18 Miss. Code. R. 24-6.10 - Crisis and Emergency Services

Mississippi offers a year-round crisis assistance component of LIHEAP, entitled the Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP), which provides assistance to low-income households who have encountered a crisis situation within the last 30 days.

A. Life Threatening Crisis- Eligible households with a life-threatening energy crisis must have the crisis relieved within 18 hours of an approved application. Resolution of a lifethreatening crisis may include, but is not limited to: arranging for an immediate supply of fuel, securing a payment arrangement with the energy vendor, pledging the amount of bill to prevent shutoff or to restore service, purchase of heating/cooling equipment, etc. The following are considered life threatening:

1) Disaster (fire, gas leak, etc.),

2) Person(s) on life support or medical devices that require electricity,

3) Domestic violence, and/or

4) Elderly/disabled or child abuse/neglect.

B. Non-Life Threatening Crisis- Eligible households with a non-life threatening energy crisis must have the crisis relieved within 48 hours of an approved application. Resolution of a life-threatening crisis may include, but is not limited to; arranging for an immediate supply of fuel, securing a payment arrangement with the energy vendor, pledging the amount of bill to prevent shutoff or to restore service, purchase of heating/cooling equipment, etc. The following situations are considered non-life threatening:

1) Unexpected expense such as death of an immediate family member, funeral expenses, high medical expenses, etc;

2) Income loss within the last thirty (30) days (of date the subgrantee was contacted) due to layoff or termination of benefits;

3) Services arc disconnected or threatened to be turned off;

4) Theft;

5) Displacement of a minor child (under the age of 18) due to client's inability to pay utilities, rent, etc.; and/or

6) Other documented emergency within the last thirty (30) days, as deemed acceptable by the subgrantee.

C. LIHEAP Assistance for Disaster Relief- Natural disaster (fire, hurricane, tornado, flood, etc.) or extreme inclement weather conditions determined by the National Weather Service and/or declared by the President or Governor. Allowable uses of LIHEAP funds for home energy-related needs resulting from a natural disaster or disasters as listed in Section A (1 -2) of this chapter include:

1) Costs to temporarily house or shelter individuals in which homes have been destroyed or damaged;

a. Hotels (up to 5 days),

b. Apartments (1 month rent and deposit), or

c. Other living situations that place 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 (does not include water and sewage);

4) Repair or replacement cost for furnaces, air conditioners and heaters;

5) Insulation repair;

6) Coats and blankets, as tangible benefits to keep individuals warm;

7) Crisis payments for utilities and utility deposits;

8) Purchase and installation of fans, air conditioners and heaters;

9) Purchase and installation of generators;

10) Costs associated with mobile outreach; and

11) Other things as needed (contact DCS for approval).

12) The costs related to utility cost such utilities, deposits, reconnect fees, and late fees are counted against the annual matrix amount per household. Other costs shall not be counted against the annual max benefit amount per household (Cl-2, C4-6, C8-11)-

D. Deceased Head of Household

1) If the applicant dies before the application for services is approved, the application shall be approved if all apply:

a. All eligibility information received is accurate and meets income guidelines;

b. The bill is for an outstanding balance, not a deposit; and

c. There arc other household members.

2) This will allow the household to become stable until a new intake can be done to name a new head of household. The agency may assist the new head of household with changing the service into his/her name and paying any necessary deposits to do so.

3) If the application is for a deposit for services, the application should be denied. If the household has another adult member, a new intake must be done to name a new head of household.

E. Subgrantees shall, under no circumstances tell a client that they must have a disconnect notice to apply for assistance. This may put a household in a crisis situation which could be avoided by assisting with regular LIHEAP assistance.

F. Applicants who are ineligible for crisis benefits shall be referred to other organizations that may be able to assist, or the subgrantee may contact energy vendor on applicant's behalf to see if payment arrangement or extension is available.

G. Multiple emergency requests by a client may result in the subgrantee referring client to CSBG program for intensive case management.

Notes

18 Miss. Code. R. 24-6.10

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-1-2(4); Miss. Code Ann. § 43-1-4 Revised: September 2020

Adopted 3/24/2021 Amended 9/15/2022