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. DHHS defines a crisis as a household that is under immediate threat of loss of home energy because it has received a shutoff notice, had utilities discontinued, lacks energy service delivery, or anticipates removal from a provider's budget plan. To qualify for crisis assistance, a household must be eligible for LIHEAP, be in a crisis situation, and have an unanticipated inability to pay home energy costs because within the most recent 90 days: the household experienced an unanticipated medical or household expense; a significant, permanent, and involuntary loss of work hours, wages, or employment; the departure of a primary wage earner; the inability of a primary wage earner to work because of illness or injury; or a significant loss because of the death of a household member. A household may also be eligible for an unspecified crisis related to a loss of income or inability to pay as determined at DHHS's discretion. The criteria for a crisis can be found at 476 NAC 2-004.01. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? DHHS considers a crisis to be life-threatening if the household is experiencing loss of the ability to heat or cool their home and the household contains a member that: is frail (receives disability through the Social Security Administration/Social Security Income, Veteran's Administration, or other types of disability payment); has a medical condition aggravated by extreme heat or cold that a licensed medical provider verifies; is elderly (60 or older); is a young child (under the age of 6 and does not have to be receiving Aid to Dependent Children); or must use a medical device that requires electricity. 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): Households with medical devices 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): DHHS considers anticipation of removal from a provider's budget plan to be a crisis situation. DHHS also considers extenuating circumstances when determining eligibility for crisis assistance. 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: A LIHEAP-eligible household must be in a crisis situation, as per Title 476 NAC, to receive crisis assistance. A crisis situation is defined as a household under immediate threat of loss of home energy because it has received a shutoff notice, had utilities discontinued, lacks energy service delivery, or anticipates removal from a provider's budget plan. If the heating payment was issued to the household's utility provider and the crisis involves the heating source, the heating payment was utilized in full by the heating utility provider. Crisis assistance may also be requested from the cooling utility provider. Crisis assistance for the heating or cooling source may be requested year-round. If the household has a crisis situation, DHHS will determine whether the household has received a crisis payment in the same program year (October through September). If the household has not, DHHS determines whether the household meets the crisis criteria, as identified at 476 NAC 2-004. Eligibility is determined if the household meets the crisis criteria and all requested information is obtained. If the household does not meet the crisis eligibility criteria, DHHS determines whether the household has an unspecified crisis related to a loss of income or inability to pay, which qualifies the household for crisis assistance. This is determined based on DHHS's discretion. If the household has already received a crisis payment and extenuating circumstances exist, the household may be eligible for crisis assistance per DHHS's discretion. If the household qualifies for crisis assistance, DHHS makes crisis assistance payments for no more than the amount necessary to alleviate the crisis situation, up to $500 per program year. In some instances, a household may be responsible for a portion of the payment before DHHS will pay the remainder of the amount needed to alleviate the crisis situation. The household may be responsible for a portion of the payment if the amount required to alleviate the crisis situation includes utilities that cannot be paid with LIHEAP funds. Additionally, if the amount required to alleviate the crisis situation exceeds $500, the household may be responsible for a portion of the payment before DHHS will pay the remaining amount. If extenuating circumstances exist, DHHS may authorize a crisis assistance payment for more than $500 per DHHS's discretion. When households are determined to be ineligible for a crisis payment, DHHS refers the household to another agency for potential assistance through other funding. DHHS may consider the household members' vulnerability when using discretion to determine whether an extenuating circumstance or an unspecified crisis-related reason for loss of income or an inability to pay applies. DHHS considers vulnerable household members to include elderly, disabled, young children, those with high energy burdens, and those who require an energy source for essential medical devices. Thus, these populations may receive priority. DHHS also takes into account the household's income, ability to pay, and payment history for the most recent six months. This factors into what DHHS considers a "high energy burden". Households that are determined eligible, per DHHS's discretion, may be responsible for a portion of the bill before DHHS will pay the remainder of the amount needed to alleviate the shutoff in some circumstances. For subsidized housing, the household must be responsible for a portion of the heating or cooling payment to be eligible for crisis assistance. If utilities are included in rent and there is an eviction notice, the eviction notice needs to be resolved prior to receiving crisis assistance through LIHEAP. 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: For households eligible for crisis assistance, DHHS may provide financial assistance for no more than the amount necessary to alleviate the crisis situation, up to a maximum of $500. If extenuating circumstances exist, per DHHS's discretion, DHHS may authorize a crisis assistance payment for more than $500. Households may also be required to pay a portion of the crisis prior to DHHS paying the remainder of the amount necessary to alleviate the crisis. 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 accepts online applications. Thus, households are able to apply for benefits from their homes. Households may also call DHHS's 1- 800 number to request assistance. DHHS has the ability to take applications and requests via telephone. 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. DHHS accepts online applications. In addition, households may call DHHS's 1-800 number to request assistance. If the household has a pending or active LIHEAP program case, a new application is not required. If the household does not have a pending or active LIHEAP program case but has a current application on file (pending or active economic assistance program case), a new application is not required. If the household does not have a current application on file, DHHS can complete the application via telephone, can send an application via mail to the household, or can provide the website at which the household can complete the application online. Thus, individuals can submit applications or make LIHEAP requests without leaving their homes. 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 $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 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): DHHS does provide financial assistance with furnace (heating system) and central air conditioner (cooling system) repair and replacement up to $750 for eligible households; however, this is not a function of the crisis assistance program. LIHEAP funds are also utilized for Weatherization to provide assistance with heating and cooling system repair and replacement; however, this is separate from the crisis assistance program. DHHS provides eligible households with financial assistance to purchase window air conditioners upon request; however, this is not a function of the crisis assistance program. 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. Many of the utility providers in Nebraska have organization-specific guidelines regarding utility disconnection which account for factors such as temperature, date (time of year), and emergency situations. 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.