The PSOEA Program, an expansion of the Federal Law
Enforcement Dependents Assistance (FLEDA) Program, provides financial
assistance for higher education to the spouses and children of public safety
officers killed in line of duty. The PSOEA Program also makes assistance
available to spouses and children of public safety officers permanently and
totally disabled by catastrophic injuries sustained in the line of duty. Under
the PSOEA program, the families of state and local police, fire, and emergency
public safety officers are covered for line-of-duty deaths that occurred on or
after January 1, 1978. The families of Federal law enforcement officers and
firefighters are covered for line of duty deaths occurring on or after October
12, 1984. The effective date for families of permanently and totally disabled
Federal law enforcement officers is October 3, 1996. Families of state and
local police, fire, and emergency public safety officers are covered for
line-of-duty permanent and totally disabling injuries that occurred on or
after October 1, 1997. Families of Federal Emergency Management Agency (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.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Program funds are intended solely to defray eligible applicants' educational
expenses, which may include tuition, room and board, books, supplies, and fees
consistent with the educational, professional or vocational objectives of the
applicant. Funds are restricted to defray above costs only.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Dependents who 1) attend a
program of education at an eligible institution; or 2) are the spouse and/or
surviving children under the age of 27 of Federal, state and local public
safety officers, whose deaths or permanent and totally disabling injuries are
covered by the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Program (42 U.S.C. 3796
et seq.) are eligible for this program. A public safety officer is a person
serving a public agency in an official capacity, with or without compensation,
as a law enforcement officer, firefighter or member of a public rescue squad
or ambulance crew.
Beneficiary Eligibility: The spouse and surviving
children under the age of 27 of Federal, state and local public safety
officers receive the ultimate benefits from this program.
Credentials/Documentation: Documentation needed
to apply for assistance includes: the Application for Public Safety Officer's
Educational Assistance (42 U.S.C. 3796 d); educational transcripts; acceptance
letters to educational/professional institutions; schedule of classes;
verification of full or part-time status; and certification of other forms of
educational assistance. Contact the PSOB office at 1-888-SIGNL13 (744-6513)
for full credential/documentation requirements.
Pre-application Coordination: Claimants may initiate
a claim by writing or telephoning the PSOEA Program, Benefits Office, Bureau
of Justice Assistance, 810 Seventh Street, NW., Washington, DC 20531,
1-888-SIGNL13 (744-6513). This program is excluded from E.O. 12372
"Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs."
Application Procedure: The applicant must submit
a fully executed application to the PSOEA Program, Benefits Office, Bureau of
Justice Assistance, 810 Seventh Street, NW.,Washington, DC 20531.
Award Procedure: Upon a finding of eligibility by
the Bureau of Justice Assistance, claimants are typically awarded funds in 4
to 8 months increments or more if requesting retroactive reimbursement.
Deadlines: Children of public safety officers
(who have been found eligible for the PSOB Program) could request retroactive
assistance for educational cost incurred prior to their 27th birthday.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Dependent on
sufficiency of claim documentation.
Appeals: Applicants may appeal within 30 days of
denial notification. The appeal process consists of a record review by an
administration hearing officer.
Renewals: Not applicable.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements: Not applicable.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Assistance
is available for 45 months of full-time education or training, or for a
proportional period of time for a part-time program. Assistance is typically
awarded in 9-month installments to coincide with the length of a school
semester.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Not applicable.
Audits: Not applicable.
Records: Not applicable.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification: 15-0403-0-1-754.
Obligations: (Awards) FY 01 $592,849; FY 02 est
$1,739,659; and FY 03 est $0.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance:
Assistance ranges from $404 per month for full-time students, $304 for
three-quarter-time students, and $202 for half-time students. The amount of
assistance is subject to change consistent with the current computation of
educational assistance allowance set forth in Title IV of the Higher Education
Act, Section 3532 of Title 38, U.S.C.
In fiscal year 2001, BJA provided 84 dependents with educational assistance
under PSOEA.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
The Bureau of Justice Assistance's Public Safety Officers' Educational
Assistance Program Fact Sheet (August 1999); Federal Register guidelines are
available.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office: None.
Headquarters Office: office of Justice Programs,
Bureau of Justice Assistance, Department of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20531. Contact: Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program.
Telephone: (888) 744-6513 or (202) 307-0635.
Web Site Address: www.usdoj.gov/bja
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Not applicable.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Applications received by BJA are reviewed for
completeness, accuracy, and compliance with all program requirements.
