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Iowa LIHEAP Policy and Procedures Manual 15.00 Crisis Assistance

Effective 09/01/2023

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LIHEAP Federal regulations require that a life-threatening situation be evaluated and resolved in the following manner (NOTE: Addressing emergency heating situations such as repairing or replacing a heating system is the responsibility of LIHEAP and not the Weatherization Assistance Program).

● Not later than 48 hours after a household applies for crisis benefits, each administering CAA must provide some form of assistance that will resolve the crisis if such household is eligible to receive such benefits;

● Not later than 18 hours after a household applies for crisis benefits, each administering CAA must provide some form of assistance that will resolve the crisis if such household is eligible to receive such benefits and is in a life-threatening situation; and

● Each administering CAA must: o Accept applications for crisis assistance at sites that are geographically accessible to all households in the area to be served by such entity; and o Provide to low-income individuals who are physically infirm the means to submit applications for crisis assistance without leaving their residences; or to travel to the sites at which such applications are accepted by such entity.

Any household which has been denied crisis assistance may utilize the appeal procedure.

Water Crisis “Water crisis” means a household is in arrears with its water vendor and is therefore at imminent risk of disconnection, or has already been disconnected, and is unable to resolve the account without assistance.

Each crisis situation will be evaluated individually by the CAA who shall determine the appropriate resolution and the amount of assistance to be provided, up to the maximum allowed. The nature of the crisis and the method of determining assistance shall be documented for the file. A household facing a lack of access to drinking and wastewater is defined as facing a life-threatening situation.

Crisis assistance will be used to reconnect, or avert disconnection of, water services by paying arrearages and any associated fees, taxes, or charges, with the exception of diversion fees. These funds must be tracked and reported separately from other funding sources.

15.10 ECIP (Energy Crisis Intervention Payments) A combination of one or more of the following crisis assistance components may be made to an eligible household to resolve a crisis situation.

All components begin October 1st and end September 30th, unless otherwise noted.

CAAs are encouraged to combine ECIP funds with other sources of funding, whenever possible.

ECIP payment reimbursement can only be used on work done, or expenses incurred, in the current program year, unless otherwise noted.

15.20 ECIP – Heating Unit Repair/Replacement

● Buying Home on Contract ○ If a customer is buying a home on contract and is in need of furnace repair or replacement, appropriate documentation verifying a legal purchasing contract is in place is required.