Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP)

Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP)

Internal Policy and Procedure

for

Community Services of Northeast Texas, Inc.

Program Year 2017

Outreach

Community Services will identify potential CEAP clients through extensive outreach and case management activities to ensure that the program meets the needs of all eligible clients, including those that have never been served under CEAP. Outreach activities will be documented and tracked on a log to ensure that all eligible households are being made aware of the CEAP Program.

The Outreach will consist of coordination with other agencies that target low- income households. Other outreach activities will include providing information through home visits, site visits, group meetings or by telephone for the physically challenged clients (i.e., elderly/disabled). In addition, informational material will be distributed in the local and county social service agencies, offices of aging, social security offices, interagency meetings, etc.

County Coordinators will provide information on a one-on-one basis for applicants in need of translation or interpretation assistance. Information and applications will be mailed to clients when needed. County Coordinators will partner with other social service agencies and utility vendors to identify and refer potential applicants to the proper outreach center. The “hidden” that otherwise may not benefit from the program will be identified through Senior Citizens Centers, Home Delivered Meal Programs, Housing Authority, Head Start, and Day Care Centers. County Coordinators will partner with Head Start Family Service Workers, Site Directors, and Meal Delivery Drivers to ensure program awareness.

Priority

Community Services will target households with the lowest income that pay a high portion of their income for energy. Priority will be given to vulnerable households containing one or more persons age 60 or above, disabled individuals and families with children under the age of six. Funds will be used to maintain outreach activities to ensure all eligible households are being served.

CSNT’s prioritization system assumes that funding will be available for all applicants in each contract period. Thus, the number of payments is set at six for non-vulnerable applicant households and eight for vulnerable applicant households. Should the exhaustion of funding become eminent, the prioritization system would then be utilized to determine which applicants receive assistance rather than how many payments an applicant household receives. Household need drives the prioritization system. The prioritization system assigns a number to all applicant households know as the Consumption Rating. With this information, applicants can be sorted in order by need to determine which households are served first.

Appointment Scheduling

Clients call or walk-in to our outreach centers to request appointments. They are given direction as to what documents to bring and how to begin the intake process. The nature of the client’s need and urgency is determined based on crisis criteria and an appointment is given. After this initial intake meeting, the client is then appointed a day and time to meet with the case manager. Clients are generally not given reminders about their appointment times and are expected to be on time. Clients who are at least fifteen minutes late for their appointment will be rescheduled.

Eligibility

A CSBG intake is completed on each potential CEAP client. Eligibility is determined in accordance with #5.20 Texas Administrative Code. Ineligible clients will be given a denial notice and appeal procedure. Determination is made as to which services the client needs. A CEAP application is completed if the client has requested assistance in this area or if the needs assessment determines that CEAP would be a benefit to the client.

If CEAP assistance is deemed necessary, the proper component is selected, and the qualification process takes place in accordance with the CEAP guidelines. After component selection is complete, benefit levels are determined. Procedures differ slightly based upon the component selected. All components, however, will be administered per the CEAP Contract, LIEAP Statue, and Texas Administrative Code Title 10 Part 1 Chapter 5 Subchapter D.

·  A household members name must be on the utility account.

