R982-402-11. HEAT Crisis Assistance

  (1) A crisis exists when a household faces a sudden or unexpected event beyond its control resulting in the inability to pay household heating costs. A crisis may be caused by:

  (a) unexpected increase in medical costs;

  (b) sudden loss of job, public benefits, or other income;

  (c) malfunction of heating equipment;

  (d) other circumstances that may pose a potential health and/or safety threat

  (2) Circumstances that do not necessarily qualify as a crisis include:

  (a) chronic non-payment of utility/fuel costs

  (b) unexplained or excessively high utility/fuel costs

  (c) payments that will create a credit balance on a utility account, payments on utility accounts previously sent to a collection agency or capital improvements to rental property

  (d) other situations which are not sudden, unexpected, or beyond the control of the household.

  (3) To be eligible for HEAT crisis assistance, a household must be eligible for HEAT during the same HEAT program year.

  (a) If the local office determines that a household is in a crisis situation, is eligible to receive HEAT crisis assistance and has written notice from the Division of Public Utilities that the residence has "life supporting equipment", HEAT crisis assistance will be provided within 18 hours. Regular HEAT crisis assistance will be provided within 48 hours of eligibility determination.

  (b) The HEAT supervisor or designee must approve all expenditures.

  (c) HEAT payments are issued to the vendor. If propane or wood is used as a heating source, or if the state does not have a contract with the vendor, the percentage of benefit attributable to that heating source can be paid directly to the client.

  (d) HEAT crisis payments are limited to a maximum of $500 per household per utility (e.g. gas and electric) per HEAT program year unless prior approval for an amount larger than $500 per utility is obtained from the supervisor or state office.