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 1 State Median Income 60.00% 2 8 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 is defined as being without home heat/utility or being in danger of not having home heat/utility and not having the resources to resolve the crisis without financial assistance. If the crisis threatens the loss of a utility, a past due bill or termination notice is required to be submitted with the application. If the home heating crisis is the result of a natural disaster, state and/or national public health emergency, payments may be issued to previously approved households. Under these circumstances, a past due bill, termination notice, or face-to-face interview may not be required. If there is an intake period in which an application is required, a past due bill or termination notice may be requested, but face-to-face contact may be waived. Households with unavailable heating sources are categorized as being in need, as well. High Energy Burden is defined as the total amount spent on the primary heating/utility source is greater than 20% of the household income. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? A life-threatening crisis is being without home heat or being in danger of not having home heat/utility and having an illness or condition that will cause one's wellbeing to be detrimentally affected by not having heating in the home. A client also must have no way to resolve the crisis, i.e., having no money to pay the bill or having to pay for repair/replacement of a malfunctioning heating/cooling unit. A disconnect notice or past due notice is required to verify that the utility is in danger of being terminated. If the heating unit is not functioning, the client can be issued a voucher for a day’s lodging if no shelters are available, to eliminate the life-threatening danger. They can also be evaluated for the Repair or Replacement Program. Life-threatening crisis must be documented in all cases. 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): Less than 3 days of coal/wood 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: The client must have a past-due bill or termination notice to be eligible for crisis assistance. The client must verify the lack of resources to eliminate the crisis. Lack of resources can be verified by the client to validate their income, which would show that he/she does not have sufficient income to eliminate the termination. If the client reports no income, then the client must fill out a zero-income form. Renters applying for Repair or Replacement Program would not be eligilbe for RRP, but maybe eligible for LIHEAP assistance 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: Once approved workers contact the utility companies and resolve the issue that day, if for some reason it could not be handled the same day as approved. Vouchers can be given for nights lodging if can’t be resolved in 18 hrs and no shelters are available. Approval for vouchers but must be approve prior by the LIHEAP Coordinator 4.9 If you have a separate component, how do you determine crisis assistance benefits? Amount to resolve the crisis. $2,000 Other - Describe: WV Emergency LIHEAP assists client that are in crisis and can pay up to 2000. Less any regular LIHEAP assistance received for the season. With the Income limits, West Virginia uses 60% of the State Median Income (SMI) for households up to size 7. Beginning with a household size of 8, we switch to 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to help clients with income limits and make the program more accessible to a wider population.” 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. Clients who require crisis assistance must be interviewed in a local DoHS office. There are fifty-four county offices to accommodate this need. If a client is not physically able to come into the local office the client can appoint someone to apply on his/her behalf or arrangements can be made for a worker to go out in the field to accommodate the client if necessary. 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 $2,000.00 maximum benefit Summer Crisis $0.00 maximum benefit Year-round Crisis $0.00 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 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. 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 WV will leave this option open and if a disaster would take place, we would evaluate funding to assist with the crisis and evaluate program impact. 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.