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. Eligibility for an energy-related crisis is based on the household’s demonstration of immediate need for assistance with home heating fuel, electricity, or energy-related home repairs. Crisis means one of the following: •An individual or household has received a past due or shut off notice on an energy bill for his or her household. •A residential fuel tank is estimated to contain not more than 25% of its heating fuel capacity or fuel tank over 25% that has been locked by the provider and payment on account will remove the threat. •A stated need for household deliverable fuel or a non-traditional fuel source in which there is no meter or regular energy bill provided, (example: wood, corn, cherry pits, etc.). •A notice that the balance in a prepayment account is below $100. •A statement from a licensed service provider indicating the homeowners furnace is inoperable and in need of repair or replacement. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? A household is considered to have a life-threatening crisis if all of the following criteria is met: •The household is not protected by Michigan's Winter Protection Plan; •The household has experienced disconnection of natural gas or electric service or have run out of deliverable fuel or a non-traditional heating source such as wood, corn, cherry pits, etc., or the household has a statement from a licensed service provider indicating the homeowner's furnace is inoperable and in need of repair or replacement; •Restoration of energy services is medically necessary. •The household does not have any temporary housing alternatives while the emergency is being resolved. 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): Description entered above 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: In order to qualify for SER crisis assistance, the household must use their available resources to resolve their own emergency. SER crisis assistance has an asset test with a protected cash asset limit of $15,000. Asset policy is located in policy manual ERM 205, which outlines countable and excluded assets used for determining eligibility, see attached document. In instances where the energy costs are included in the rent, if the applicant presents with a past due or shut off or service is disconnected which is connected to the group's current address, the applicant may be eligible for SER crisis assistance provided all other eligibility factors are met. If the payment is required to prevent disconnection or restore service, payment may be authorized up to the fiscal year cap, as long as the payment resolves the emergency. Payment must be made to the energy provider, not the landlord. 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: Application for crisis payments must show current need for assistance by presenting with a past due/shut off notice or service disconnection. Based on current funding for FY26, Michigan will follow the established policy below. Issue one single payment for non-heat electric and one single payment for heating fuel in the amount of the past due/ shut off to resolve the emergency. Any applications received after the one approval for each service will be denied. • In the event the account is closed for any reason and there remains a credit balance as a result of an SER payment, the energy provider must follow overissuance procedure and refund the State of Michigan per policy, ERM 401. 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. DHHS county offices are operated statewide; an SER application can be mailed in, faxed or hand-delivered to any DHHS office. Applications are also accepted electronically through the DHHS MI Bridges online application platform. Furthermore, grantees receiving energy assistance funding through the Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) partner with DHHS as Navigation and Referral Partners, assisting households with the online application process for those seeking energy assistance through LIHEAP. Also, Michigan reserves the right to update policy in which MDHHS specialist, MEAP partners, energy provider representatives, MI Bridges navigators and authorized reps may assist in completing online SER applications over the phone with the applicant and submit on the applicant’s behalf for FY26. 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 $900.00 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 The maximum payment is $900 (based on fuel type, $600 for natural gas, non-heat electric, wood, wood pellets, and other non-traditional heating fuels, $900 for deliverable fuel, fuel oil, coal and all-electric households. Increased all-electric household max as this is the only energy source for the home), the minimum benefit amount is the amount needed to resolve the energy crisis. SER payment amounts exceeding $900 require an exception and approved by the LIHEAP program office. LIHEAP program policy reserves the right to increase the maximum in FY26 funding permitted. 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): When possible MDHHS will partner with energy providers to braid funding between MDHHS State Emergency Relief (SER) assistance and energy providers for furnace repair/replacement to ensure households have access to high efficiency equipment at 95% or better annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) or fuel switch to a high efficiency electric system such as an electric furnace or cold climate heat pumps. To keep in line with energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprint, Michigan reserves the right to implement purchase and installation of solar panels for low-income households, funding permitted. 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 Crisis funds would be used in conjunction with SER request to assist those affected by the natural disaster based on funds available. 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.