STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health 

Division of Public Assistance

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: 2024-02

MANUAL: Heating Assistance Program

DATE: September 3, 2024

Several sections of the Heating Assistance Program Policy Manual have been revised in order to incorporate new policy, clarify existing policy, and align policies within our division's policy manuals.

If you have questions, please contact the Policy & Program Development Team at hss.dpa.policy@alaska.gov.

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

MS 3000-2        DEFINITIONS

• Added new term, "administrative costs" and provided definition. This is a term ACFAdministration for Children and Families requested DPADivision of Public Assistance define.
• Clarified households are considered categorically eligible if they receive TANFTemporary Assistance to Needy Families, SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, APAAdult Public Assistance, or SSISupplemental Security Income.
• Outlined the period in which clients can be considered categorically eligible.
• Added note clarifying that clients who receive only Medicaid, General Relief Assistance, or Senior Benefits are not categorically eligible.
• Added note/exception under the definition "categorical eligibility" explaining that actual income information provided with the application may be used instead of the income input into EISEligibility Information System if it would be in the client's best interest.
• Removed "Certificate of Medical Necessity" definition as this document is no longer required.
• Added new term, "completed application" and provided definition.
• Added a definition to the term "expedite" instead of only referring to "crisis" and "life-threatening crisis" definitions.
• Added new term, "expenditure timeframe" and provided definition. This is a term ACFAdministration for Children and Families requested DPADivision of Public Assistance define.
• Updated the note under "medically necessary" to allow client statement as acceptable verification.
• Added new term, "priority processing" and added link to manual section that defines the term.
• Added new term, "older adult" and provided ACFAdministration for Children and Families's definition.
• Added new term, "vulnerable population" and added definition.

MS 3001-5C     EXPEDITE PROCESSING OF THE APPLICATION

• Updated the expedite application acceptance period from January 1 through September 30 to October 1 through September 30.

MS 3002-1        TYPES OF HOUSEHOLDS

• Changed reference to the 75/25 split to the 50/50 split.
• Clarified households are considered categorically eligible if they receive TANFTemporary Assistance to Needy Families, SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, APAAdult Public Assistance, or SSISupplemental Security Income.
• Outlined the period in which clients can be considered categorically eligible.
• Added note under "Categorical Households" explaining that actual income information provided with the application may be used instead of the income input into EISEligibility Information System if it would be in the client's best interest. Caseworkers should not pend for income information if it is already input into EISEligibility Information System.

MS 3002-1 D.      CITIZENSHIP AND ELIGIBLE ALIEN STATUS

• Added COFACompact of Free Association migrants as a group eligible for HAPHeating Assistance Program due to a change in law effective March 9, 2024.

MS 3003-1 B.      UNEARNED INCOME

• Removed reference to Native Dividends as countable income, as they are considered exempt income per 7 AAC 44.042.

MS 3003-4 E.      SELF-EMPLOYMENT ANNUALIZATION STANDARDS

• Revised the self-employment annualization standards that change effective October 1, 2024.

MS 3003-6          GUIDELINES FOR COMPUTING INCOME

• Added exception to the period in which we count income for categorically eligible clients.

MS 3004-1          ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION TIME FRAMES

• Removed the September 1 through April 30 application acceptance dates for elderly and disabled applicants. Applications for all applicants are accepted from October 1 through April 30.
• Changed references to "Expedited Heating Assistance" to "Crisis Assistance".
• Changed the Crisis Assistance acceptance dates from January 1 through September 30 to October 1 through September 30.
• Added priority processing eligibility determination timeframes.
• Renumbered "Subsidized Rental Housing Utility Deposit (SRHUD)".

MS 3004-5           GRANT COMPUTATION

• Updated FY2024 to FY2025
• Added reference to categorically eligibility and clarified the income verification requirement is for non-categorical eligible households.
• Removed note stating AHFCAlaska Housing Finance Corporation households should be treated as a regular application with no utility allowance after the first year. These households are still subsidized and are still subject to the subsidized housing adjustment.

MS 3005              EXPEDITED CASES

• Changed section title from "Expedited Cases" to "Expedited Applications" because HAPHeating Assistance Program clients are not assigned case numbers.

