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EAP Policy Manual FFY24 Chapter 2 Applications & Application Processing Page 14 rights, powers and duties for a variety of purposes. One of the following powers and duties must be indicated or selected for the form to apply to EAP: • Exercise all of the rights and powers for the household member. • Apply on behalf of the individual for any assistance, services, or benefits available to the Ward through any unit of government. Service Providers should consult with their legal counsel or with Commerce via eap.mail@state.mn.us with any questions. Examples of court forms for establishing guardianship/conservatorship are found on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website at http://www.mncourts.gov/forms. Power of Attorney The purpose of a power of attorney (POA) is to appoint someone (the “attorney in fact”) to make decisions, sign documents and carry out important acts for the person granting that power (the “principal”) when the principal is unable to do so themselves. The POA must be dated and signed by the principal in front of a notary public. A photocopy of the notarized original is acceptable for EAP. Service Providers will most commonly see POA forms conforming to the statutory short form detailed in Minn. Stat. § 523, however a POA in another format (common law POA) may also be valid. A copy of the statutory short form POA is found on the Minnesota Attorney General’s website at https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=523.23 The POA allows power to be granted to the attorney in fact for a variety of purposes. One of the following powers on the statutory short form POA must be checked (or x-ed) for the form to apply to EAP: • (K) family maintenance, or • (N) all of the powers listed in (A) through (M) above, etc. Service Providers should consult with their legal counsel or with Commerce via eap.mail@state.mn.us with any questions. Energy Account Numbers Households in eHEAT must have an energy vendor customer account number for each active energy vendor listed on the application. The customer account number must be unique to that household and that energy vendor. If the energy vendor does not supply a customer account number, the Service Provider should use the household name. Energy bills are not required to process an application. Use the household’s energy account information in eHEAT if they are at the same address. You may ask the household for account information, but do not deny them for not sending a copy of their bill(s). Instead, verify account details with the energy vendor via portal, phone call, etc.