3001-5 ACTIONS TAKEN ON THE APPLICATION
3001-5 A. ENTERING APPLICATIONS
Refer to Administrative Procedures Manual, section 101-7.
3001-5 B. DUPLICATE APPLICATIONS
ECOS screens for duplicate household members or head of household members that have previously applied during the application entry process. A warning will pop-up on the screen if a name, date of birth, or social security number entered into ECOS is already in the system. When this situation arises the office assistant or caseworker determines if the application being entered has a duplicate household member or an application that has already been approved. The office assistant or caseworker can determine this by conducting an advanced search on the Household Select screen using the lookup category "Household Member Name."
3001-5 C. EXPEDITE PROCESSING OF THE APPLICATION
Expedited service is provided to SRHUD applications and households facing immediate service terminations (including households facing eviction when the applicant's heat is included in the rent and there is an eviction notice or the threat of action taken because the utility account has reverted back to the landlord's name due to nonpayment), or who are without heat who also meet the expedite criteria as outlined below. Expedited service results in a promise of payment (pledge to vendor) to remedy the heating assistance emergency.
Note:
Only one expedite request is allowed per household per heating season.
Criteria for Expedited Processing:
Expedited service is provided to a household if they have submitted a SRHUD application or if all of the following expedited service criteria are met:
The household has requested expedited service;
The household meets the "medically necessary" criteria as defined in MS 3000-2 and/or has suffered or will suffer within 48 hours, termination of fuel, electricity or home heating-related utility services;
The household has submitted a complete, verified, and signed application, including a rent receipt or rental agreement if heat is included in the rent; and
The household must submit a copy of the shut-off notice or written notification from the vendor including the date of the proposed action and the past due amount or the most recent fuel vendor statement or wood receipt or an eviction notice for a renter who will be evicted for nonpayment of rent where their heat is included in the rent.
Expedited Time Frames:
Households eligible for expedited service because of a SRHUD application submission will have their application processed within 10 days after receipt of the completed application in a DPA office. SRHUD applications will be accepted year-round, October 1 through September 30.
Heating Assistance emergencies (client is out of fuel or is scheduled for fuel disconnection) will be accepted January 1 through September 30. Their application should be processed within 18 hours after they submit a complete application. If an applicant does not meet the expedite criteria, the caseworker is required to contact the applicant by e-mail or phone to inform them that they do not qualify for expedited processing and their application will be worked in order of date received. The caseworker should also direct the client to other community resources that may assist with the prevention of a service disconnection.
3001-5 D. CHANGES REPORTED TO DPA
Changes reported for any DPA program after the initial HAP application submission but before a case decision is made will be considered in the initial HAP eligibility determination. This includes additional HAP applications submitted by the applicant.
3001-5 E. APPROVING THE APPLICATION
A Notice of Action must be sent to the household following a determination of eligibility. Approved households must receive a notice of action no later than 45 days after HAP receives a complete application for non-expedited applications and within 18 hours of life-threatening expedited applications.
3001-5 F. PENDING THE APPLICATION
Caseworkers request additional verification if the application or supporting documents contain unclear, inconsistent, or contradictory information.
When information from another source contradicts statements made by the applicant, the applicant must be provided an opportunity to clarify the questionable information.
1. Pending
When an application is incomplete and the necessary information cannot be obtained from the databases available to DPA, a notice requesting additional information is sent to the applicant. This request is sent on a Notice of Action form and is known as a pend notice. Applicants are given 30 days to respond to a pend notice. If the requested information is received within the 30-day period, the application can be processed using the original application date. If the information is not received within the 30-day pend period, the application is denied. A new application is required if the applicant is still in need of assistance.
There are instances when a client requires additional time to provide requested information. When this situation arises the application can be repended/extended for an additional 15 day period before taking action on the application.
2. Reasons for Pending
The pending reasons, as programmed into the ECOS, are listed below:
a. Unsigned Application - The caseworker sends a pend notice and a copy of the application form to the applicant for signature and keeps an electronic copy of the original application in ILINX.
b. Missing proof of income
c. Missing social security number and/or birth date
d. No visible means of support
e. Mobile home dimensions missing
f. Child Support verification request
g. Number of bedrooms missing
h. Who lives with you
i. Other (free form)
j. Subsidized housing verification
k. Temporary shelter
l. Rent receipt/agreement request
m. Missing proof of seasonal income
n. Physical residence address request
o. Proof of ID (social security card, CIB card, state-issued ID, tribal ID card, or other government issued ID card) for the head of household. This includes proof of ID notated in EIS.
p. Proof of heating and/or electric bill.
3. Reasons for Re-pending
Reasons for re-pending an application are:
a. The initial pend notice was unclear.
b. The Time frame for the initial pend notice was incorrect (less than 30 days.)
c. There are extenuating circumstances in which a re-pend is necessary. This should be documented in case note.
3001-5 G. DENYING THE APPLICATION
A denial notice must be sent to the applicant explaining the reason for the denial. This notice should be sent as soon as possible following the determination of ineligibility, but no later than 45 days following the receipt of a complete application.
Applicants denied for failing to provide needed verification by the end of the pend period will be sent a notice of denial at the end of the pend period.
