New York State Temporary Emergency Relief Administration Manual of Procedure for Local Relief Administrations

The Temporary Emergency Relief Administration (TERA) was created by the New York State Emergency Relief Act of 1931 (Chapter 798) to oversee the distribution of public relief assistance to unemployed New Yorkers and their families. The legislation stipulated the duties of TERA, namely: to conduct studies of unemployment data, and the occupations, trades, and industries most affected by unemployment in New York State; to determine the amount of resources available for persons on relief; to coordinate its work with federal, state, and local agencies; and to work with local bureaus to ascertain the level of relief needed in specific public welfare districts throughout the state.

This mimeographed volume outlines the legal mandates and procedures to be followed by the State Temporary Emergency Relief Administration (TERA) and local welfare districts providing relief assistance to New Yorkers. It contains information on the following: general requirements, definitions, home relief, work relief procedure, commodity distribution, purchases and equipment rentals, accounts of fiscal officers, and special programs (College Student Aid, Emergency Education, Fresh Milk, Civilian Conservation Corps, and Transient Program for Unattached Individuals and Homeless Families). The location of other state-level records of TERA is unknown.

Series A3273 Subject and correspondence files of Dr. H. Jackson Davis

and Series A3274 Files Relating to Public Health contain additional records relating to public relief during this period.

New York State Temporary Emergency Relief Administration, "Manual of Medical Care: Rules and Regulations Governing Medical Care Provided in the Home to Recipients of Home Relief," 1936, available at the New York State Library.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.