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Revised: August 2025 d. Any other action or combination of actions that will at least address the emergency and protect the safety of the applicant (provision of blankets or temporary use of space heaters) e. Agencies may pay a portion of a household's non-heating electric bill using LIHEAP or PB funds for customers of participating vendors i. If a customer is eligible for LIHEAP, but not eligible for PB because their electric vendor does not participate in the PB program, the customer may receive LIHEAP Crisis Assistance for their non-heating electric service. ii. If a customer is eligible for PB, the customer may receive LIHEAP Crisis Assistance even if the household is not LIHEAP eligible. 3. If the heating system is not working, agencies may address this problem through HE+ Program Services. Repairs or replacements are only allowed to be done on the heating unit using the primary fuel type reported on the HE+ Application. If the customer’s water heater is leaking or otherwise not operating properly, or they have a leaky faucet, toilet, or other fixture, agencies may refer the household to the HE+ Water Conservation Program. For more information about HE+ HVAC Heating Program Services and HE+ Water Conservation Program Services, see the HE+ Program Services Manual.

5.3 Crisis Assistance Applications Remember the following items when entering Crisis Assistance applications in the HE+ System: 1. Review the data brought forward from the application. Correct any information that has changed from the original application. 2. Select the appropriate service types. 3. Respond accurately to the Performance Measurements questions on the application 4. The Request Date is the date the customer requested assistance, and the Service Date is the date the agency responded to the Crisis Assistance request. 5. For the vendor entry, any applicants with an account with an IOU, which includes Alliant, MG&E, Xcel, WPS, and We Energies and most applicants whose utility is a member of a WPPI utility, are subject to a WEFI web services call to confirm the account status. Use of the WEFI web service is required on all Crisis Assistance applications with IOU accounts.

The WEFI web service is a data validation function used to confirm direct pay electric or natural gas IOU account numbers. Review the data returned by the WEFI web service for accuracy prior to accepting the results of the call. Any discrepancies between WEFI results and information entered on the application shall be reviewed with the applicant and the results documented in HE+ System Notes. 6. When paying Crisis Assistance on a closed account, the HE+ System provides a field for entering notes. The worker shall document in this note section why Crisis Assistance is being paid on a closed account and have coordinated this, in advance, with the vendor. 7. Verify that the account name and account number is accurate and current. 8. Explain the circumstances of the crisis and how the crisis service will assist the customer in an HE+ System Note or in the “Customer Request Reason” field.