4 CRISIS ASSISTANCE

Eligibility - 2604(c), 2605(c)(1)(A) 4.1 Designate the income eligibility threshold used for the crisis component Add Household size Eligibility Guideline Eligibility Threshold 1 All Household Sizes State Median Income 60.00% 4.2 Provide your LIHEAP program's definition for determining a crisis. If you administer multiple crisis assistance programs (winter, summer, and/or year-round), Include all program definitions. TEMPORARY POLICY CHANGES. LIHEAP Office will be executing a waiver for one of the ECIP criteria in 2026 program year (October 1, 2025- September 30, 2026). LIHEAP will waive the requirement for temperature thresholds to file the crisis application. Hence, the households can file the crisis applications for all fuel types without the subsequent 72 hours of the heat index being forecasted to be 95 degrees in Fahrenheit or more OR the temperature being forecasted to be at or below 40 degrees in Fahrenheit. Households can file crisis applications for all fuel types under any temperature threshold during 2026 program year. LIHEAP thresholds for crisis are as follows: a) delivered fuels $2,500, b) non-delivered fuels $2,500, c) equipment $10,000. See Section 4. 9 for clarification of benefit caps. REGULAR POLICY. LIHEAP POLICY MANUAL, SECTION 300, BENEFITS AND SERVICES 302. Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) Crisis Intervention Program has two components; Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) and Code Purple. 302.1 Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) provides assistance to the eligible households in the form of: 1. Regular Crisis that assists households year round with bill or equipment assistance contingent on: 1.1 Distinct weather conditions and financial resources; 1.2 Disaster or State of Emergency. 2. Flat Crisis that assists households with portion of energy bill, as a supplemental benefit, if there are adequate funds available and state office declares crisis payment because: 2.1 Prolonged severe or extreme weather event; 2.2 Upsurge in the price of home energy fuel type; 2.3 Disaster of State of Emergency Eligible households can receive more than one ECIP benefit per program year depending on the availability of funds and crisis situation. A. ECIP Regular Crisis ECIP Regular Crisis, is a year-round crisis program that assists eligible households with an energy crisis when the weather conditions of the subsequent 72 hours pose a serious threat to the health or safety of one or more members of the eligible household or when the state declares the state of emergency or disaster. Regular Crisis is designed for the households that have been disconnected or are in the process of being disconnected from the energy source, or are under payment arrangement to avoid disconnection, or have received a rejection for future energy services. Additionally, the state could authorize a regular crisis benefit to the household for resolving the energy access issue that directly impedes the utilization of FAP benefit. ECIP Regular Crisis is administered by Contractor and it is activated when the forecast, on any day, at 8:30 am states that within the subsequent 72 hours the heat index is forecasted to be 95 degrees in Fahrenheit or more OR if the temperature is forecasted to be at or below 40 degrees in Fahrenheit. Contractor’s offices in Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown will check for their respective forecasts through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). ECIP is defined as: Assistance during the energy crisis situation. The eligible residents of the State of Delaware with adjusted gross household income less than or equal to 60% of State Median Income, who are responsible for paying an energy bill, are considered to be experiencing an energy crisis whenever: 1. Weather conditions of the subsequent 72 hours pose a serious threat to the health or safety of one or more members of the eligible household OR the state has declared Disaster or State of Emergency; AND 2. Financial assessment demonstrates the household to be without sufficient resources for alleviating the crisis; AND 3. Household has no prospect for receiving resources within forty-eight (48) hours that could alleviate the crisis (Household is determined to be in a life-threatening situation if it can directly or indirectly lead to death of the member of the eligible household unless some form of assistance has been provided no later than eighteen (18) hours after the household has applied for ECIP benefit); AND 4. Household utility services for heating and cooling have been disconnected or energy source of delivered fuel vendor 100% depleted with rejection to future services; OR 5. Household is under the payment arrangement with utility services or delivered fuel vendor to avoid disconnection/rejection of future services; OR 6. Household has received a notice from the utility services for disconnection or has less than 1/4th of standard allocation from the delivered fuel vendor with rejection to future services; OR 7. Division has authorized crisis payment, which can include emergency repair of non- functional heating or cooling equipment. This section also covers ECIP Regular Crisis benefits authorized by State during Disaster or State of Emergency. B. ECIP Flat Crisis ECIP Assistance can also become available for the eligible households if the State declares the crisis payment to the households as a supplemental benefit because the prolonged severe or extreme weather, or the upsurge in the price of the home energy fuel type, or extreme weather event, or disaster or state of emergency. C. Disaster or State of Emergency In the case of disaster or state of emergency or extreme weather event, like a hurricane, tornado, flood or etc. There is no difference