loading…
loading…
loading…
STATE OF ALASKA
Department of Health
Division of Public Assistance
TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: 2025-02
MANUAL: Heating Assistance Program
DATE: September 2, 2025
Several sections of the Heating Assistance Program Policy Manual have been revised in order to incorporate new policy, clarify existing policy, and align policies within our division's policy manuals.
If you have questions, please contact the Policy & Program Development Team at hss.dpa.policy@alaska.gov.
OVERVIEW OF CHANGES
MS 3000 INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITIONS
Clarified payments are made to HAP Heating Assistance Program approved vendors.
MS 3000-2 DEFINITIONS
Revised categorically eligible definition for clarity and removed APA Adult Public Assistance as an allowable program.
Updated categorically eligible note to clarify that state funded programs do not qualify for categorical eligibility status.
Updated the crisis definition by removing reference to outdoor temperature and the restriction of only on expedite request per season to align with the LIHEAP Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Model Plan.
Updated the life-threatening crisis definition by removing the weather restriction and the restriction of only one expedite request per season to align with the LIHEAP Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Model Plan.
Added definitions for the following terms: deliverable fuel, dwelling, emancipated minor, metered fuel, and minor child.
Added LIHEAP Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Model Plan definition, as defined in 7 AAC 44.900(16) .
Revised vulnerable population definition for clarity.
MS 3001-4 VERIFICATIONS
Clarified that all applicants must have annual heating costs exceeding $200.
Clarified that approved vendors are not required for wood purchases.
Revised house sitter verification options for clarity.
Removed the option to provide a rent receipt for verification of heat expenses. An applicant is not required to be current on their rental payments in order to receive assistance and the rental receipt does not verify the other factors required to determine eligibility, such as: primary fuel type, type of dwelling, number of bedrooms, etc.
Removed rent receipt from Example 3.
Clarified that applicants living in temporary shelter for more than 60 days must provide verification of an annual heating cost that exceeds $200. Heating costs may include daily shelter fees.
Revised section for clarity replaced "Priority Points" links with a link to HAP MS 3002-1A(13) .
Removed rent receipt requirement in Example 5, to align with updated policy within the section.
MS 3001-5 ACTIONS TAKEN ON THE APPLICATION
Removed reference to "office assistant" since DPA Division of Public Assistance has reclassed this position to a caseworker.
Removed note, stating households can only request expedite service once per season, as there is no limit to the number of applications a person can submit to the program.
Removed "medically necessary" criteria and replaced with "crisis" and "life-threatening crisis."
Clarified that DPA Division of Public Assistance can accept the verbal equivalent of a shut-off notice from a vendor.
Added note clarifying that client statement is acceptable when a client claims to be out of or within 48 hours of being out of deliverable fuel.
Clarified non-life-threatening crisis applications must be processed within 48 hours of DPA Division of Public Assistance receiving a complete application.
Changed the crisis application acceptance period from October 1 through September 30 to October 1 through June 30.
Clarified that address and vendor changes need to be documented and updated in ECOS Energy Community Online System .
MS 3002-1 TYPES OF HOUSEHOLDS
Revised section for clarity.
Corrected house sitter's required heating costs from "at least $200" to "exceeds $200."
Updated "Categorical Households" to "Categorically Eligible Households."
Replaced "income tested" with a list of the actual programs that a household may participate in to be considered Categorically Eligible.
Removed references to ATAP Alaska Temporary Assistance Program as the reference to TANF Temporary Assistance to Needy Families includes ATAP Alaska Temporary Assistance Program .
Clarified how categorical eligibility streamlines the HAP Heating Assistance Program application processing.
Updated categorically eligible note to clarify that state funded programs do not qualify for categorical eligibility status.
Added section regarding vulnerable populations and explained their eligibility priority over other applicants.
MS 3003-4 SELF-EMPLOYMENT ANNUALIZATION STANDARDS
Revised the self-employment annualization standards that change effective October 1, 2025.
MS 3004-1 ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION TIME FRAMES
Revised section for clarity.
Updated the Crisis Assistance application period from October 1 through September 30 to October 1 through June 30.
Clarified households are limited to one benefit per season from one of the three program components.
Clarified that supplement payments may be issued if the budget allows for it.
Added reference and link to "crisis" definition.
Added reference and link to the "vulnerable populations" definition.
Removed priority processing category "Application Priority Processing" as applications are required to be processed in date order of receipt per 7 AAC 44.030 .
Referenced "vulnerable population" households instead of listing out all of the different types of households that make-up the vulnerable population.
MS 3004-2 ASSISTANCE CATEGORIES
Added Categorical Eligibility as an assistance category tracked in ECOS Energy Community Online System .
MS 3004-5 GRANT COMPUTATION
Referenced "vulnerable population" households instead of listing out all of the different types of households that make-up the vulnerable population.
Updated FY 2025 to FY 2026.
MS 3005-2 EXPEDITED TIMEFRAMES
Added SRHUD Subsidized Rental Housing Utility Deposit as an expedited application type and outlined the season and timeframe for processing timely.
Updated the crisis application acceptance dates and timeframes for processing timely.
MS 3008-1 TIME FRAMES FOR ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS
Updated the timeframe for acceptance and processing of SRHUD Subsidized Rental Housing Utility Deposit and crisis applications.
MS 3008-2 USE OF HAP PAYMENTS
Revised section for clarity.
Removed option to purchase propane when propane is not the primary home heating fuel or primary fuel used for power consumption.
Removed note requiring caseworkers to contact the local electric company to confirm a client lives off-grid. Client statement is acceptable.
Removed reference to types of oil and gasoline a vendor is allowed to let a household purchase when their primary heating fuel is self-harvested wood. Self-harvest wood households no longer have their benefit issued to a vendor; they receive direct payment.
MS 3008-4 METHODS OF PAYMENT
Removed reference to wood prices when shopping for the best deal through an approved vendor, as households who use wood as their primary heating fuel are not required to use an approved vendor and are issued a direct payment.
ADDENDUM A COMMUNITY LISTING
Updated Community Listying for FFY Federal Fiscal Year 2026.
ADDENDUM B HAP TRIBAL PROVIDERS
Updated Tribal Provider information for FFY Federal Fiscal Year 2026.
ADDENDUM E INCOME GUIDELINES
Updated the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines for FFY Federal Fiscal Year 2026.
ADDENDUM G INCOME GRID
Updated addendum title from "Income Grid" to "Countable and Excluded Income for HAP Heating Assistance Program " to align with DPA's other program manuals.