loading…
loading…
loading…
STATE OF ALASKA
Department of Health and Social Services
Division of Public Assistance
TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: 2021-01
MANUAL: Heating Assistance Program
DATE: April 1, 2021
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 policy manuals.
If you have questions, please contact the Policy and Program Development Team at dpapolicy@alaska.gov .
OVERVIEW OF CHANGES
MS 3000-1 RESPONSIBILITIES IN ADMINISTRATION
Replaced "HAP Coordinator" with dpapolicy@alaska.gov throughout the section.
MS 3000-2 DEFINITIONS
Added the definition of a "bedroom" to clarify when a room in a residence is considered a bedroom.
Added the definition of a "signature" to clarify what DPA Division of Public Assistance considers to be an acceptable signature.
Updated the definition of "Temporary Assistance for Needy Families" to include "cash" as a type of assistance provided by the program and removed reference to diversion payments as this type of payment has been obsolete in the State of Alaska since 2011.
MS 3001-1 APPLICATION FORM AVAILABILITY
Removed old HAP Heating Assistance Program phone number, clients and vendors can now call any DPA Division of Public Assistance office for HAP Heating Assistance Program assistance.
Removed disabled LIHEAP Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program specific email address, liheap@alaska.gov and replaced with statewide email address, hss.dpa.offices@alaska.gov .
MS 3001-2 THE APPLICATION FORM
Replaced "HAP Coordinator" with dpapolicy@alaska.gov throughout the section.
Inserted new subsection "Taking Application by Phone" and renumbered/relettered subsections accordingly.
MS 3002-1 A TYPES OF HOUSEHOLDS
Added subsection describing how to handle a situation where the household composition on the HAP Heating Assistance Program application is different than on other open DPA Division of Public Assistance cases.
MS 3003-2 NONCOUNTABLE (EXEMPT) INCOME
Added subsection title 3003-2 A . NONCOUNTABLE (EXEMPT) INCOME to keep formatting consistent throughout the manual.
Added children's ATAP Alaska Temporary Assistance Program income as noncountable in a shared custody situation when the parents receiving the ATAP Alaska Temporary Assistance Program payment on behalf of the child(ren) are not in the HAP Heating Assistance Program household.
Added 2020 Census income as noncountable income.
MS 3008-2 USE OF HAP Heating Assistance Program PAYMENTS
Replaced "snow machine" with "snowmobile" and "automobile" with "vehicle" throughout the section and added ATV All Terrain Vehicle s to align with DPA Division of Public Assistance manuals.
Replaced "HAP Coordinator" with dpapolicy@alaska.gov throughout the section.
MS 3008-3 DISTRIBUTION OF GRANT BETWEEN HEATING AND ELECTRICITY
Added subsection identifying the 75% heat / 25% electric benefit split option.
Added subsection outlining how the grant can be distributed when an electric account is disconnected and preventing us of the client's primary fuel source.
MS 3008-4 METHODS OF PAYMENT
Changed the term "oil' to "fuel" to encompass all qualifying fuel types.
Removed reference to the Direct Pay Log as it has not been used since FY2018.
Clarified that the processing caseworker must contact dpapolicy@alaska.gov when it appears there are zero heating vendors in a client's area of residence, and await a response before issuing a direct payment to the client.
Added direct pay as an option for client's who live in their vehicle and require gasoline to heat their home, since the Approved Vendors Listing does not include gasoline vendors.
Clarified that justification for a direct payment must be written in the client's case note.
Replaced "HAP Coordinator" with dpapolicy@alaska.gov throughout the section.
MS 3008-5 BAD DEBT
Added exception allowing outstanding heating fuel and/or electric bills to be paid prior to the end of the season if the benefit is being used to prevent a disconnect of service or to reconnect service to the household.