in income eligibility between Crisis and Disaster assistance, both will be following the 60% of the State Median Income. The LIHEAP disaster policy could be activated by the following possible disasters: Storm, Flood, Tornado, Epidemics, Hurricane, Fire, Explosion, Earthquake, Landslide, Subsidence, CBRN, PH Emergency, Extreme Heat, Extreme Cold/ Blizzard, Industrial Accident, Transport Accident, Volcanic Activity, Tsunami. Under LIHEAP disaster policy the state could temporarily change the eligibility thresholds and criteria for crisis depending on the funds available and the effect of the disaster on the LIHEAP eligible population. For example, the state may waive temperature requirements for activation of crisis or increase ceilings of allowed crisis benefits. See Reference Document – DELAWARE LIHEAP STATE PLAN 1. Epidemics Policy 1.1 LIHEAP ECIP Disaster Epidemics Policy is activated when the state declares state of emergency or disaster for managing the spread of communicable diseases. 1.2 The aim of this policy is to mitigate the households’ burden of energy cost accumulated during the quarantine or isolation. 1.3 Under this policy, LIHEAP, as the public health program, will distribute supplemental and/or regular crisis benefits to the affected households to decrease the risk of negative consequences of subsequent energy crisis to the public health system. 1.4 The amount of the benefit will be determined by the state depending on the available funding. The state will consider: 1.4.1 The duration of the quarantine or isolation; AND 1.4.2 Its impact to the wages of the LIHEAP eligible households; AND 1.4.3 The effect of the loss of income on the ability of the households to cover its energy expenses. 1.5 If the state declares a quarantine for a specific geographic area or location, LIHEAP will distribute the ECIP benefit to all the LIHEAP eligible households within that area who have applied for LIHEAP during that program year. 1.6 If the state don’t declare a quarantine for a specific geographic area or location, the households could be required to apply for supplemental crisis benefit by notifying the intake agency of their epidemics quarantine or isolation. 2. Public Health (PH) Emergency Policy 2.1 LIHEAP ECIP Disaster Public Health Emergency Policy is activated when the state declares state of emergency or disaster for managing public health emergencies. Policy can also be activated when the statewide or local extreme event has been assessed to lead directly or indirectly to the public health emergency. 2.2 The aim of this policy is to mitigate the affected households’ burden of energy cost during and after the public health emergency. 2.3 Under this policy, LIHEAP, as the public health program, will distribute supplemental and/or regular crisis benefits to the affected households to decrease the risk of negative consequences of subsequent energy crisis to the public health system. 2.4. The amount of the benefit will be determined by the state depending on the available funding. 302.2 Code Purple CODE PURPLE has been deactivated until it has been further analyzed and structured to demonstrate that those benefiting are LIHEAP income eligible. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? The life-threatening situation is considered to be a life-threatening medical condition, such as a member on a life-support or required oxygen/CPAP machine. Household is determined to be in a life-threatening situation, which can directly or indirectly lead to death of the member of the eligible household unless some form of assistance has been provided no later than eighteen (18) hours after the household has applied for ECIP benefit. Crisis Requirement, 2604(c) 4.4 Within how many hours do you provide an intervention that will resolve the energy crisis for eligible households? 48Hours 4.5 Within how many hours do you provide an intervention that will resolve the energy crisis for eligible households in life-threatening situations? 18Hours Crisis Eligibility, 2605(c)(1)(A) Winter Crisis Summer Crisis Year-Round Crisis 4.6 Do you have additional eligibility requirements for Crisis Assistance? 4.7 Check the appropriate boxes below to indicate type(s) of assistance provided 0 Do you require an Assets test? Do you give priority in eligibility to: Older Adults (60 years or older)? Individuals with a disability? Young Children? Households with high energy burdens? Other (Specify): In Order to receive crisis assistance: Must the household have received a shut-off notice or have a near empty tank? Must the household have been shut off or have an empty tank? Must the household have exhausted their regular heating benefit? Must renters with heating costs included in their rent have received an eviction notice? Must heating/cooling be medically necessary? Must the household have non-working heating or cooling equipment? Other (Specify): Do you have additional/differing eligibility policies for: Renters? Renters living in subsidized housing? Renters with utilities included in the rent? Explanations of policies for each "yes" checked above: There is no difference in income eligibility between Crisis and Disaster assistance, both will be following the 60% of the State Median Income. For further explanation to 4.7 see the attached ECIP flow diagram. When the funding is limited, the ECIP flat benefit is distributed only to households with vulnerable population: elderly, disabled, children 5 and under. If the funding is not limited, the ECIP flat benefit is distributed to everyone. Determination of Benefits 4.8 How do you handle crisis situations? Separate component Benefit Fast Track, no separate amount of crisis funds is issued. Rather benefits are issued to crisis customers within crisis response time frames. Other - Describe: 4.9 If you