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 39.00% 2 2 State Median Income 40.00% 3 3 State Median Income 41.00% 4 4 State Median Income 41.70% 5 5 State Median Income 42.00% 6 6 State Median Income 42.40% 7 7 State Median Income 46.00% 8 8 State Median Income 50.90% 9 9 State Median Income 54.89% 10 10 State Median Income 58.70% 11 11 State Median Income 60.00% 12 12 State Median Income 60.00% 13 13 State Median Income 60.00% 14 14 State Median Income 60.00% 15 15 State Median Income 60.00% 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. Maryland defines an energy crisis as a situation where a household has no heat, a shortage of fuel supply, or an imminent utility shut off (less than three days) during the winter period (November 1 through March 31). Local agencies may request a waiver to adjust the length of the winter period based on climate conditions. Maryland offers expedited application processing and issues 55-day holds to prevent utility terminations or to restore service year-round. Beginning in FY25 Maryland began to issue an additional crisis benefit to households, up to $600, if a household's regular benefit does not resolve an energy crisis and they are not eligible for arrearage assistance. In FY26 Maryland will continue to issue an additional winter crisis benefit. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? Maryland defines “life-threatening” as a situation where a household experiences a life-threatening or health-related emergency due to a heating or cooling issue, or a crisis involving a household member under the age of two or over the age of sixty (COMAR 07. 03.21.10). 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): Households with Critical Medical Needs 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: Maryland prioritizes older adults, individuals with disabilities, households with young children and those with a critical medical needs’ certification. These households will have their application and benefit issuance expedited and they qualify for a second arrearage waiver. Further, these households are prioritized for heating and cooling system repairs and replacements. LIHEAP funds are also used to address non-functioning heating and cooling equipment. OHEP maintains an inter-agency agreement with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to carry out this work. Energy assistance applicants indicate on their application if they have non-functioning equipment. Upon receiving a referral regarding non-functioning equipment from the local energy assistance agency, DHCD promptly assigns the work to a licensed HVAC contractor for assessment within 48 hours. For heating and cooling system repair, priority is given to elderly, handicapped homeowners. The second preference is given to dwellings with children under five years of age and/or inefficient heating systems and those with critical medical needs. 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: Maryland Fast Tracks benefit assistance year-round to address crisis situations. From November through March, Maryland also provides an additional crisis benefit to help resolve a crisis. The crisis benefit is the difference between the customer’s regular benefit and what is needed to resolve the crisis. Minimum crisis benefit is $100 and the maximum benefit is $600 4.9 If you have a separate component, how do you determine crisis assistance benefits? Amount to resolve the crisis. $600 Other - Describe: Maryland Fast Tracks benefit assistance year-round to address crisis situations. From November through March, Maryland also provides an additional crisis benefit to help resolve a crisis. The crisis benefit is the difference between the customer’s regular benefit and what is needed to resolve the crisis. Minimum crisis benefit is $100 and the maximum benefit is $600. 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. OHEP operates a network of 20 Local Administering Agencies with locations in each county to ensure all households have access to a site that is conveniently located. Additionally, all Local Administering Agencies are required to provide reasonable accommodations for customers with mobility issues who have difficulty accessing a local office DHCD also provides Weatherization through a network of providers throughout the State of Maryland to make needed system repairs and replacements available to households. 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 $600.00 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): Hot Water heater repair/replacement 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. 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 funding is available, it could be allocated to support the emergency replacement or repair of essential heating and cooling systems, including hot water tanks and furnaces, for eligible households. These services would be provided in accordance with established program and crisis guidelines, ensuring timely intervention to prevent loss of heat or hot water or air conditioning to protect household safety, and maintain habitability—particularly during extreme weather conditions following a natural disaster. 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.