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. A crisis exists when a household has a 48 hour shut-off notices or has less than 10% in their tank for delivered fuels and faces a sudden or unexpected event beyond their control (within the last 90 days) resulting in the inability to pay household energy costs. 4.1 - We use 150% FPG for income eligibility. The benefit matrix is a bit confusing. It divides cell B8 (total income) from B9 (100% FPG) and it produces a decimal number in B10. Then in B11 you have to convert that decimal number to a whole number and that equals the FPG the client is at. If it is over 150 then the client is not eligible because that is over 150% FPG. We are working on simplifying the matrix. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? A crisis situation (as defined above in 4.2) that exists in a household with a medical condition requiring the use of an energy source to operate a medical device or store medication and has a written notice from the utility company that the residence has "life supporting equipment". Crisis Requirement, 2604(c) 4.4 Within how many hours do you provide an intervention that will resolve the energy crisis for eligible households? 48 hoursHours 4.5 Within how many hours do you provide an intervention that will resolve the energy crisis for eligible households in life-threatening situations? 18 hoursHours 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: Elderly, disabled and households with children under the age of 6 in the home have their applications processed first throughout the month of October. Renters living in subsidized housing must have the utility bill in their name in order to be considered vulnerable. Crisis assistance benefit payments must be paid directly to a utility vendor and may not be paid to a client. If the client has been paid directly for any portion of the HEAT payment, they are not eligible for Crisis assistance. Crisis assistance in the form of window air conditioners can be provided by our Weatherization program if it is medically advised with a note from a doctor. 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: If a household has a 48 hour shut off notice or is within 10% of depleting deliverable fuel and faces an event beyond their control resulting in the inability to pay household's utility costs, the household will receive preferential treatment in the application process. The workers will work with the utility companies to make a commitment of payment to avoid shut off. The household may receive one crisis benefit once every 2 years and does not exceed $1,500. 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. We have agencies with multiple offices located throughout the state to assist with applications. The staff at the local agencies travel to locations within their geographical service area to assist clients with outreach applications. In some circumstances, accommodations can be made for an intake worker to go to a client's home to assist with an application. 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. We do not provide transportation to our HEAT agencies for several reasons. We provide several options for clients to apply including: online, telephone, mail and conduct various outreach activities. In addition to these options, in the state of Utah, Medicaid provides public transportation passes for those who wish to use it. 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 $1,500.00 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 Each agency works with our Weatherization program to determines the needs of their clients and provides blankets, space heaters, fans, or other energy saving tools as needed. 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): We allocate Crisis dollars to Utah's Weatherization program to perform crisis repair/replacements. The client must meet crisis eligibility defined above to receive these services. In addition, client must have broken or inefficient equipment to receive a referral to the Weatherization team. 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. In Utah, the moratorium program applies to all regulated utilities and runs from November 15 through March 15. The state Heat office has the option of beginning it earlier or extending it longer when severe weather conditions warrant. To qualify, the applicant must be the adult residential account holder or have his/her name on the account, live at the address of service needing protecting, has a termination notice from the utility company, be approved for benefits, and make a good faith effort to pay their utility bill on a consistent basis during the moratorium. 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.