In the event of a qualifying death/disability to an eligible public safety officer, beneficiaries may be eligible for benefits from the Public Safety Memorial Fund Board. In order to be eligible for those benefits, certain timelines must be kept according to the administrative rules and laws that govern the Memorial Fund and its Board.
- Notice of Death or Disability - to be completed by the employing agency for initial notification.
- The employing agency must provide this form to the Memorial Fund Board/DPSST no later than three (3) days from the date of the officer's death or notice of permanent, total disability.
- Initial Application for Benefits - to be completed by the beneficiary or applicant for initial benefit determination.
- Memorial Fund Board/DPSST may request a variety of
documentation to substantiate the facts stated in the application
form. The applicant has 180 days from the date DPSST mails the notice requesting information to furnish the requested materials.
- Scholarships - In general, benefits for undergraduate studies are not available as long as such benefits are available from the federal Public Safety Officers Benefits Program (PSOB). Benefits for graduate studies may be available if all criteria are met and funds are available within the Fund. Scholarship awards cannot exceed the amount of the highest tuition charged by an Oregon institution for a graduate or undergraduate program.
- Higher Education for Minors - A Supplemental Application for Benefits form requesting higher education benefits must be submitted to the Memorial Fund Board/DPSST any time up to five (5) years after the applicant graduates from high school (if the applicant was a minor at the time of the officer's death/disability and an original Supplemental Application for Benefits form was submitted for consideration within six months from the date of the death or notice of a permanent, total disability).
- Higher Education for Adults - A Supplemental Application for Benefits form requesting higher education benefits must be submitted to the Memorial Fund Board/DPSST any time up to:
- Five years after the qualifying death/disability if the applicant is the public safety officer who suffered a qualifying disability or is the designee of an eligible public safety officer; or
- The date the surviving spouse remarries (if the applicant was the surviving spouse of a public safety officer who died) or the date the spouse divorces the public safety officer (if the applicant was the spouse of a public safety officer who suffered a permanent, total disability).
- Health/Dental Insurance - Beneficiaries may be eligible for award of monies to allow the purchase of health/dental insurance comparable to that provided by the public safety officer for up to five (5) years from the date of death/disability, or until the surviving spouse remarries. Dependents are eligible until they attain 18 years of age (or age 23 if the child is attending school).
- Mortgage Payments - If there is no mortgage insurance to cover the costs, spouses or designees may be eligible for an award of monies in an amount up to the equivalent of 12 monthly mortgage payments on the residence of the spouse. Application must be made within 12 months of the initial determination of eligibility.
If eligible to receive an award, the Memorial Fund Board may consider any other monetary awards for which family members applied (or may be eligible for) when considering the amount of award to be granted. The Memorial Fund Board may consider financial need as well as the amount of funds available and anticipated amounts needed to meet all other anticipated claims to the fund. The Memorial Fund Board has the right to prioritize claims or pro-rate the amounts awarded based upon the anticipated available funds. Payments may be made in a lump sum or in periodic payments to the beneficiaries.
If you have any questions or would like additional information about the Public Safety Memorial Fund, please contact the DPSST at (503) 378-2100.