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 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. Mississippi offers a year-round crisis assistance component of LIHEAP, entitled the Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP), provides assistance to low-income households who have encountered a crisis situation within the last 30 days. Agencies should utilize partnerships to alleviate crisis until client’s eligibility is determined. Life Threatening Crisis (LTE) – Eligible households with a life-threatening energy crisis must have the crisis relieved within 18 hours of an approved application. Resolution of a life-threatening crisis may include, but is not limited to: arranging for an immediate supply of fuel, securing a payment arrangement with the energy vendor, pledging the amount of the bill to prevent shutoff, or to restore service, purchase of heating/cooling equipment, etc. The following are considered life threatening. Disaster (fire, gas, leak, etc.) • Person(s) on life support or medical devices that require electricity. In the event an applicant is at risk of disconnection of a utility that is a necessity for any medical equipment or devices needed to sustain life, the applicant should be treated as a Life-Threatening Crisis case and should be interviewed the same day and approved within 18 hours of the applicant’s initial application. Supporting documents should be provided at the time of interview and scanned into Virtual ROMA and placed in the applicant’s file. • Domestic violence, and/or • The abuse/neglect of elderly, disabled, or child • Non-Life-Threatening Crisis (NON-LTE) – Eligible households with a non-life-threatening energy crisis must have the crisis relieved within 48 hours of an approved application. Resolution of a non-life-threatening crisis may include, but is not limited to: arranging for an immediate supply of fuel, securing a payment arrangement with the energy vendor, pledging the amount of the bill to prevent shutoff, or to restore service, purchase of heating/cooling equipment, etc. The following are considered non-life threatening. Unexpected expense such as death of an immediate family member, funeral expenses, high medical expenses, etc; • Income loss within the last thirty (30) days (of the date the subgrantee was contacted) due to layoff or termination of benefits; • Services are disconnected or threatened to be turned off; • Theft; • Displacement of a minor child (under the age of 18) due to the client’s inability to pay utilities, rent, etc.; and/or • Other documented emergencies within the last thirty (30) days, as deemed acceptable by the subgrantee. • See Crisis Assistance Attachment 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? See Crisis Assistance Attachment. For declared natural disasters, the State will use LIHEAP funds to provide emergency housing for eligible households for up to five days to remove the household from the emergency situation. Households will be referred to other programs such as CSBG and state/local resources to provide other emergency needs to include housing/food/clothing if the home is inhabitable. 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): See Crisis Assistance Policy 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: 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. 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 $1,500.00 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 Blankets, coats, heating systems repair or replacement, furnaces, space heaters, hot water tanks, fans, air conditioners, cooling systems repair or replacement may be provided. Additional energy related materials/services (such as home meter bases, utility poles/gas line hook-ups/ repairs, energy kits/incentives) may be provided depending on need and State Office approval. 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. If as of 8:00 a.m., on the day of a scheduled non-pay disconnect, an excessive heat warning or a freeze warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for the county of the scheduled disconnect, such disconnect are suspended. 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 See Crisis Assistance Attachment: For declared natural disasters, the State will use LIHEAP funds to provide emergency housing for eligible households for up to five days to remove the household from the emergency situation. Households will be referred to other programs such as CSBG and state/local resources to provide other emergency needs to include housing/food/clothing if the home is inhabitable. 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.