What does Other Needs Assistance (ONA) cover?

Other Needs Assistance (ONA) is a component of FEMA's Individual Assistance program that provides aid to individuals and households for certain disaster-related expenses that are not covered by other forms of assistance. The coverage provided by ONA includes a variety of essential needs that arise as a direct result of a disaster, which may include costs related to funeral expenses, medical bills, dental care, and other necessary expenses that a disaster may incur.

This assistance is designed to address the immediate and pressing needs of disaster survivors, ensuring that they can recover from the disaster's impact. The inclusion of funeral, medical, dental, and necessary expenses reflects FEMA's recognition that disasters can significantly affect the overall well-being of affected individuals and households, often requiring support beyond basic housing and transportation needs.

Other options determine much narrower scopes of assistance that do not encompass the wide range of necessary expenses that ONA is intended to cover. For example, focusing solely on housing repairs or transportation costs would limit the support available to individuals who may need help with medical bills or loss of personal property due to the disaster.