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“Helping People Living Better Lives”

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476 Nebraska Administrative Code (NAC) Supplemental Information APPLICATION PROCESSING. Eligibility must be determined within 30 days of receipt of a valid request or application for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. If the household fails to provide the requested documentation within the specified timeframe, the household application may be denied, or an eligibility determination may be delayed. The 30-day deadline may be extended if the household fails to provide the requested documentation within the timeframe specified to do so. See 476 NAC 2-001.01.

COOLING ASSISTANCE. The Department requires verification of a severe illness or condition that is aggravated by extreme heat to be provided by a Medical Doctor, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Physician Assistant, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, or other Department approved medical provider on form IM-55. See 476 NAC 2-003.

HOME ENERGY CRISIS ASSISTANCE. Low Income Home Energy Assistance funds are utilized to assist with home energy needs for no more than the amount necessary to alleviate the crisis situation, up to $800 per program year. Home energy is defined as a source of residential heating or cooling. LIHEAP funds cannot be used for non-energy utility costs such as trash collection, water, or sewer usage.

If the amount needed to alleviate the crisis situation includes utilities other than home energy utilities (a multi-utility provider), crisis assistance cannot be issued for the full amount needed to alleviate a crisis situation. • Households that meet the eligibility criteria for crisis assistance and have a multi-utility provider, other than Metropolitan Utilities District (MUD), must pay 25% of the amount needed to alleviate the crisis situation before the Department can issue payment for the remaining amount to alleviate the crisis situation. • Households that meet the eligibility criteria for crisis assistance and have MUD as a multi-utility provider must pay 50% of the amount needed to alleviate the crisis situation before the Department can issue payment for the remaining amount to alleviate the crisis situation.

TIME LIMITS FOR CRISIS ASSISTANCE. If a household is eligible to receive crisis assistance and is in a life-threatening situation, crisis assistance must be provided within 18 hours of the Department receiving a valid application or request for crisis assistance. • A life-threatening crisis situation exists when a household is experiencing loss of the ability to heat or cool their home and contains a household member who: o Is age 60 or older; o Is under age six; o Receives a disability payment; o Has a medical condition aggravated by extreme heat or cold that is verified by a licensed medical provider; or, o Must use a medical device that requires electricity. If a household is eligible to receive crisis assistance and is not in a life-threatening situation, crisis assistance must be provided within 48 hours of the Department receiving a valid application or request for crisis assistance.