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ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Section One: Application Process Intake, Operations & Policy Manual Program Year 2026 32 ✓ A list of agency staff receiving LIHEAP or OEAP must be retained for auditing purposes and supplied to OHCS upon request. • Family and Friends as Applicants: Eligible family members and friends may apply for LIHEAP or OEAP assistance; however, a staff person other than a family member or friend should conduct the interview. In agencies where it is otherwise not possible to meet these criteria, the staff person must record the relationship in OPUS and on the application. All applications of family and friends must be approved and signed by the agency Executive Director or their designee. ✓ When friends or family members are assisted at the agency, a list of those served and the relationship must be retained for auditing purposes and supplied to OHCS upon request. Please note that these are minimum requirements, and that the definition of “friend” is not always clear. For further guidance staff should verify policies and procedures with their local agency. • Tribal Members The following Tribes receive LIHEAP funds directly from HHS: ➢ Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians ➢ Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde ➢ Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians ➢ Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs ➢ Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians ➢ The Klamath Tribe For those agencies with the above tribes in their service territory: If a member from one of the above listed tribes lives on a reservation or on tribal trust lands, they should be referred back to their tribal LIHEAP program for energy assistance services. If for any reason an eligible tribal member is unable to access their tribal LIHEAP program (e.g., out of funds, geographically inaccessible, unanticipated hardship) they should be served as any other eligible household; however, their local tribal office must be contacted to inquire about LIHEAP assistance already received for the current program year. If the household has received LIHEAP assistance from their tribe, they would only be eligible to receive a LIHEAP Crisis payment (assuming they meet the crisis criteria for each agency). Please work with the OPUS HelpDesk to edit payments