2018–2019 Ohio Energy Assistance Guidelines

1 2017 2018 OHIO Energy Assistance Guidelines TABLE OF CONTENTS. 2017-2018 Ohio Energy Assistance Guidelines Policy Updates ..5. I Energy Assistance programs .. 6. E-1 Energy Assistance programs Overview .. 6. E-2 Eligibility requirements .. 7. Income Guidelines for heap , WCP, and SCP .. 7. Household Income Countable .. 8. Documentation of Countable Income .. 9. Household Income Excluded .. 15. Countable Income Periods .. 16. Lump Sums .. 16. Assets 16. Calculation of Household Income (except self-employed) .. 16. Calculation of Income for Self-Employed.

2 17. Self-Declaration of Income Form and Zero Income 17. Individuals in the Household claiming Zero Income .. 17. Household Size .. 17. Immigration Status .. 19. Ineligible Person(s) in an Eligible Household .. 19. Completion of the heap Application .. 20. II - Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) Plus .. 21. P-1 PIPP Plus Eligibility .. 21. Payment Amounts .. 21. P-2 Customer Responsibility .. 22. P-3 PIPP Plus Terms .. 22. P-4 PIPP Plus 25. Graduate PIPP Plus .. 25. Post PIPP Plus .. 26. III The Winter Crisis Program (WCP)/(E- heap - EMERGENCY heap ).

3 27. W-1 Eligibility Determination and Payment Guidelines for the Winter Crisis Program .. 27. W-2 Appointment Scheduling/Interviewing Process .. 29. Utility Bills .. 29. Permanently and Totally Disabled 30. Summary of Customer Documents Required .30. W-3 Winter Crisis Program and Enrollment in a Payment Plan .. 31. W-4 Special 32. W-5 Maximum Delivery and Payment Guidelines .. 32. Regulated Gas and Electric .. 32. Certified Retail Electric Suppliers (CRES) .. 32. Unregulated Gas and 33. Bulk 33. W-6 Requirements and Information for WCP.

4 39. Agency Employee, Relative, and/or Friend Application Review Policy .. 39. W-7 Customer Files .. 39. Customer Files Documents to contain in all files for eligible customers .. 40. Customer Files Documents to contain in all files for ineligible customers .. 41. 2017-2018 Ohio Energy Assistance Guidelines Page 2 of 87. Customer Files Documents to contain in all incomplete files .. 41. Scanning .. 41. W-8 Customer Outreach and Public Service Announcements (PSA) .. 43. W-9 Payment 44. W-10 Customer Inquiries from the Office of Community Assistance .

5 44. W-11 Exhausted 44. W-12 Reporting Requirements .. 44. W-13 Recommended Referrals .. 45. W-14 Recovery .. 45. W-15 Liability for Incorrect Payments by the LDA .. 45. W-16 Rejected 45. IV Summer Crisis Program (SCP) .. 46. S-1 Eligibility Determination .. 46. of Benefits .. 47. Benefit 48. Fans .. 48. Prior Year Cooling Equipment Inventory .. 48. Restrictions .. 49. Eligibility Determination/Payment .. 50. S-2 Appointment Scheduling/Interview Process .. 52. Utility Bills .. 52. Permanently and Totally Disabled Customers .. 53. Required Documentation.

6 53. S-3 Summer Crisis Program Terms .. 54. S-4 Special 54. S-5 Maximum Benefit and Payment Guidelines .. 55. S-6 Required Forms and Information for Summer Crisis Program .. 55. Agency Employee, Relative, and/or Friend Application Review Policy .. 56. S-7 Customer Files .. 56. Customer Files Eligible .. 56. Customer Files Ineligible .. 57. Customer Files Incomplete/Summer Crisis Program Closeout .. 57. Scanning .. 58. S-8 Customer Outreach and Public Service Announcements (PSAs) .. 58. Additional Media Standards .. 59. S-9 Payment 59.

7 S-10 Customer Inquiries From the Office of Community Assistance .. 59. S-11 Exhausted 59. S-12 Reporting Requirements .. 59. S-13 Rejected Client Records .. 60. S-14 Recommended Referrals .. 60. S-15 Recovery of Funds .. 60. S-16 Liability for Income Payments .. 60. 2017-2018 Ohio Energy Assistance Guidelines Page 3 of 87. V Appendices .. 61. Appendix I: Household Income Guidelines Charts .. 61. Appendix II: Glossary .. 62. Appendix III: Energy Assistance Program Appeal Procedure .. 66. Appendix IV: Self-Declaration of Income Worksheet.

8 67. Appendix V: Example of an Internal Revenue (IRS) Transcript .. 68. Appendix VI: Verfication Letter of Non-Filing of Return .. 70. Appendix VII: Health Care Spending Accounts Sample .. 71. Appendix VIII: Sample Live-In Aide Forms .. 72. Appendix IX: Utility Verification Form- Half Sheet .. 74. Appendix X : Case Review Checklist .. 75. Appendix XI: PUCO and Utility Contacts .. 77. Appendix XII: OCEAN Income Entry 78. Appendix XIII: Ineligible Applicant with Eligible Household Member .. 79. Appendix XIV: OCEAN Report Instructions.

9 83. 2017-2018 Ohio Energy Assistance Guidelines Page 4 of 87. 2017 2018 OHIO Energy Assistance Guidelines POLICY UPDATES. New Policy: When total household income is listed as Zero/No Income, Odd Jobs or Other Income If a household's total income is listed as zero/no income, odd jobs or other income, applicants must apply for Assistance in-person at their Local Delegate Agency. Mailed in applications will not be accepted. The Zero Income Self-Declaration section of the application has been eliminated due to the above policy change. However, a worksheet is included in the Energy Assistance Guidelines in Appendix IV (Page 67) for Local Delegate Agencies to use with customers claiming zero/no income.

10 All documentation must be scanned and uploaded in OCEAN. Saving a hard copy is optional. Policy Update: Federal Poverty Guidelines The recently released 2017 Federal Poverty Guidelines will be effective for heap on July 1, 2017. The 2017-2018 application has been updated to reflect the new Federal Poverty Guidelines . 2017-2018 Ohio Energy Assistance Guidelines Page 5 of 87. I Energy Assistance programs . E-1 Energy Assistance programs Overview home Energy Assistance Program ( heap ) (also called Regular heap ') is a federally funded program designed to help income-eligible Ohioans with their winter heating bills.