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? 0 12.2 How many of those fair hearings resulted in the initial decision being reversed? 0 12.3 Describe any policy and/or procedural changes made in the last federal Fiscal Year as a result of fair hearings? N/A 12.4 Describe your fair hearing procedures for households whose applications are denied and/or not acted upon in a timely manner. The LIHEAP Appeals Process The following outlines the established process for handling appeals from applicants who receive Local Conference The first step for any applicant who wishes to appeal a decision is to request a local conference If the initial decision is found to be incorrect, the application is re-processed and approv • If the original decision is upheld, the applicant is given a clear explanation of the reason • Administrative Hearing If a resolution is not reached at the local conference, the applicant has the right to request an adm these hearings. Submitting an Appeal Applicants are encouraged to submit their appeal requests as soon as they receive their denial no Common grounds for appeal include: Disagreement with the reason for denial. • Belief that the benefit amount is incorrect. • The application was not acted upon within 45 days of receipt. • Application Timelines The local LIEAP agency is contractually obligated to make an eligibility determination on all ap processed within this timeframe, the applicant may request a local conference or an administrative he due to delays in application processing. 12.5 When and how are applicants informed of these rights? Communication of Applicant Rights Applicant rights and responsibilities are an integral part of the application process. The "Applicant Rights and Responsibilities" document is attached to and included as pa • All Notice of Action letters explicitly inform applicants of their rights and the available • If any of the above questions require further explanation or clarification that could not be made in t