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Vermont Department for Children and Families Crisis Fuel Assistance Rules Economic Services Division 3105 Crisis Fuel After-Hours Assistance

3105 Crisis Fuel After-Hours Assistance (06/22/2024, 23-20)

a. During the crisis fuel heating season, the Department must provide heating assistance outside of regular business hours in accordance with this rule.

1. The Department may contract with another person to provide assistance under this rule.

b. The Department may limit after-hours assistance to certain days and times, and the Department may change the days and times it provides after-hours assistance.

c. The Department may provide after-hours assistance only to households with no heat.

d. The Department may provide any after-hours assistance necessary to heat the living unit of a qualifying household, including:

1. Providing the household with fuel;

2. Providing a household’s fuel supplier with a voucher for the benefit of the household;

3. Repairing or replacing equipment necessary to provide heat to the household;

4. Providing electric heaters or alternative sources of heat; or

5. Supplying any other goods or services necessary to heat the living unit in which the household resides.

e. Qualifying households are not entitled to any particular form of assistance under this rule.

f. The Department may impose additional qualifications on households to receive some or all forms of after-hours assistance provided by the Department.

1. For example, the Department may limit the provision of fuel after hours only to households that have a member who is elderly, disabled, or under the age of six.

2. The Department may also impose limits on the number of times a household receives after- hours assistance during the crisis fuel heating season.

g. Households seeking after-hours heating assistance must be interviewed by a crisis fuel worker by telephone or by another method permitted by the Department.