12 Fair Hearings,2605(b)(13) - Assurance 13

12.1 How many fair hearings did the Grant recipient have in the prior federal Fiscal Year? 70 12.2 How many of those fair hearings resulted in the initial decision being reversed? 4 12.3 Describe any policy and/or procedural changes made in the last federal Fiscal Year as a result of fair hearings? There were 70 requests for a fair hearing for FY 2025. There were 34 cases that were withdrawn prior to the hearing, as they were resolved by the parties, 17 cases were abandoned by the client/no shows,7 cases that were dismissed, 6 cases that upheld the Department’s decision, and 4 cases were reversed, with 1 of them still pending. There was no hearing request for Repair or Replacement, or Weatherization. There will be yearly training for all eligibility workers prior to this LIHEAP season. There will also be hands-on training and technical assistance as needed by the local offices. LIHEAP Coordinator is reviewing all fair hearing information to determine if a policy change is needed or strengthened. 12.4 Describe your fair hearing procedures for households whose applications are denied and/or not acted upon in a timely manner. Applicants who indicate that they want a fair hearing receive a form on which they must indicate whether they want a pre-hearing conference, fair hearing, or both. Requests must be made within 60 days of the date of the denial, and the Hearings Officer must render a decision within 60 days from the date of the hearing. In most cases, the issue is resolved in a pre-hearing conference. The applicant is informed of his or her rights to a fair hearing at the time of application and when he or she is notified of the decision made on the application. A posted notice is at each agency that informs applicants of their right to a fair hearing. Any Weatherization and Repair or Replacement fair Hearing requests will be handled by the sub-grantee that administers our Weatherization program. 12.5 When and how are applicants informed of these rights? The applicant is informed of his or her right to a fair hearing at the time of application and when he or she is notified of the decision made on the application. There is a notice at each agency that informs applicants of their right to a fair hearing. Any Weatherization & Repair or Replacement Fair Hearing requests would be handled by the sub-grantee that administers our Weatherization program. 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.