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 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. The household must have received a shut-off notice or have less than 15% fuel left in their tank. The household has no heating fuel or no energy to operate the primary heating system. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? If the household also contains members using medical support equipment (e.g., dialysis machine, oxygen concentrator, intermittent positive pressure breathing machine, infant respiratory failure alarm). 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: Our crisis program for winter includes the following eligibility requirements: 18-hour crisis include households with medical support equipment that have an immediate pending shutoff (48 hours) or are already disconnected for their primary heating fuel system. For 48-hour processing, households must have exhausted or have a very low primary heating fuel supply, or have been notified of a disconnect that will occur within the next 48 hours from their gas or electric utility service. Renters living in subsidized housing where the heating fuel costs are included in their rent are not eligible for energy assistance. 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 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. Explain. Applicants are provided with a specific mailing address to submit their application based on the county in which they reside. Applicants are also provided fax numbers and access to online application processing as the alternatives to submission of a paper application. LIEAP applications are accepted in all DCF offices and processed in a central office in each of our four management regions (Kansas City, Topeka, Garden City and Wichita). 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. We do not provide travel assistance. We have an online self-service application clients can access from their phone, their home, or any local helping agency. 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 $4,301.00 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): 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. Cold weather rule - November 1 to March 31, a utility can't disconnect a customer when the temperature is forecasted to drop below 37 degrees or be in the mid to low 30s over the next 48 hours, except in certain circumstances. To prevent disconnection when it is 37 degrees or above, or to be reconnected regardless of temperature, customers must make pay arrangements with their utility. A utility may start the final notice and disconnection process if there is a 48-hour forecast above 37 degrees. On the day before disconnection, a utility must attempt to contact the customer by phone. If that fails, the utility must go by the home and notify them or leave a message on the door. Some utilities have third party notification plans. If the 48-hour forecast changes before the period ends, and there is a forecast of below 37 degrees, the utility cannot disconnect until there is another cold weather rule 48-hour forecast of temperatures above 37 degrees. 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 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.