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6 Crisis Assistance may only be provided to eligible households once in the Heating season and once in the Cooling season.
Crisis Assistance may be used to pay the utility bill, deliverable fuel costs, deposit, reconnect fee, and other similar charges related to home energy. Refer to Section 6 of this Policy Manual on how to calculate the amount of a Crisis Assistance payment.
3.2.1 Determination of a Crisis To verify whether the household meets the definition of an energy-related crisis, consider such matters as:
• the severity of the weather • the age of household members • whether a household member has an illness or chronic medical condition that may be aggravated without adequate heating or cooling • if a State or Federal disaster or emergency has been declared • any other circumstances which indicate the household member's health and/or well- being would likely be endangered if Crisis Assistance is not provided
Refer to the Crisis Assistance Checklist (Appendix A), if necessary, to aid in the determination.
Evaluate each case on its own merit. If, for example, the current weather coupled with the health condition of the household member are such that it could present a health hazard to the household, then the household would be eligible for Crisis Assistance provided all other points of eligibility are met.
In addition, LIHEAP-124 Form, Physician/Nurse Medical Statement, (Appendix B) may be used in situations where the local agency feels unsure whether the applicant meets the definition of an energy-related health crisis. Use of the Physician/Nurse Medical Statement is optional. Other medical statements, a telephone call to the doctor or nurse, or the worker's evaluation is also acceptable provided there is a clear link between the household member's health and the lack of adequate heating or cooling.
It is important to clarify that a household without its primary heating/cooling supply at the time of application does not automatically qualify the household for Crisis Assistance.
Crisis Assistance is intended to supplement the Regular Heating or Regular Cooling payment when that amount is inadequate to maintain or restore service or as a second-time assistance.
Crisis Assistance for Life-Threatening Situations Situations in which there exists a clear and present danger to the life of a household member due to extreme weather are considered life-threatening.