STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health 

Division of Public Assistance

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: 2025-02

MANUAL: Heating Assistance Program

DATE: September 2, 2025

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           INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITIONS

• Clarified payments are made to HAPHeating Assistance Program approved vendors.

MS 3000-2         DEFINITIONS

• Revised categorically eligible definition for clarity and removed APAAdult Public Assistance as an allowable program.
• Updated categorically eligible note to clarify that state funded programs do not qualify for categorical eligibility status.
• Updated the crisis definition by removing reference to outdoor temperature and the restriction of only on expedite request per season to align with the LIHEAPLow Income Home Energy Assistance Program Model Plan.
• Updated the life-threatening crisis definition by removing the weather restriction and the restriction of only one expedite request per season to align with the LIHEAPLow Income Home Energy Assistance Program Model Plan.
• Added definitions for the following terms: deliverable fuel, dwelling, emancipated minor, metered fuel, and minor child.
• Added LIHEAPLow Income Home Energy Assistance Program Model Plan definition, as defined in 7 AAC 44.900(16).
• Revised vulnerable population definition for clarity.

MS 3001-4         VERIFICATIONS

• Clarified that all applicants must have annual heating costs exceeding $200.
• Clarified that approved vendors are not required for wood purchases.
• Revised house sitter verification options for clarity.
• Removed the option to provide a rent receipt for verification of heat expenses. An applicant is not required to be current on their rental payments in order to receive assistance and the rental receipt does not verify the other factors required to determine eligibility, such as: primary fuel type, type of dwelling, number of bedrooms, etc.
• Removed rent receipt from Example 3.
• Clarified that applicants living in temporary shelter for more than 60 days must provide verification of an annual heating cost that exceeds $200. Heating costs may include daily shelter fees.
• Revised section for clarity replaced "Priority Points" links with a link to HAP MS 3002-1A(13).
• Removed rent receipt requirement in Example 5, to align with updated policy within the section.

MS 3001-5          ACTIONS TAKEN ON THE APPLICATION

• Removed reference to "office assistant" since DPADivision of Public Assistance has reclassed this position to a caseworker.
• Removed note, stating households can only request expedite service once per season, as there is no limit to the number of applications a person can submit to the program.
• Removed "medically necessary" criteria and replaced with "crisis" and "life-threatening crisis."
• Clarified that DPADivision of Public Assistance can accept the verbal equivalent of a shut-off notice from a vendor.
• Added note clarifying that client statement is acceptable when a client claims to be out of or within 48 hours of being out of deliverable fuel.
• Clarified non-life-threatening crisis applications must be processed within 48 hours of DPADivision of Public Assistance receiving a complete application.
• Changed the crisis application acceptance period from October 1 through September 30 to October 1 through June 30.
• Clarified that address and vendor changes need to be documented and updated in ECOSEnergy Community Online System.

MS 3002-1           TYPES OF HOUSEHOLDS

• Revised section for clarity.
• Corrected house sitter's required heating costs from "at least $200" to "exceeds $200."
• Updated "Categorical Households" to "Categorically Eligible Households."
• Replaced "income tested" with a list of the actual programs that a household may participate in to be considered Categorically Eligible.
• Removed references to ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program as the reference to TANFTemporary Assistance to Needy Families includes ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program.
• Clarified how categorical eligibility streamlines the HAPHeating Assistance Program application processing.
• Updated categorically eligible note to clarify that state funded programs do not qualify for categorical eligibility status.
• Added section regarding vulnerable populations and explained their eligibility priority over other applicants.

MS 3003-4      SELF-EMPLOYMENT ANNUALIZATION STANDARDS

• Revised the self-employment annualization standards that change effective October 1, 2025.

MS 3004-1          ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION TIME FRAMES

• Revised section for clarity.
• Updated the Crisis Assistance application period from October 1 through September 30 to October 1 through June 30.
• Clarified households are limited to one benefit per season from one of the three program components.
• Clarified that supplement payments may be issued if the budget allows for it.
• Added reference and link to "crisis" definition.
• Added reference and link to the "vulnerable populations" definition.
• Removed priority processing category "Application Priority Processing" as applications are required to be processed in date order of receipt per 7 AAC 44.030.
• Referenced "vulnerable population" households instead of listing out all of the different types of households that make-up the vulnerable population.

MS 3004-2           ASSISTANCE CATEGORIES

• Added Categorical Eligibility as an assistance category tracked in ECOSEnergy Community Online System.

MS 3004-5           GRANT COMPUTATION

• Referenced "vulnerable population" households instead of listing out all of the different types of households that make-up the vulnerable population.
• Updated FY 2025 to FY 2026.

MS 3005-2            EXPEDITED TIMEFRAMES

• Added SRHUDSubsidized Rental Housing Utility Deposit as an expedited application type and outlined the season and timeframe for processing timely.
• Updated the crisis application acceptance dates and timeframes for processing timely.

MS 3008-1           TIME FRAMES FOR ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS

• Updated the timeframe for acceptance and processing of SRHUDSubsidized Rental Housing Utility Deposit and crisis applications.

MS 3008-2           USE OF HAP PAYMENTS

• Revised section for clarity.
• Removed option to purchase propane when propane is not the primary home heating fuel or primary fuel used for power consumption.
• Removed note requiring caseworkers to contact the local electric company to confirm a client lives off-grid. Client statement is acceptable.
• Removed reference to types of oil and gasoline a vendor is allowed to let a household purchase when their primary heating fuel is self-harvested wood. Self-harvest wood households no longer have their benefit issued to a vendor; they receive direct payment.

MS 3008-4          METHODS OF PAYMENT

• Removed reference to wood prices when shopping for the best deal through an approved vendor, as households who use wood as their primary heating fuel are not required to use an approved vendor and are issued a direct payment.

ADDENDUM A   COMMUNITY LISTING

• Updated Community Listying for FFYFederal Fiscal Year 2026.

ADDENDUM B     HAP TRIBAL PROVIDERS

• Updated Tribal Provider information for FFYFederal Fiscal Year 2026.

ADDENDUM E     INCOME GUIDELINES

• Updated the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines for FFYFederal Fiscal Year 2026.

ADDENDUM G     INCOME GRID

• Updated addendum title from "Income Grid" to "Countable and Excluded Income for HAPHeating Assistance Program" to align with DPA's other program manuals.