DHS, through the CAOs or Crisis contractors, is responsible for determining eligibility and verifying the type of crisis the applicant is experiencing. If vendors ask for verification of a LIHEAP Cash benefit or an authorization of a LIHEAP Crisis benefit, refer them to the LIHEAP Vendor Unit, 1-877-537-9517, or e-mail RA-LIHEAPVendors@state.pa.us.
Applicants may request Crisis benefits in person at the local CAO, by fax or by phone.
When a person requests Crisis benefits, the CAO must access LIHEAP e-CIS to find out if a Cash or Crisis benefit was paid.
A separate application is not needed if an applicant completed a HSEA-1 for the current LIHEAP season as long as the address has not changed or there are no new household members. If the LIHEAP Cash application was approved, the CAO must note the date of approval and benefit amount. A newborn of a known household member does not necessitate a new application.
If the CAO processes the Cash and Crisis grants on the same day during the regular Crisis season, the vendor has the option of using the Crisis funding first to resolve the emergency.
The CAO must, depending on the type of crisis, either process the application in-house or refer the application to the local DCED weatherization office for processing.
To qualify for help, a household must meet all basic LIHEAP eligibility criteria listed in Chapter 605, LIHEAP Eligibility Criteria. It also must be without heat or be in immediate danger of being without heat because of a weather-related or fuel-supply emergency.
A household is ineligible for a Crisis payment if the payment, alone or in combination with other resources, is not enough to resolve the emergency. A credit balance with the vendor, including but not limited to the LIHEAP Cash component that has been authorized and not yet received is considered to be available and must be used first for the resolution of the crisis.
If no crisis exists, the application must be rejected using rejection codes in Chapter 677, Appendix A.
NOTE: A water shutoff is not considered a fuel-supply emergency, and the household is not eligible for Crisis.
A Crisis benefit generally is paid directly to the vendor. If DHS determines that payment cannot be made to the vendor, then the payment is made to the applicant as reimbursement after verification of the purchase has been provided.
55 Pa. Code § 601.64; LIHEAP State Plan § 601.64
NOTE: In order to ensure that the crisis is resolved, the client must first pay the vendor and provide verification before a Crisis direct payment can be approved.
The CAO must refer households who are ineligible for Crisis benefits to community organizations or other programs that may be able to help.
NOTE: Households may apply for and, if eligible, receive regular Crisis benefits regardless of whether they apply for or receive LIHEAP Cash.
Reissued November 16,2016, replacing October 13, 2016