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. A crisis exists when a household faces a sudden or unexpected event beyond their control resulting in the inability to pay household heating or cooling costs. Crisis applications will be addressed within 48 hours of a completed application if such household is eligible to receive such benefits. All authorized crisis payments must be pledged to the vendor/utility within 48 hours. If a pledge is unable to be made, agencies must provide some form of assistance that will resolve the energy crisis. In the event of household energy-related emergencies, in-kind benefits may be used to augment crisis assistance. These include, but are not limited to sleeping bags, clothing, blankets and/or emergency disaster kits etc. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? A life-threatening crisis exists when a household member's health and/or well-being would likely be endangered if assistance is not provided to continue heating/cooling/energy services. Generally, this would require an active medical certificate but may be deemed a life- threatening crisis by the local service provider if extreme circumstances are present (e.g., extreme cold or heat, fuel supply shortages, etc.). In addition to the above, the household must either be disconnected or at imminent risk of disconnection (within 5 days of application) to be considered as having a life-threatening crisis situation. Households with deliverable fuels must either be out of fuel or at imminent risk of being out of fuel. Life-threatening crisis situations must be addressed within 18 hours of a completed application if such household is eligible to receive such benefits. This timeframe must be documented to ensure compliance with the federal requirement and must include comments outlining how the situation was addressed. 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): 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 household must have exhausted their regular heating/cooling benefit. 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 payments should reflect actual need and, with the exception of prepaid accounts, should only result in a credit if well justified. 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 $1,000.00 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 Households in crisis may be eligible for other services depending on their situation and need including in-kind items such as blankets, space heaters, air conditioners, and other emergency supplies. 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. See attached. 860-021-0407 Severe Weather Moratorium on Involuntary Disconnection of Residential and Small Commercial Electric or Gas Utility Service for Nonpayment 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 It depends on the nature of the disaster and the direction we get from our Department of Emergency Management and our Governor’s Office. 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.