Energy Assistance Change Notices

CHANGE NOTICE FOR MANUAL

MANUAL:

Energy Assistance Manual

CHANGE NO.: 1-2007 DATE: March 21, 2007

TO:

County Directors of Social Services

EFFECTIVE:

April 1, 2007, make the following change to the Energy Manual.

I. BACKGROUND

The purpose of this change notice is to revise Sections 300 Part I, 300 Part II, 320, 410, 500, 800, 810, 900, 920, and 921 of the Energy Manual.

II. SPECIFIC CHANGES

A. Section 300 Part I, Screening for Food Stamp Households

Updates Section 300.02A, Screened-Out Food Stamp Households Who Must Apply in Person, to include identification of the dependent codes used to screen-out households for automatic eligibility for LIEAP.

Revises Section 300.02B, Screened-Out Food Stamp Households Who Must Apply in Person, to include reference to Field 30.

B. Section 300 Part II, Intake

Adds Letter E to Section 301.01, Application Requirement, to state that LIEAP applicants must be offered the opportunity for voter registration.

Adds Note to Section 301.04B.2, Application Procedures, indicating walk-in LIEAP applicants not currently active in Food Stamps, WFFA, or Medicaid must sign a DMA-5001, Notice of the Use of Social Security Numbers, if IEVS matches are performed prior to the applicant signing the DSS-8114, Low Income Energy Assistance Program Application.

C. Section 320, United States Citizenship

Adds to Section 320.04D the State Family Support Help Desk telephone number to How do you Verify and Document Eligibility Under the Tracking Victims Protection Act of 2000?

D. Section 410, Income/Deductions

Revises Section 410.02J, Countable Income for Recipients and Non-Recipients, to include Aid and Attendant Care benefits as countable Veterans Administration (VA) benefits.

Revises Section 410.02Y, Countable Income for Recipients and Non-Recipients, to include Veterans Administration (VA) Education Assistance countable income.

Adds to Section 410.02, Countable Income for Recipients and Non-Recipients, Special Assistance (SA) as countable income for LIEAP.

Adds to Section 410.02, Countable Income for Recipients and Non-Recipients, Strikers Income as countable income for LIEAP.

Revises Section 410.03K, Income Exclusions for Both Recipients and Non-Recipients, to include Veterans Administration (VA) Education Assistance as excluded income.

Omits in Section 410.03JJ, Income Exclusions for Both Recipients and Non-Recipients, reference to Work First and SSI income.

E. Section 500, Payment Procedures

Revises Note in Section 500.11, Lost or Stolen Checks and Suspected Forgeries, to include submission date for the DSS-8129, Request for Replacement Check.

F. Section 800, Benefit Level Determination, Payment Calculation (To be Used in Appeals and Overpayments)

Revises Figure 800-1 in Section 800.04, Method of Payment, to include 2007 LIEAP benefit amounts.

G. Section 810, Overpayments

Omits H in Section 810.01C.2, Overpayments, revised instructions are in Section 810.01D, Overpayments.

Revises Section 810.01D, County Responsible Overpayments – Current or Prior Year, providing instructions on how to react to overpayments of LIEAP benefits. Instructions regarding the use of the DSS-1657, Public Assistance Overpayments, is now obsolete for LIEAP purposes.

Adds Section 810.01E, Current Year Client Responsible Overpayments or Vendor Refunds, to provide instructions for reacting to overpayments of LIEAP benefits.

Adds Section 810.01F, Prior Year Client Responsible Overpayments or Vendor Refunds, to provide instructions for reacting to overpayments of LIEAP benefits.

H. Section 900, Crisis Intervention Program

Adds Note to Section 900.03, Application Process, that CIP applicants must be offered the opportunity for voter registration.

I. Section 920, Progress Energy Company’s Energy Neighbor

Revises Figure 920-1 to update the list of counties currently participating in Progress Energy’s Energy Neighbor Program.

J. Section 921, North Carolina Natural Gas (NCNG) Company’s Share the Warmth

Revises Figure 921-1 to update the list of counties currently participating in North Carolina Natural Gas Company’s Share the Warmth Program.

III. IMPLEMENTATION INSTRUCTIONS

The changes made to policy in the Energy Manual are effective April 1, 2007.

Please contact your Food Assistance and Energy Programs Representative if you have any questions.

IV. INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE ENERGY ASSISTANCE MANUAL

	REMOVE			INSERT
SECTION		PAGES	SECTION		PAGES
300 Part I		1-2	300 Part I		1-2
300 Part II		1-4	300 Part II		1-4
320		1-9	320		1-9
410		1-4	410		1-4
500		1-11	500		1-11
Figure 800-1		1	Figure 800-1		1
810		1-3	810		1-3
900		1-2	900		1-2
Figure 920-1		1	Figure 920-1		1
Figure 921-1		1	Figure 921-1		1