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SECTION 1300

BENEFITS PAYMENTS LIHEAP MANUAL JANUARY 2022 70

1300 BACKGROUND

The CAA is responsible for the issuance of correct payments (checks) to home energy suppliers or clients. This section contains information and procedures for use when checks are not successfully posted to client accounts.

1300.1 REQUIREMENT

Energy Assistance Payments must be processed and maintained timely, accurately, and efficiently.

1300.2 BASIC CONSIDERATION PAYMENT METHODS

The Community Action Agencies will make payments to: • Energy suppliers on behalf of eligible households responsible for the payment of the energy source by direct billing, or • To eligible individuals whose heating or cooling costs are included in their rent and designated as a separate cost, or • To eligible individuals whose vendors are not on the Approved Vendor List

Benefits are issued on a first come, first served, first processed basis.

Only one payment will be made for each eligible household per program component (Heating, Cooling).

If the home energy supplier is an approved provider and on the Approved Vendor List: • A single party check containing payments on behalf of multiple eligible households must be issued. • These checks must be mailed directly to the approved vendor for posting to the listed individual accounts. If the home energy supplier is not an approved provider and is not on the Approved Vendor List: • A single party check will be issued to the individual eligible applicant. Direct checks to eligible clients are referred to as 999's. 1300.3 STANDARD OF PROMPTNESS (SOP)

If the application is approved, the pink slip must be mailed to the applicant within 5 calendar days after the application appears on the Approved Transaction List. If the application is denied, the yellow slip and fair hearing letter must be mailed to the applicant within 5 calendar days of the determination that the household is not eligible. If the application type is Regular, the application must be processed, paid and the vendor notified within 30 calendar days of application being made.