The State Individual Assistance (IA) Program
The State Individual Assistance (IA) Program was past by the Ohio General Assembly and signed by Governor Taft in the spring of 2001 and went into effect July 1, 2001. The flooding of July 18, 2001 in Butler County was the first time this program was used to assist families in Ohio.

The State Individual Assistance (IA) Program may provide grants for disaster-related serious unmet needs to families and individuals that have uninsured essential private property losses or damages. The disaster must be declared by local government(s), the governor and the Small Business Administration (SBA) and would not be declared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

To be eligible to receive assistance from the State IA Program the applicant must first seek a home/personal property disaster loan from the SBA and be denied or determined ineligible for a loan. The losses and damages must also be uninsured with no other assistance available from other sources and fall within the State IA Program's eligible categories and criteria. The State IA Program is designed to address the disaster-related serious, essential unmet needs or losses the SBA Program, insurance, voluntary agencies and other state agencies do not address.

The framework of the State IA Program is based on the FEMA Individuals and Households Program (IHP). The State IA Program is designed to address disaster-related damages and/or losses in the following categories: Real Property which is damage to primary residences for homeowners; Personal Property to include essential major appliances and furniture for homeowners and renters; Medical; Dental; Funeral; Transportation and Other losses. As with the FEMA HIP, not all losses or damages caused by the declared event may qualify for reimbursement.

The maximum grant amount for the FEMA HIP and State IA Program is determined annually in October based on the federal Consumer Price Index. The current maximum amount for the Federal Fiscal Year 2006 is $16,200.

The State IA Program is funded entirely by the State of Ohio and is administered by the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, Disaster Recovery Branch.