Household Crisis Component

Reference TAC RULE §5.423

(a)A bona fide Household crisis exists when extraordinary events or situations resulting from extreme weather conditions and/or fuel supply shortages or a terrorist attack have depleted or will deplete Household financial resources and/or have created problems in meeting basic Household expenses, particularly bills for energy so as to constitute a threat to the well-being of the Household, particularly the Elderly, the Disabled, or a Family with Young Children.
·  Winter temperature trigger: 32
Summer temperature trigger: 94
Extreme weather conditions will exist when the daily temperature is equal or
Less than the defined winter temperature trigger; and equal or more than the
Defined summer temperature trigger for at least 3 days during the billing
cycle.
(b) A utility disconnection notice may constitute a Household crisis. Assistance provided to Households based on a utility disconnection notice is limited to two (2) payments per year. Weather criterion is not required to provide assistance due to a disconnection notice. The notice of disconnection must have been provided to the Subrecipient within the effective contract term and the notice of disconnection must not be dated more than sixty (60) days from receipt at the Subrecipient.
(c) Crisis assistance payments cannot exceed the minimum amount needed to resolve the crisis; e.g. when a shut-off notice requires a certain amount to be paid to avoid disconnection and the same notice indicates that there are balances due other than the required amount, only the amount required to avoid disconnection may be paid as crisis assistance. Crisis assistance payments that are less than the amount needed to resolve the crisis may only be made when other funds or options are available to resolve the Household's remaining crisis need.
(d) Crisis assistance for one Household cannot exceed the maximum allowable benefit level in one program year. If a Household's crisis assistance needs exceed that maximum allowable benefit, Subrecipient may pay up to the Household crisis assistance limit only if the remaining amount of Household need can be paid from other funds. If the Household's crisis requires more than the Household limit to resolve and no other funds are available, the crisis exceeds the scope of this component.
(e) Payments may not exceed Household's actual utility bill.
(f) Where necessary to prevent undue hardships from a qualified crisis, Subrecipients may directly issue vouchers to provide:
(1) Temporary shelter not to exceed the annual Household expenditure limit for the duration of the contract period in the limited instances that supply of power to the dwelling is disrupted--causing temporary evacuation;
(2) Emergency deliveries of fuel up to 250 gallons per crisis per Household, at the prevailing price. This benefit may include coverage for tank pressure testing;
(3) Service and repair of existing heating and cooling units not to exceed $3,000 during the contract period when Subrecipient has met local weather crisis criteria. If any component of the central system cannot be repaired using parts, the Subrecipient can replace the component in order to repair the central system. Documentation of service/repair and related warranty must be included in the client file;
(4) Portable air conditioning/evaporative coolers and heating units (portable electric heaters are allowable only as a last resort) may be purchased for households that include at least one member that is Elderly, Disabled, or a Family with Young Children, when Subrecipient has met local weather crisis criteria;
(5) When a Household's crisis meets the definition of Life Threatening Crisis, portable air conditioning/evaporative coolers and heating units (portable electric heaters are allowable only as a last resort) may be purchased for those Households regardless of whether Subrecipient has met local weather crisis criteria. All other provisions of this subsection apply;
(6) Purchase of more than two portable heating/cooling units per Household requires prior written approval from the Department;
(7) Purchase of portable heating/cooling units which require performance of electrical work for proper installation requires prior written approval from the Department;
(8) Replacement of central systems and combustion heating units is not an approved use of crisis funds; and
(9) Portable heating/cooling units must be Energy Star® and compliant with the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC). In cases where the type of unit is not rated by Energy Star®, or if Energy Star® units are not available due to supply shortages, Subrecipient may purchase the highest rated unit available.
(g) Crisis funds, whether for emergency fuel deliveries, repair of existing heating and cooling units, purchase of portable heating/cooling units, or temporary shelter, shall be considered part of the total maximum Household allowable assistance.
(h) When natural disasters result in energy supply shortages or other energy-related emergencies, LIHEAP will allow home energy related expenditures for:
(1) Costs to temporarily shelter or house individuals in hotels, apartments or other living situations in which homes have been destroyed or damaged, i.e., placing people in settings to preserve health and safety and to move them away from the crisis situation;
(2) Costs for transportation (such as cars, shuttles, buses) to move individuals away from the crisis area to shelters, when health and safety is endangered by loss of access to heating or cooling;
(3) Utility reconnection costs;
(4) Blankets, as tangible benefits to keep individuals warm;
(5) Crisis payments for utilities and utility deposits; and
(6) Purchase of fans, air conditioners and generators. The number, type, size and cost of these items may not exceed the minimum needed to resolve the crisis.
(i) Time Limits for Assistance--Subrecipients shall ensure that for clients who have already lost service or are in immediate danger of losing service, some form of assistance to resolve the crisis shall be provided within a 48-hour time limit (18 hours in life-threatening situations). The time limit commences upon completion of the application process. The application process is considered to be complete when an agency representative accepts an application and completes the eligibility process.
(j) Subrecipients must maintain written documentation in client files showing crises resolved within appropriate timeframes. Subrecipients must maintain documentation in client files showing that a utility bill used as evidence of a crisis was received by the Subrecipient during the effective contract term. The Department may disallow improperly documented expenditures.
Utility Assistance Component
Reference TAC RULE §5.424
(a) Subrecipients may use home energy payments to assist Low Income Households to reduce their home energy costs. Subrecipients shall combine home energy payments with energy conservation tips, participation by utilities, and coordination with other services in order to assist Low Income Households to reduce their home energy needs.
(b) Subrecipients must make payments directly to vendors on behalf of eligible Households.
(c) Subrecipients may make utility payments on behalf of Households based on the previous twelve (12) month's home energy consumption history, including allowances for cost inflation. If a twelve (12) month's home energy consumption history is unavailable, Subrecipient may base payments on current program year's bill or utilize a Department-approved alternative method. Subrecipients will note such exceptions in client files. Benefit amounts exceeding the actual bill shall be treated as a credit for the client with the utility company.
(d) Households that include at least one member that is Elderly, a Person with Disability or a child age 5 or younger may receive benefits to cover up to 100% of the eight highest remaining bills within the contract year as long as the cost does not exceed the maximum annual benefit. First payment may include 100% of utility bill including arrears.
(e) Households that do not contain at least one member that is Elderly, a Person with Disability, or a child age 5 or younger may receive benefits to cover up to 100% of the 6 highest remaining bills within the contract year as long as the cost does not exceed the maximum annual benefit. First payment may include 100% of utility bill including arrears.
·  CSNT’s prioritization system assumes that funding will be available for all applicants in a given contract period. Thus, the number of payments is set at three for non-vulnerable applicant households with a poverty level of 101% to 150%, four for non-vulnerable applicant households with a poverty level of 100% and below; and six for vulnerable applicant households. Should the exhaustion of funding become eminent, the prioritization system would then be utilized to determine which applicants receive assistance rather than how many payments an applicant household receives. Household need drives the prioritization system. The prioritization system assigns a number to all applicant households know as the Consumption Rating. With this information, applicants can be sorted in order by need to determine which households are served first.