MS 3005-1           EXPEDITED APPLICATIONS

• Renumbered section 3005-1 to 3005.
• Renumbered section 3005-1A to 3005-1.
• Renumbered section 3005-1B to 3005-2.
• Removed elderly, disabled, and children under 6 years of age as qualifying criteria for expediting an application. Applications are only expedited if the client is in crisis or meets medically necessary criteria.
• Clarified that client statement is accepted when a client states they have run out of oil, firewood, or coal.
• Clarified applicants are required to provide both their primary heating fuel and electric billing statements when requesting expedited processing.
• Changed availability of expedited service from January 1 to October 1.
• Removed reference to referring clients to community resources if they request expedited service prior to January 1. Expedite service is now available all season.

MS 3005-2           EXPEDITED TIME FRAMES

• Clarified that expedited eligibility service is available October 1 through September 30.

MS 3007-2 B.       LOW INCOME TAX CREDIT PROGRAMS (LITC)

• Updated the term "Low Income Tax Credit" to Low-Income Housing Tax Credit".
• Changed the expandable acronym from "T&HTlingit & Haida" to "THRHATlingit and Haida Regional Housing Authority" to distinguish between the Tlingit & Haida Regional Housing Authority (THRHA) and the Central Council for the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHITA or T&H).

MS 3008-1           TIME FRAMES

• Updated the expedited acceptance and processing dates.

MS 3008-2 A.       HEATING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS CAN ONLY BE USED FOR THE PURCHASE OF:

• Changed grant percentage from 25% to 50% for the purchase of gasoline or propane for households who use a generator to produce their electricity.
• Removed "lights" as one of the reasons to allow the purchase of a 30# bottle of propane. Households are now allowed to use 50% of their grant to purchase fuel to produce electricity if they live off-grid.

MS 3008-3 A.       THE 75/25 SPLIT OPTION

• Changed grant percentage from 75% primary home heating fuel / 25% electric to 50% primary home heating fuel / 50% for electric.

MS 3008-3 B.       EXCEPTIONS TO THE 75/25 SPLIT OPTION

• Updated the manual section title from "Exceptions to the 75/25 Split" to "Exceptions to the 50/50 Split."
• Changed the grant percentage option from 75% primary home heating fuel / 25% electric to 50% primary home heating fuel / 50% for electric.
• Removed the requirement for electricity to be the client's primary fuel type in order to receive payment to prevent electric service disconnection or reinstatement.

MS 3008-4 B.       DIRECT PAYMENT

• Changed email from hss.dpa.policy@alaska.gov to vendors.liheap@alaska.gov.
• Clarified that a direct payment can be made to a client if their primary heating fuel or electric account are setup in the landlord's name or the name of an individual who is not a member of the household.
• Added note informing staff that ENSTAR will only accept LIHEAPLow Income Home Energy Assistance Program payments issued on behalf of an ENSTAR account holder or their legal spouse and to issue a direct payment to the household if the payment will issue under another household member's name.

MS 3008-4 C.       VENDOR PAYMENT AND DIRECT PAYMENT

• Changed the 75/25 grant split to 50/50 split.

MS 3008-6           GRANT TRANSFERS

• Changed section title from "Grant Transfers" to "Grant Transfers and Refunds" to account for the refund information already presented in the section.

MS 3008-6 A.        THE GRANT TRANSFER PROCESS

• Changed subsection title from "The Grant Transfer Process" to "The Grant Transfer and Refund Process" to allow for the refund process to be addressed in this subsection.
• Changed the grant transfer contact from the Policy Unit to the LIHEAPLow Income Home Energy Assistance Program coordinator.
• Changed the contact email address from hss.dpa.policy@alaska.gov to vendors.liheap@alaska.gov
• Clarified that the justification for a refund and re-issuance request needs to include the client's new address information, primary heating fuel type, and new vendor account information for both heating fuel and electric.
• Clarified that the caseworker informs the client of their payment refund and reissuance status.

ADDENDUM B     HAP TRIBAL PROVIDERS

• Changed FY2024 to FFY 2025.

ADDENDUM E     INCOME GUIDELINES

• Updated the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines for FFY2025.