FEMA to help those who buried COVID-19 victims

Program details being finalized, announced this week

SANTA CRUZ >> Beginning in early April, Santa Cruz County residents may begin to learn more about a program brought forth by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help offset the cost of lives lost to COVID-19.

The COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program, as a part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, provides financial assistance for the funeral expenses incurred to bury people who have died from COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families,” FEMA says on its page dedicated to the program. “At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus.”

FEMA Public Affairs Specialist Frank Mansell said this is applicable to costs Jan. 21, 2020 and later. Individuals who had to pay out-of-pocket expenses can call a toll-free number, soon to be designated and posted on the program page, and speak about their situation as long as they have documentation such as receipts regarding the deceased.

“This is for the uninsured, you cannot duplicate benefits of any of our programs,” Mansell said. “If a family or individual was reimbursed and they got a $3,000 settlement from their insurance policy, and another set of funds from somewhere else, paying nothing then none of that would be eligible.”

Mansell said this week that some details about the program, such as the intake call system, are still being finalized so advocacy will begin in the coming days. However, applicants should know that there is no flat fee that they can be reimbursed; it all depends on their situation.

“If your actual expenditures were, say, $33,250 that’s what you’d be eligible for,” Mansell said.

FEMA seeks to help as many qualified applicants as possible. As long as they are applied and assessed, there is a likelihood for reimbursement; there is no economic cap on the program.

Santa Cruz County spokesman Jason Hoppin said late last week that the county had not been given information on the FEMA program yet.

“We… will look for (the details) and do our best to make it available to local residents,” Hoppin said.

To learn more about the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program, visit https:// bit.ly/2QFToL8.