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 State Median Income 60.00% 9 9 State Median Income 60.00% 10 10 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 11 11 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 12 12 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. From Chapter 24 Home Energy Assistance Program Rule:Energy Crisis shall have the same meaning as set forth in 42 U.S.C.A. §8622(3), as same may be amended from time to time. Section 7.A. A Household may be eligible for ECIP if a Household Member’s health and safety is threatened by an Energy Crisis situation on the Date of Application and the Household does not have the financial means to avert the Energy Crisis. The Household will not be eligible if: they have any other Heating System that is safe and operable and has a supply of product; they reside in Subsidized Housing with heat included or a Rental Unit with heat included; or they have an overpayment balance and have not entered into or complied with a repayment agreement. An Eligible Household under HEAP is income eligible for ECIP. Section 7.B. An Energy Crisis includes: Reading of ¼ tank or less on a standard 275 gallon heating oil tank; • Reading of 25% or less on a propane tank; • 7-day or less supply for other delivered Home Energy types; and • A utility disconnection notice that relates to the operation of the Heating System • 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? From Chapter 24 Home Energy Assistance Program Rule: “Life Threatening Crisis” means the household is currently without heat or utility service to operate a Heating Source or a Heating 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): 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: Section 7.B. An Energy Crisis includes: Reading of ¼ tank or less on a standard 275 gallon heating oil tank; • Reading of 25% or less on a propane tank; • 7-day or less supply for other delivered Home Energy types; and • A utility disconnection notice that relates to the operation of the Heating System • Crisis funds cannot be used to pay for Home Energy deliveries or Heating System repairs if the Applicant resides in Subsidized Housing with heat included or a Rental Unit with heat included. 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: If a household is in a crisis situation, and they have not yet had a LIHEAP Intake appointment, the application is fast tracked. Crisis is also offered as a separate component in the event that a LIHEAP benefit does not provide enough to resolve the crisis, or the LIHEAP Benefit has been exhausted. The crisis benefit is offered one time per Program Year. 4.9 If you have a separate component, how do you determine crisis assistance benefits? Amount to resolve the crisis. $500 Other - Describe: The maximum crisis benefit amount is determined annually based on economic conditions, available funding, and the average cost of a minimum delivery of home energy. The amount the Household will receive will be the amount necessary to resolve the energy crisis up to the annual maximum Crisis benefit amount. 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. Subgrantees maintain offices in all counties across the state as well as alternative remote offices, they offer services to homebound applicants, have the ability to take applications over the phone and accept documentation electronically. 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. In person applications for crisis assistance are not necessary, an applicant may seek assistance with the crisis over the phone. 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 $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 If the crisis cannot be resolved within the required timeframe, space heaters may be provided for the household’s use until such time as a fuel delivery can be made or the heating system repaired. 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. Maine Statute Title 35-A, §718: Winter terminations A. "Disconnection prohibition period" means any time between November 15th and April 15th, or during any other period when, pursuant to rules adopted under section 704, the commission has prohibited a transmission and distribution utility from disconnecting residential customers or prohibited such disconnections without the permission from the consumer assistance and safety division. [PL 2021, c. 347, §1 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. A, §36 (RAL).] B. "Residential customer" includes any customer account to which electric service is provided for residential purposes, regardless of whether the electricity received under that account is also used for business purposes. [PL 2021, c. 347, §1 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. A, §36 (RAL).] [PL 2021, c. 347, §1 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. A, §36 (RAL).] 2. Notice of winter disconnection. During a disconnection prohibition period, a transmission and distribution utility may not send or deliver, orally, on paper or electronically, to any residential customer of the utility any notice or communication that: A. Provides for disconnection of the customer's electric service on a specified date or within a specified interval of time during a disconnection prohibition period, unless the utility has received the prior permission of the consumer assistance and safety division to make the disconnection on the specified date or within the specified interval of time; or [PL 2021, c. 347, §1 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. A, §36 (RAL).] B. Makes any reference to disconnection or involuntary termination of the customer's electric service during a disconnection prohibition period, unless the notice or communication includes a prominent statement that disconnection of a residential customer's electric service during the disconnection prohibition period cannot take place without the advance permission of the consumer assistance and safety division, that the customer will be notified of any request for such permission and that the customer will have the opportunity to be heard by the consumer assistance and safety division. [PL 2021, c. 347, §1 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. A, §36 (RAL).] [PL 2021, c. 347, §1 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. A, §36 (RAL).] 3. Past due accounts; assistance programs. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the notice permitted under subsection 2 to a residential customer from a transmission and distribution utility is deemed a notice of disconnection for the purpose of establishing eligibility for certain emergency assistance programs, including, but not limited to, the emergency general assistance described in Title 22, chapter 1161 and the fuel assistance described in Title 30‑A, chapter 201, subchapter 13. [PL 2021, c. 347, §1 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. A, §36 (RAL).] 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.