BJA Programs
Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program: Educational Assistance Benefits
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Claim Form for PSOB Education Benefits
The Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Program includes the Public Safety Officers' Educational Assistance (PSOEA) Program, which expands on efforts started under the Federal Law Enforcement Dependents Assistance (FLEDA) Act (Public Law 104-238 (PDF or ASCII)) of 1996. The PSOEA Program provides assistance for higher education for the spouses and children of federal, state, and local public safety officers who have been killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. The act was amended in 1998 (Public Law 105-390 (PDF or ASCII)) to include educational assistance to spouses and children of state and local public safety officers. The educational assistance may be used to defray relevant expenses, including tuition and fees, room and board, books, supplies, and other education-related costs. As of October 1, 2009, the maximum award for a full-time student is $925.00 per month of class attendance. (All award amounts are proportionately less for part-time students.) All PSOEA awards must, by law, be reduced by the amount of other governmental assistance that a student is eligible to receive. This program has three primary purposes:
Educational assistance through the PSOEA Program is available to the spouse or children of a public safety officer after the PSOB death or disability claim process has been completed and benefits have been awarded. PSOB specialists work with each PSOEA applicant to confirm that the parent's or spouse's disability or death claim had previously been approved by the PSOB Office and that, in cases regarding an officer's death, the applicant had received at least a portion of the PSOB benefits. Eligibility dates for PSOB benefits can be found on the pages that discuss death claims and disability claims. Under the PSOEA Program:
The spouse of a public safety officer is eligible to receive PSOEA funds for educational expenses at any time during his or her lifetime. However, for a child of the deceased or disabled officer, eligibility is limited to educational expenses that occur prior to his or her 27th birthday. Also, a spouse or child is eligible to receive PSOEA funds for a period no greater than 45 months of full-time education or a proportionate period of a part-time program. Applying for Educational Assistance Individuals who meet the eligibility requirements should request an application for educational assistance directly from the PSOB Office. Before an application is sent out, the applicant is asked for standard information, which is then checked to verify that, as required, the PSOB Death Benefit has been received by the applicant or the applicant's spouse or parent. Also, the name of the school being attended is checked to ensure that it is on the list of eligible institutions of higher learning, as authorized by the U.S. Department of Education. If the applicant is eligible to receive educational assistance, a packet of materials is sent out. Included in this mailing are the program regulations and a guidance letter detailing what materials the applicant must submit, such as a transcript and a list of expenses. Based on the documentation subsequently received, the PSOB Office calculates the payment amount for which the applicant is eligible. A determination is prepared and sent along with the case file to the Office of Justice Programs' Office of General Counsel for concurrence and to confirm that all legal requirements have been met. Because there is a maximum amount that can be paid, assistance from the PSOEA Program often covers only a portion of the student's expenses. It is also important to note that, per the PSOEA legislation, Public Law 105-390 (PDF or ASCII), payments must be reduced (and may be eliminated entirely) if educational assistance has been or otherwise would have been received from other federal, state, or local government sources or public schools. Assistance from loans, private schools, or private foundations or organizations will not directly reduce PSOEA benefits. With regard to student loans, however, the PSOEA regulations state that an individual who is in default on any student loan (e.g., Stafford or Perkins loans) obtained through Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 cannot receive PSOEA benefits unless those benefits are used for repayment of the defaulted loan. Even though applicants can apply for retroactive assistance for all semesters already completed, they can request prospective assistance only for the current or upcoming semester. Therefore, applicants who are still in school typically receive multiple PSOEA awards as they submit updated documentation each time they complete one semester and prepare to attend the next. This is to ensure that students continue their schooling and make satisfactory progress, as PSOEA payments may be discontinued if the student does not achieve at least a 2.0 (letter grade of "C") grade point average. Payment of Educational Assistance PSOEA award payments are made through the U.S. Department of the Treasury and sent directly to the claimant. A check is mailed to the applicant's home address (as provided on the PSOEA application) within 14 business days after he or she receives a notification letter. Payment can also be made by direct deposit if the applicant provides banking information. The average time for an applicant to receive a PSOEA award is 4–6 weeks after all the necessary documentation has been submitted to the PSOB office. If the decision is unfavorable, the claimant will receive the grounds for that finding and have 30 days from receipt of notification to request an appeal of the decision and offer any new evidence or line of reasoning on the issues in controversy.
Concerns of Police Survivors: COPS Scholarship Program
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: Educational Assistance for Survivors of Fallen Firefighters
Fraternal Order of Police: The Steve Young Memorial Scholarship Program |
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