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 12 State Median Income 60.00% 2 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. In the event of a household related crisis, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (the Department), in coordination with other pertinent agencies, will develop an appropriate response designed to eliminate the threat to life and health. Under such condition, the Department may utilize a portion of available 2026 LIHEAP funding to provide crisis assistance to low-income households affected by threatening conditions. Reconnection Assistance (RA) will be provided when a household is in imminent disconnection status or is already disconnected by the utility from its primary heat source or from any secondary energy source that is heat related. Disconnection will be considered imminent when disconnection will occur within (7) days without the provision of crisis assistance. Crisis assistance (Reconnection Assistance and Furnace Assistance) will be provided within 48 hours or 18 hours in the event of a life-threatening situation affecting the individual household. The 48/18 hour timeframe is from the day the customer's application is completed and all required documentation has been received and verified. The amount of Reconnection Assistance will be the minimum amount needed to restore energy service to the household. Households are eligible for Reconnection Assistance payments not to exceed a total of $1,500 per household per year. All RA payments combined cannot exceed the applicant benefit limit of $1,500. Applications for primary and secondary Reconnection Assistance payments do not have to be done simultaneously. The household is allowed to apply for a Reconnection Assistance payment for one vendor. This is not to be interpreted to mean that the household is entitled to the maximum benefit. The time of the application, the amount for reconnection, and the availability of funding will determine if each household is applying for Reconnection Assistance benefits will receive the maximum. If the household is in need of Reconnection Assistance during the Program Year and they have not received the full $1,500 possible RA amount, they can return for additional assistance up to the $1,500 maximum amount. Furnace Assistance will be provided until May 29, 2026 or until the furnace allocation is exhausted, to households that qualify for and receive a LIHEAP energy assistance benefit in the 2026 Program Year. Furnace Assistance benefits are for households that do not have an operating furnace and/or a safe heat source for their residence. Furnace Assistance benefits, which may include tune-up, repair, or replacement, will be utilized to restore a vital heat supply to the home. The Furnace Assistance component will be operated in collaboration with the LAA's Weatherization program. The LAAs are uniquely situated to define and develop individualized responses to energy related emergencies. Packaged (heating and cooling) units may be repaired or replaced using Furnace Assistance, as with any other furnace, replacements of these units must be justified as the safest, most effective measures needed to safely restore heat to the residence. Additionally, water heating venting corrections are allowable health and safety expenditure. The Department will continue administering the Furnace Assistance Voucher Program as part of the Furnace Assistance Program. This was a pilot program that began in FY22 and continues adding more LAAs. This voucher program will continue to be optional and LIHEAP Local Administering Agencies that decide to administer this voucher pilot will be pre-approved by the Department.. Under the Furnace Voucher Program customers will: 1- apply for Furnace Assistance through their LAA; 2-LAA will document whether the customer has a safe place to go if they do not have heat, so the 48/18 hours crisis assistance requirement is met. The LAA provides a pre-qualified list of HVAC contractors in the area; 3- customer selects a contractor from the list or recommends their own contractor (who must meet the pre-qualifications); 4- After the repair/ replacement is completed, the LAA works with the contractor to pay allowable voucher amount. At some of the LAAs the customer may have a Customer Payment Responsibility, if total bill exceeds the maximum allowable Furnace Assistance benefit amount; 5-Contractor signs a voucher acceptance form stating that safe heat has been restored to the customer, prior to voucher being paid. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? Reconnection Assistance and Furnace Assistance will be provided within 18 hours from the date and time the customer's application is complete if the energy crisis is life-threatening. For the purpose of implementing the 18-hour processing provision exists if the following conditions are met: - The temperature is 32° Fahrenheit or below. - The household is not protected by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) rules or similar local laws. - Reconnection is the only available remedy, i.e, the household does not have alternate shelter, lacks a safe temporary means of heat, and/or is homebound. Each local agency is required to develop specific written procedure to implement the 18-hour provision in an equitable manner, including from which source the outside temperature was established (e.g. via Intellicast.com for the customer's city of residence). To expedite the application, Outreach sites are required to securely scan and email applications that require an 18-hour response along with the supporting documentation to the LAA-Main Office via a secure file transfer system. 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): Disconnected/Imminent Disconnected 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: Priority eligibility for older adults, individuals with a disability, families with at least one child under age 6 and/or disconnected/imminent disconnected households is detailed in Section 2.4 of this Model Plan. The Department must set aside a portion of the State's allocation for use in crisis situations. Under this component, funds may be used for either weather or supply emergencies that affect the entire eligible population or for crisis-related situations that affect an individual household to the extent funds are available. The policies for eligibility to receive crisis benefits are explained in Section 4.2 of this Model Plan. The additional/differing policy for renters whose primary heat utility is included in rent state a one-time "Cash" benefit (in the form of a check to the customer) is available to renters. The Department will be using the highest possible level by household size and as a result, the LIHEAP income guidelines will be set at 60% State Median Income. However, for households larger than 12 members, the 150% will be set as the maximum income eligibility criteria. 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. $1,500 Other - Describe: 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. Permanent or temporary outreach sites are located in all sections of the LAA's service area. They are visible at the community level and ideally have nearby public transportation; the buildings are accessible to persons with disabilities. Possible outreach/intake sites may include agency central and satellite offices, older adult centers, nutrition sites, government offices, churches or community facilities. Preference should be made for sites that accommodate secure internet access for automated intake with LIHEAP.net (Illinois’ LIHEAP database for authorized State and LAA users). 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. The Department does not arrange for transportation, but LAAs have been instructed to work with customers and offer alternative ways to apply. Home visits are currently discouraged. Application by in-person Proxy, via phone, email, U.S. Mail or other secure delivery service, is encouraged. 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 $1,500.00 maximum benefit Summer Crisis $0.00 maximum benefit Year-round Crisis $0.00 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 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): 1. For Winter Crisis, as noted in 4.2: package (heating and cooling) units may be repaired or replaced using Furnace Assistance; as with any other furnace, replacements of these units must be justified as the safest, most cost-effective measures needed to safely restore heat to the residence. 2. Gas line hook-up, and 3. Other Health and Safety-related items (smoke detectors and CO detectors). 3. Crisis Assistance (Reconnection Assistance) will be offered as Winter Crisis until August 15, 2026, or until funding is exhausted and Furnace Assistance end date will be May 29, 2026, or until funding is exhausted. 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. No electric or gas public utility shall disconnect service to any residential customer or master-metered apartment building for non-payment of a bill or deposit where gas or electricity is used as the primary source of space heating or is used to control or operate the primary source of space heating equipment at the premise during the period of time from December 1 through March 31 of the immediately succeeding calendar year. Low income residential customers from regulated utilities in Illinois, who have qualified under LIHEAP, can receive some benefits with their utilities. The benefits include exceptions for low income customers with regards to deposits, late payment fees, and deferred payment arrangements. For more information: http:/ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/083/08300280sections.html 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 The Department intends to utilize LIHEAP Heating and Crisis funds to address disaster related crisis situations. The LAA and the Department will review available funding and the LAA will submit to the Department a Disaster Relief Plan prior to implementation for the Department’s approval. 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.