GAO urges FEMA to restore disability training and standardize coordination

The Government Accountability Office's latest report recommends that the Federal Emergency Management Agency reinstate disability-focused training for state and local partners, standardize the role of regional disability specialists, and solicit feedback on the individual assistance application process. The three recommendations are listed as open and FEMA has formally concurred.

FEMA discontinued the disability-inclusion training from its curriculum in 2025, citing compliance with various Executive Orders. GAO notes that more than a year has passed without the training, increasing the risk that partners cannot effectively assist people with disabilities during disasters.

The report documents that, from 2022 through 2025, applicants with disabilities were approved at a rate four percentage points lower than those without disabilities. GAO also observed inconsistent coordination by regional disability staff and a lack of systematic feedback on the grant application's readability, which is written at a grade-12 level.

Interviews were conducted with officials in Hawaii, Louisiana and Kentucky - states that experienced distinct disasters between 2023 and 2025 - and with organizations that serve people with disabilities. The GAO analysis was undertaken under the Think Differently About Emergencies Act, which mandates a review of FEMA's assistance to people with disabilities.

FEMA's response indicates agreement with the recommendations, but no implementation actions have been reported. The agency's next steps will determine whether the suggested training, coordination standards, and application-process improvements become operational.