have a separate component, how do you determine crisis assistance benefits? Amount to resolve the crisis. $0 Other - Describe: Max annual cap for household for Regular Crisis is as follows: non-delivered vendor is $2,500, max for delivered vendor is $2,500, max for emergency repair of equipment $10,000. For Crisis Disaster component, the max cap is per disaster application as follows: non-delivered vendor is $2,500, max for delivered vendor is $2,500, max for emergency repair of equipment $10,000. The supplemental payments distributed by the state don't count toward the cap amount. Crisis Requirements, 2604(c) 4.10 Do you accept applications for energy crisis assistance at sites that are geographically accessible to all households in the area to be served? Yes No Explain. We offer intake in several locations in Delaware to be geographically accessible to all households. 4.11 Do you provide individuals who are individuals with a disability the means to: Submit applications for crisis benefits without leaving their homes? Yes No If No, explain. Yes, we have an intake contractor that works in the field. Travel to the sites at which applications for crisis assistance are accepted? Yes No If No, explain. Mail-in and phone-in options are available for elderly and disabled. If the person desires to complete the application submission in person at the intake location, he or she can request for para-transit services from the DART First State, which provides services for disabled persons unable to use public fixed bus routes. http:// dartfirststate.com/information/paratransit/index.shtml If you answered "No" to both options in question 4.11, please explain alternative means of intake to those who are homebound or physically disabled? Benefit Levels, 2605(c)(1)(B) 4.12 Indicate the maximum benefit for each type of crisis assistance offered. Winter Crisis $0.00 maximum benefit Summer Crisis $0.00 maximum benefit Year-round Crisis $10,000.00 maximum benefit 4.13 Do you provide in-kind (e.g. blankets, space heaters, fans) and/or other forms of benefits? Yes No If yes, Describe We are providing blankets and fans 4.14 Do you provide for equipment repair or replacement using crisis funds? Yes No If you answered "Yes" to question 4.14, you must complete question 4.15. 4.15 Check appropriate boxes below to indicate type(s) of assistance provided. Winter Crisis Summer Crisis Year-round Crisis Heating system repair Heating system replacement Cooling system repair Cooling system replacement Wood stove purchase Pellet stove purchase Solar panel(s) Utility poles / gas line hook-ups Other (Specify): ECIP will provide equipment repair or replacement under Crisis component to leverage R GGI funds, if any other State program, including LIHEAP weatherization program, cannot provide a solution to the equipment crisis. Until now, the LIHEAP office has been providing furnace replacement and repair in Delaware with RGGI funds. Since 2023 program year, LIHEAP is also providing furnace replacement and repair with LIHEAP funds, for example, LIHEAP infrastructure funds. 4.16 Do any of the utility vendors you work with enforce a moratorium on shut offs? Yes No If you responded "Yes" to question 4.16, you must respond to question 4.17. 4.17 Describe the terms of the moratorium and any special dispensation received by LIHEAP clients during or after the moratorium period. State of Delaware has moratorium on terminating services, which is dependent on the prevailing temperature. It is codified in the Delaware Administrative Code, Title 26 Public Utilities, Section 3000 Energy Regulations. The Conditions of Termination: Heating Season Under no circumstances may a covered utility terminate service for non-payment to a dwelling unit on a day when the National Weather Service reports that the 8:00 A.M. temperature measured at a location in the State of Delaware that is within fifty (50) miles of the subject dwelling unit is thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit (32F) or below on the morning of the date when said service is scheduled for termination. Cooling Season Under no circumstances may a covered utility terminate service for non-payment to a dwelling unit on a day when the 8:00 A.M. National Weather Service forecast contains a special weather statement or other information predicting that the Heat Index measured at a location in the State of Delaware that is within fifty (50) miles of the subject dwelling unit may equal or exceed one-hundred-five degrees Fahrenheit (105F) on the date when said service is scheduled for termination. Below are the winter guidelines from one of the Delaware Primary Energy Vendors: 1) In effect from November 1 to March 30; 2) The account must have a suspension notice sent by first class mail notifying the customer of intent to disconnect. In addition, an insert detailing the customer’s rights and responsibilities and a list of energy assistance organizations will be included with this suspension notice; 3) A suspension notice will also be mailed to the service address if the mailing address is different; 4) After sending the suspension notice but prior to the field visit, two (2) telephone attempts to contact the customer must be made on different days, with one being after 6:00 P.M.; 5) The temperature at 8:00 A.M. on the day of the scheduled field visit must be greater than 32 degrees otherwise scheduled field visits for that day will be postponed. 4.18 If you experience a natural disaster, do you intend to utilize LIHEAP crisis funds to address disaster related crisis situations? Yes No If yes, describe See Section 4.2 Disaster or State of Emergency If any of the above questions require further explanation or clarification that could not be made in the fields provided, attach a document with said explanation here.