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. "Energy emergency" for Division of Social Services purposes has three meanings. The first means a household has had, or is in danger of having, their heating or electric service disconnected within 48 hours or is in need of heating fuel and has less than 10% in their tank or is in need of a deposit or if having a loss of energy causes a life-threatening situation and must have requested a payment plan from the utility and been denied. The second means a household is in crisis when annual gross income exceeds the current income limit except allowable qualifying expenses attributable to the crisis reduces the income to the current income limit or less. The third means a household that has an established arrearage on their account with their heating and/or cooling vendor and such arrearage may result in utility shut off. "Energy emergency" for Housing Division purposes means the household's primary heating system is unsafe or inoperable during the winter months, or the primary cooling system is unsafe or inoperable during the summer months. In the event of an unexpected 'emergency' or an emergency declared by the Governor that threatens the health and safety of a household member or members the DSS Administrator has the discretion to authorize the use of LIHEAP funding to assist eligible recipients with in-kind and energy-related needs. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? If the loss of energy causes a life-threatening situation; for household members a serious illness or other medical condition that requires electrical medical equipment or life support or which would otherwise be aggravated by interruption or termination of electrical service. 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): 1) Fast Track, 2) Crisis Intervention, 3) Arrearage Payment (When funding permits at the discretion of the Administrator). 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): 1) Fast Track, 2) Crisis Intervention, 3) Arrearage Payment (When funding permits at the discretion of the Administrator). 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: 4.6 Do you have additional eligibility requirements for CRISIS ASSISTANCE? Additional Eligibility Requirements: 1. Identification of the applicant is required. 2. Applications must be submitted by the person whose name appears on the utility bill, or the applicant must provide written authorization, from the individual whose name is printed on the bill, to act on their behalf. The applicant must be the person who is responsible for paying the cost of energy for the household. (Exceptions to the additional eligibility requirements may be granted by the Chief of Employment and Support Services if a hardship exists.) 4.7 Check the appropriate boxes below and describe the policies for each. Do you give priority in eligibility to: Prior recipient households consisting of elderly and/or disabled members will be mailed a simplified re-determination application about 30 days preceding the date they may be eligible for a current year benefit. Applications received by households consisting of elderly, disabled, and/or have a child under 6 years of age should be processed within 30 days (rather than 60 days) of receipt. The Fast-Track Component provides expedited application processing for eligible households whose energy source is in danger of being interrupted. Specific eligibility criteria must be met to qualify. In addition to other qualifying criteria, the household must have experienced an unexpected loss or reduction of income during the last 6 months. Must the household have received a shut-off notice or have a near empty tank? Fast Track: The household must 1) have received a 48-hour disconnect notice from their heating or electric service, or 2) have been disconnected, or 3) be in need of heating fuel and have less than 10% in their tank, or 4) need a deposit to establish service, or 5) have a life-threatening situation if they lose energy; and 6) have requested a payment plan and been denied or already have a payment plan established but are unable to meet the payment requirements. Other: Nevada has the following crisis components available: 1) Fast Track, 2) Crisis Intervention, and 3) Arrearage Payment (When funding permits at the discretion of the Administrator). Do you have additional / differing eligibility policies for: Renters living in subsidized/public housing where all utilities are included in the rent, and they are not billed separately for their energy costs are ineligible for an EAP benefit. If the utility account(s) are in the landlord's name and the utilities are included in the rent, and the residence is not master-metered, and eligible household may receive the minimum annual payment of $360 paid directly to the household if all other eligibility criteria are met. Eligible households with a solar vendor are eligible for the minimum annual payment of $360 for the solar vendor, unless their usage is more. 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: Fast Track: The Fast-Track Component is the expedited processing of an energy assistance application to respond in emergent situations. Application Processing Times: a) When an eligible household, if having a loss of energy causes a life-threatening situation, applies for energy crisis benefits, their case will be processed within 18 hours of receipt of their application and proof of eligibility. b) If an eligible household has received a 48-hour disconnect notice their case will be processed within 48 hours of receipt of their application and proof of eligibility. Other: The Crisis Intervention Component assists households experiencing a special circumstance or crisis and whose gross annual income exceeds the current income limits to be set by the Administrator, not to exceed 150% of poverty except for allowable qualifying expenses that reduce the annual income to the current income limits of poverty or less. Qualifying expenses may include: 1) Unreimbursed medical expenses for medical emergencies or long-term, chronic medical conditions; 2) Unreimbursed compulsory and necessary home repairs; 3) Automobile repairs only if transportation is needed for ongoing medical care, the repairs are critical to the operation of the vehicle, and it is the only registered vehicle in the household. Regular maintenance is excluded, including tire purchases. The qualifying expense must be supported by valid and verifiable documentation and must create financial hardship for a period of no less than three (3) months. A household that meets the criteria for Fast Track or Crisis Intervention receives the amount to which they are entitled based on the FAC benefit not to exceed the benefit cap for the household's size and income. And/or Arrearage Payment Component: This component enables targeted low-income households to achieve energy self-sufficiency through a combined arrearage payment and an ongoing FAC benefit. The DSS Administrator has the flexibility to restrict the Arrearage Payment Component to special households (child under 6, elderly, or disabled), suspend the program entirely when program funding is limited following a 30 day public notice period or to reduce or eliminate the energy burden to optimize the assistance provided to eligible households based on projected caseload, available program funding, and/or circumstances that warrant an adjustment (e.g., moratoriums on utility payments, etc.). The arrearage payment is an amount eliminating the applicant's debt owed to their heating and/or cooling vendor(s). The following criterion applies: 1. The household's gross annual income must not exceed the current gross annual income limits of the federally designated level signifying poverty, as determined by the Division of Social Services. 2. An eligible household may receive an arrearage payment once every five years based on the program year the prior arrearage payment was received. The only exceptions are households with chronic, long-term medical conditions that create financial hardship and/or increase energy consumption. The payment may be for both energy vendors. However, a subsequent request for an arrearage payment may not be paid at a later date in the event the previous arrearage payment did not cover one of the household's energy vendors. An eligible household that meets the criteria for the Arrearage Payment Component, receives both an arrearage payment [the amount necessary to satisfy the past due debt incurred with their energy vendor(s)] and their regular FAC (not to exceed the cap) benefit. 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. The Division of Social Services has service provider contracts with intake site locations throughout the State of Nevada to provide outreach and intake services to applicants. Intake sites provide information about the Energy Assistance Program including basic eligibility rules, assisting customers in completing the application, copying all required verifications and documentation, and making provisions for customers who are homebound to receive the same services utilizing home visits and/or telephone calls. Intake Sites are required to mail, or fax completed applications and related documentation to the nearest LIHEAP/EAP office. The Intake Sites include senior centers and senior programs, human/ social service agencies, family resource centers, churches, and various other agencies. 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. Applications can be mailed/faxed/emailed to any Welfare office. 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 $3,136.00 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 Funds may be utilized to provide emergency supplies to households experiencing loss of electricity and/or heating for an extended period of time. 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. The moratorium period for all customers is temperature-based, above 105 degrees or below 15 degrees, unless the household has an elderly or disabled person the temperature-base is above 95 degrees or below 20 degrees. Special dispensation received by all customers: Disconnection is delayed for 30 days, with one renewal, if medical emergency. Customers must pay the bill in installments within the next 90 days. Elderly and handicapped must have 48-hour notice. Disconnection is delayed if customers agree to pay the bill in installments within the next 90 days. Consumer Bill of Rights: http://puc.nv.gov/Consumers/Be_Informed/Consumer_Bill_of_Rights/ 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.