Emergency Financial Assistance
HRSA Service Definition
Emergency Financial Assistance provides limited one-time or short-term payments to assist the RWHAP client with an emergent need for paying for essential utilities, housing, food (including groceries, and food vouchers), transportation, and medication. Emergency financial assistance can occur as a direct payment to an agency or through a voucher program.
Program Guidance:
Direct cash payments to clients are not permitted.
It is expected that all other sources of funding in the community for emergency financial assistance will be effectively used and that any allocation of RWHAP funds for these purposes will be as the payer of last resort, and for limited amounts, uses, and periods of time. Continuous provision of an allowable service to a client should not be funded through emergency financial assistance.
See also:
AIDS Drug Assistance Program Treatments
Local AIDS Pharmaceutical Assistance Program
Other corresponding categories
Number of Clients Served, Units Provided, Expenditures, Allocation, and Over/Under-spending
| Year | 2016* | 2017* | 2018 | 2019** | 2020*** | 2021*** | 2022*** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EFA Clients (voucher) | 120 | 103 | 393 | ||||
| EFA Units (voucher) | 120 | 103 | 887 | ||||
| EFA Dollars (voucher) | 68,604 | 74,162 | 85,122 | ||||
| Allocated Dollars (voucher) | $71,288 | $70,486 | $69,415 | ||||
| Over/ Underspending (voucher) | $2,684 under | $3,676 over | $15,707 over | ||||
| EFA Clients (medication) | 423 | 366 | 213 | ||||
| EFA Units (meds) | 741 | 665 | 319 | ||||
| EFA (meds) Dollars | $1,298,327 | $1,156,211 | $598,150 | $518,002 | |||
| Allocated Dollars (meds) | $1,279,961 | $1,102,934 | $1,086,158 | $765,979 | |||
| Over/ Underspending (meds) | $18,366 over | $53,277 over | $488,088 under | $247,977 under | |||
| EFA clients (HSE) | 237 | 248 | 416 | 476 | |||
| EFA Units (HSE) | 363 | 321 | 518 | 654 | |||
| EFA (HSE) Dollars | $385,585 | $301,118 | $501,109 | $956,743 | $1,132,623 | ||
| EFA (Housing) Allocation Dollars | $385,663 | $288,663 | $780,120 | $1,068,469 | $1,084,807 | ||
| Over/ Underspending (housing) | $78 over | $12,455 over | $279,011 under | $112,000 under | $47,816 over |
*Approximately 2/3rds of the services previously funded under Local AIDS Pharmaceutical Assistance was funded under emergency financial assistance in 2016, in accordance with the guidance.
**Housing and Utilities were combined in the reporting submitted.
***All EFA Services are combined
Funding by Part, and info on any other payers
| Total Part A Funds (Formula + Supp.) | MAI | Total Part B Funds (Formula + Supp. NJ) | Total Part B Funds (Formula + Supp. PA) | Total Part C EIS Funds (State & Local) | Total Part D Funds (State & Local) | Total Part F Funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Last Year Allocation | $71,332 | ||||||
| $402,523 | |||||||
| $610,951 | $490,665 | ||||||
| Current Allocation | $73,587 | ||||||
| $422,939 | |||||||
| $600,167 |
Consumer survey info 2017 n=392
| n | Used in the last 12 months | Needed but did not get (last 12 months) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Financial Assistance | 114 | 39.5% | 60.5% |
Community Survey 2022 Service Responses n=236
| I never personally needed this service | I needed this service and received it | I needed but did not get this service | I never heard of this service | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EFA | 31.78% | 24.15% | 9.75% | 10.59% |
Unmet need
For the purposes of this document, need is based on the response of a consumer when asked if there was a service they needed. MMP interviews patients in care and asks consumers if they need a service and if they receive it. Client services unit data identifies needs at the time of initial intake.
| 2015-18 MMP Percent with a Need | 2021 Client Services Unit Need at Intake | |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Financial Assistance (Benefits Assistance) | - | 34.1% |
Recipient Service Considerations
Emergency Financial Assistance
All other available community resources must be exhausted prior to applying for these funds. 60 (14.4%) more clients received services under EFA in comparison to the previous year, and utilization increased by 136 units (26.3%).
Expenditures increased in this category in FY22 by 18.4%.
The cost per unit of service declined from $1,847 to $1,731 (-6%).