Advocacy

County Coordinators will coordinate with local utility venders to arrange for arrearage reduction, reasonable or reduced payment schedules, or cost reduction. In addition, as needed, coordinators will advocate for assistance and services that benefit clients. This information will be tracked through the advocate log that will be on file for TDHCA’s review.

Case Management

Case management is part of the everyday process for the agency. At minimal, Coordinators spend time with each client performing a needs assessments and determining how best to improve the quality of life for each member of the client’s household.

Reducing Energy Burdens

County Coordinators assess each household to determine the energy burden and needs. Every household is referred to the Weatherization Program. Also, every household is given energy conservation training and tips. If necessary, households are referred to home repair programs and housing for assistance.

Budget Counseling

County Coordinators assess each household to determine their budgeting needs. Referrals are made to corresponding agencies, entities, and programs based on need. Such agencies include TDHHS (food stamps, Medicaid, and TANF), Food Banks, Clothing Closets, Indigent Prescription Programs, CHIPS, Texas Workforce Centers, Workforce Solution Centers, Head Start, Social Security Administration, Child Support, Discounted Phone Programs etc. Each case manager completed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s training titled “Your Money, Your Goals”. The empowerment toolkit is a valuable asset to both case managers and the clients they serve. Through extensive budget counseling provided by county coordinators, recommendations are made to prioritize bills and spending in efforts to improve and maintain a household budget. If necessary, households are referred to Consumer Counseling Services and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for additional assistance.