supporting documentation via the online portal at www.psob.gov. Upon a finding of eligibility by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, eligible claimants receive a lump sum benefit. For Death Benefit: If the officer is survived by spouse, but there are no eligible children, the spouse will receive 100% of the benefit. If the officer is survived by spouse and eligible children, the spouse will receive 50% of the benefit and the children will receive equal shares of the remaining 50%. If the officer is survived by eligible children but no spouse, the children will receive equal shares of the benefit. If the officer is survived by neither a spouse nor eligible children and did not have a PSOB designee or life insurance policy on file with his or her employing agency, then the benefit will be made payable to the surviving parents in equal shares. If there are no surviving parents, then children who would be eligible but for age will receive the benefit in equal shares. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. To provide a one-time financial death benefit to the eligible survivors of federal, state, local, and tribal public safety officers, and disability benefit to the federal, state, local, or tribal public safety officer whose permanent and total disability is the direct and proximate result of a catastrophic personal injury sustained in the line of duty. There are no restrictions to how the monies are spent once they reach the recipient with the exception that monies paid on behalf of minor children must be used for their care and benefit. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not Applicable. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Not Applicable. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Lump. None/Not specified. Hope Janke
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Assistance
Public Safety Officers' Benefits Office
810 7th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20531 US
AskPSOB@usdoj.gov
Phone: 1-888-744-6513 http://www.psob.gov 15-0403-0-1-754 (Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use) FY 18$131,860,720.00; FY 19 est $12,880,000.00; FY 20 est $139,800,000.00; FY 17$136,780,600.00; - None. For specific information pertaining to the regulations, guidelines and literature, please visit the OJP BJA PSOB website at https://www.psob.gov/index.html Not applicable.