Programs that provide a variety of services following or in the midst of a major disaster or large-scale emergency which help individuals cope with their own psychological reactions to the incident and/or prepare them to provide emotional support for family members, friends and neighbors who are feeling frightened, confused and no longer in control of their lives because of the event.

Programs that provide a single point of contact for disaster assistance applicants who need a wide variety of services that may be provided by many different organizations. The objective is to create a coordinated system that enables an individual or family who has survived a disaster to provide information about their situation to one organization that serves as their advocate and helps them organize and access disaster related resources and implement a recovery plan that will help them achieve pre-disaster levels of functioning and equilibrium. Disaster-related case managers assess the individual's needs, coordinate the delivery of needed services, ensure that services are obtained in accordance with the recovery plan, and follow up and monitor progress to ensure that services are having a beneficial impact on the problem. The service is particularly critical in situations where large-scale deaths and injuries have occurred.

Programs that provide financial assistance, building materials and supplies and/or the services of volunteers who have building trade expertise to help individuals and families whose homes have suffered damage in a major disaster or large-scale emergency make necessary repairs.

Individuals who have suffered physical injury or loss of property due to a sudden calamitous event of natural or human origin such as a fire, flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake or outbreak of war or civil unrest.