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 1 State Median Income 60.00% 2 2 State Median Income 60.00% 3 3 State Median Income 60.00% 4 4 State Median Income 60.00% 5 5 State Median Income 60.00% 6 6 State Median Income 60.00% 7 7 State Median Income 60.00% 8 8 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 9 9 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 10 10 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 11 11 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 12 12 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 13 13 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 14 14 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 15 15 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 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. Idaho defines a crisis as a situation where an eligible household has a utility service that is disconnected, their service is pending disconnection status, has less than 48 hours of bulk fuel, requires a utility pole or gas line hookup for the primary heat source or another energy source and lack of access would result in a health or safety concern or the household cannot maintain a payment agreement with the utility company and the account will move into the pending disconnection process and will make the household ineligible for future payment arrangements. Households are eligible to one Crisis benefit per season, however, when funding is available, a second LIHEAP Crisis payment may be authorized, based on request, to alleviate heat related cooling needs. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? When a Crisis eligible household contains at least one household member with an illness or medical condition that poses an immediate risk due to the loss of the energy source or has a medical condition requiring the use of an energy source to operate a medical device or store medication. 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: Household must reside in Idaho and the household must pay for home heating costs, either directly or thorough designated utility costs as part of the rent. Verification of disconnection or pending disconnection must be provided or a statement from the household that they have less than 48 hours of bulk fuel must be on file to receive crisis. 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: Crisis benefits are based on actual need, verified by a bill or billing portal. Payment is made to the utility vendor and/or the customer, up to the maximum benefit of $1,500.00. 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. 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. Travel to the sites at which applications for crisis assistance are accepted? Yes No If No, explain. 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 $1,500.00 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 During a governor-declared disaster or state emergency, a portion of the LIHEAP grant funds may be used for home heating supply shortages experienced by participant households. 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): 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. Households that include elderly, disabled or children that are customers of a regulated utility qualify. The plan allows you to pay less than the full amount of your bill during the winter months (November 1 through March 31). Regulated utilities also are not allowed to discontinue services to customers with a past due amount during the moratorium if the customer contacts a regulated utility to declare they are unable to pay. 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 In the event of state or federal declared natural or manmade disaster, Idaho may request permission to use LIHEAP resources to provide emergency services to low-income individuals and families in the designated disaster area. 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.