The PSOB program is administered by the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA's), PSOB Office. Since its inception in 1976, the PSOB program has been expanded to provide disability benefits to public safety officers disabled by an injury suffered in the line of duty and education benefits to the spouses and children of public safety officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The PSOB death benefit is a mandatory program, and the disability and education benefits are discretionary programs. As such, Congress appropriates "such sums as are necessary" each fiscal year to fund the PSOB death benefit program while appropriating separate amounts for both the disability and education benefits programs. PSOB Death Benefit

The PSOB program provides a death benefit to eligible survivors of a public safety officer whose death is the direct and proximate result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty or certain work-related heart attacks or strokes. The PSOB program pays a one-time lump sum death benefit to eligible survivors of a public safety officer killed in the line of duty. 101-647 expanded the scope of the PSOB program to provide a disability benefit to public safety officers who have been permanently and totally disabled as the direct and proximate result of a catastrophic injury sustained in the line of duty, if the injury permanently prevents the officer from performing any gainful work. 104-238 ) authorized the Public Safety Officers' Educational Assistance (PSOEA) program. Appeal of Denied Claims

Claimants are allowed to appeal claims that are denied by the PSOB Office. The claimant may file supporting evidence or legal arguments along with the request for a hearing officer determination. If a claim is denied by the hearing officer, the claimant can appeal to the Director. If the Director denies the claim, the claimant can appeal the denial in the United States Court of Federal Claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1491(a).
The Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program provides three different types of benefits to public safety officers and their survivors: death, disability, and education benefits. The PSOB program is administered by the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA's) PSOB Office.
The PSOB death benefit is a mandatory program, and the disability and education benefits are discretionary programs. As such, Congress appropriates "such sums as are necessary" each fiscal year to fund the PSOB death benefit program while appropriating separate amounts for both the disability and education benefits programs.
The PSOB program provides a one-time lump sum death benefit to eligible survivors of public safety officers whose deaths are the direct and proximate result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty or from certain line-of-duty heart attacks, strokes, and vascular ruptures.
The PSOB program provides a one-time lump sum disability benefit to public safety officers who have been permanently and totally disabled by a catastrophic injury sustained in the line of duty, if the injury permanently prevents the officer from performing any gainful work.
The PSOB program also provides assistance for higher education expenses (e.g., tuition and fees, books, supplies, and room and board) to spouses and children of public safety officers who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty. Educational assistance is available to the spouse and children of a public safety officer after the PSOB death or disability claim has been approved and awarded.
Claimants have the opportunity to appeal denied claims. If the PSOB Office denies a claim, the claimant can request that a hearing officer review the claim. If the hearing officer denies the claim, the claimant can request that the Director of BJA review the claim. Claimants may file supporting evidence or legal arguments along with their request for a review by a hearing officer or the Director. If the claim is denied by the Director, claimants can appeal the denial in the United States Court of Federal Claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1491(a).