If the applicant provides the verification after the pend period but within 30 days of the application filing date, the caseworker must accept the verification and make an eligibility determination without requiring a new application. If the household is found eligible, the caseworker will use the original benefit start date.
Note:
When the deadline for processing an application or providing verification does not fall on a workday, it will be extended to the next workday.
3001-5 H. REASONS FOR DENYING AN APPLICATION
The following is the list of reasons why a heating assistance application may be denied, as displayed in the drop-down menu selection on the ECOS LIHEAP Certification screen:
Incomplete Application: An application that was pended for the 30-day and/or 15-day period for missing information and the information was not received by the deadline.
Withdrew Application: When a client has requested in writing to withdraw their application on file.
Does Not Meet Energy Burden Requirement: Already The household's gross income, household size, dwelling size, and estimated annual heating costs, using community heating points, are used to compute the household's estimated home heating burden, expressed as a point value. An applicant whose household heating cost points are calculated to be less than 2.0 is ineligible for heating assistance.
No or Low Heating Costs: An applicant who pays $200 or less annually or does not pay in money for heat or rent, is ineligible for heating assistance. Examples include:
An applicant who is receiving State of Alaska GRA where the heat is included in the rent and the State is paying the entire monthly rental payment.
An applicant who is living with a separate household who is paying for heat and not charging the applicant for rent.
An applicant who self-harvests wood or coal and provides no receipt to indicate they have a cost (in money) associated with obtaining their fuel.
Program Out of Funds: Used when the program has run out of funding.
Household Over Income: A household with income that exceeds 150 percent of poverty is ineligible for heating assistance and the household income was based on the prior calendar month.
Household Over Income - Seasonal/Self Employed: A household with income that exceeds 150 percent of poverty is ineligible for heating assistance and the household income was based on an average of the prior 12-month period.
Household Already Received Benefit: Used when a household has already received an award for heating assistance this season. HAP awards only one heating assistance grant per household during the program's season.
Household composition is determined at the time of application. Individuals moving into or out of the household after the grant is determined are considered previously served, as grants are household, not individual based.
An application from a person who received heating assistance as a member of another household earlier in the season is ineligible for another heating assistance grant.
An application from a person who is currently residing with a previously served household is ineligible for heating assistance.
An application from a household seeking a SRHUD that has received a HAP grant within the prior 180 days, or a SRHUD within the prior 24-month period, is ineligible for heating assistance.
NOTE:
In cases where two adults in the household who both contribute to the heating costs have separated after the award has been issued and the adult(s) who left the household request heating assistance separately, the worker should refer to MS 3002-1A7 to determine how to treat this situation.
Subsidized with Heat Included: A household living in subsidized housing and is not responsible for paying for all or a portion of their heating expense separately from their rent.
SRHUD - Unqualified: When a household does not meet the eligibility criteria to receive a SRHUD payment, as listed in MS 3006.
Area Served by Different Agency: An When a household resides in an area that is served by a tribal LIHEAP provider and the household members meet the acceptance criteria as listed in MS 3001-2G and Addendum A.
Temporary Housing: An applicant that is residing in a dwelling normally intended for temporary occupancy, and has resided there less than 60 consecutive days before the date of the signature on the completed application. The exception to the rule is a household in temporary shelter that is applying for a utility deposit to move into rental housing in Alaska. Examples of temporary shelter include: a crisis center, hotel, motel, bed & breakfast, boarding home, hostel, tent, car, van, or pick-up camper.
Physical Address Not Located in Alaska: A household's dwelling for which heating assistance is requested must be located in Alaska and at least one member of the household must be physically present in the state at the time of application submission.
Moved: The client has moved into a new residence before an eligibility determination was made. They will need to reapply with their new address and associated heating and electric account information.
Ineligible Dwelling: The client lives in a hospital, nursing home, Alaska Pioneer Home, a long-term care facility, public or private institution to receive treatment for a mental or physical illness, student dormitory, correctional facility, military base, or the home is located out-of-state.
Not a U.S. Citizen or Legal Alien: When the household does not include a U.S. Citizen or Qualified Alien.
Other: Used when the reason for denial does not fit into any of the other denial categories.
Low Points: When the household does not meet the energy burden eligibility requirement of 2.0 points. The caseworker can also elect to use "Does Not Meet Energy Burden Requirement" or "No or Low Heating Costs."
Low Points - Subsidized Housing: When the household lives in subsidized housing, pays a portion or all of their home heating expenses and does not meet the energy burden eligibility requirement of 2.0 points.
Energy Bill Credit Exceeds Maximum Allowed: An applicant that has a credit balance with a fuel vendor from a prior HAP grant that exceeds the amount the household spent for fuel during the previous 12-month period.
Tribal LIHEAP: This is not an available option for caseworkers to select. This denial reason is generated automatically at the time of application registration when a household resides in a Tribal LIHEAP service area and if applicable, meets the Alaska Native or American Indian member requirement. The application is automatically denied and a denial notice sent to the household. The registering office assistant or caseworker must file the application in the client's ILINX folder and forward a copy the application to the identified Tribal LIHEAP office. Additional information regarding tribal applications is in manual section 3001-2G.
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