Note: In 1994, a new provision, Assurance 16, was added to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program statute. It provides LIHEAP grantees the option of spending no more than five percent of their LIHEAP funds on services that encourage and enable households to reduce their home energy needs and thereby the need for energy assistance, including needs assessment, counseling, and assistance with energy vendors.
State FY Description 2015 Needs assessments focusing on target groups of the elderly, disabled and small children. Energy and financial counseling and assistance with energy suppliers with the goal to reduce shut-offs and disconnects. 2015 Purchase informational and energy saving items to be distributed at energy fairs and presentations. 2015 Service Providers offer energy reduction education through brochures, teaching applicants during the application process, in-house tutorial videos presented in waiting areas, and classes. 2015 Needs Assessments, Counseling, Assistance with Energy Vendors, referrals to other coordinated services, presenting educational programs on fuel energy usage, meter reading, household budgeting, etc. 2015 Energy needs assessment, budget counseling, energy conservation education, advocacy with utilities, energy efficiency measures 2015 Local agencies are allowed to spend up to 5% of LIHEAP weatherization funds on energy education and counseling. 2015 Risk assessment, counseling, energy education/awareness and assistance with energy suppliers/vendors 2015 Energy conservation measures may include a top 10-energy saving tips bookmark, comprehensive energy saving brochure; and compact florescent light bulbs (CFL). A16 results may be used to target high energy users for wx. 2015 Provide educational workshops to counsel participants on how to identify energy waste, increase energy efficiency, understand and read their utility bill in an effort to assist clients in reducing their energy costs. 2015 Dept. will explore ways to help clients reduce energy usage. May include contracting with local agency, state, or consultant to assess energy needs, develop energy education materials, or enhance energy education through vendors. 2015 Outreach to vulnerable groups, negotiations with fuel providers, consumer counseling, partnerships formed to strengthen and extend available resources to low-income households 2015 2015 Services provided to encourage and enable households to reduce their home energy needs include informal and formal education. This includes printed materials on the following topics: energy budgeting, payment and energy conservation session with application intake, and assessment of household energy use. 2015 The Department conducts LIHEAP client education and counseling during the program and at the time of application. This counseling will encourage and enable LIHEAP households to reduce the cost of their home energy through energy conservation and energy lifestyle (behavioral) modifications. 2015 Indiana administers the Family Development Program which provides low income households with short and long term case management. As a part of this program, the clients were referred to other local services that will reduce barriers to self-sufficiency and energy security. Agencies also administer an energy education curriculum, whereby LIHEAP recipients receive energy conservation tips and techniques as well as energy conservation kits. 2015 The following are allowable activities using Assurance 16 funds: 1) Conservation Education; 2) Low-cost energy efficiency measures; 3) Crisis Application. Crisis Application Components: A. Needs Assessment (Examines payment and usage history); B. Vendor Negotiation (Includes any contact with vendor); C. Money Management Review; D. Customer Advocacy (This may include assisting in the application of other resources/programs,home visits, home energy evaluations, energy wise kit/class, etc.) 2015 2015 Budget counseling, energy conservation education, assistance with utility payment plans 2015 Energy education is provided, during the application process, to eligible and ineligible households. Contractors are required to develop active, participatory energy conservation education activities. Examples of active participatory educational activities include viewing a video, listening to an oral presentation, or audiotape. Contractors are encouraged to use educational activities that can be carried out while the applicant is waiting for intake. 2015 Assessment of household's need for energy conservation education; energy conservation education to clients; home energy budget counseling; referrals to other home energy programs or resources that are documented to result in an additional energy benefit to a household; liaison service between client and energy vendor to assist in making payment arrangements with energy vendor. 2015 Put in 5% but don't always use it. At this time, no funds are currently being utilized for this purpose. Per Assurance 16 , the state reserves the option to use them at a later time. 2015 Needs assessment, Benefit Enrollment and Coordination (BECS), budget counseling, nergy education/awareness and vendor relations as part of the ongoing servicing of eligible households. These services are directed toward households that may be in financial/energy crisis requiring individual attention beyond the standard course of action. DHCD encourages targeted outreach, working with utilities on issues impacting users, particularly elders, expanding education and awareness efforts, and referring households to non-LIHEAP resources through BECS. 2015 2015 Budget counseling; energy conservation education; vendor negotiations; advocacy with fuel suppliers on behalf of households; household energy assessments; referrals; case management; public relations and outreach 2015 Consumer education classes, vendor-sponsored workshops, low-cost/no-cost weatherization measures 2015 2015 Each administering Agency targets client outreach and education activities for all eligible households in accordance with annual work plans submitted by each. Each work plan describes the eligible activity and then describes how the activity will be accomplished. Examples of activities: conducting energy education which is carried out through the creating and distribution of materials and participation in public events such as community fairs; educating vendors about energy programs by meeting face to face and establishing client referral practices; engaging youth in energy awareness to promote conservation. 2015 2015 LIHEAP/EAP staff assists households by mediating with the utility companies and other energy vendors, coordinating sources of assistance, counseling, and making referrals to other agencies and programs. 2015 Self-sufficiency education to all households with fast-tracked crisis applications within a program year to encorage applicants to apply for benefits in a timely manner in order to avoid life-threatening situations and special delivery charges, which deplete the household's benefit. Households receive information on the application process, managing resources, communication with vendors and referrals to other resources. 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 Will use data obtained by the regulated utilities to target high usage households with energy efficiency education and the local designated agencies will provide case management to assist clients in determining the best payment plan options for their household budgets. 2015 2015 Assurance 16 funds are used to integrate existing energy programs and enhance services for households with complex needs. Outcomes include reduced energy burden, improved payment patterns, energy conservation, and improved self-sufficiency. Sub-grantees consider community need and local program design when determining how to utilize Assurance 16 funding. Allowable uses include, but are not limited to: needs assessments, budget planning, arrearage management, energy education, energy saving incentives, and supplemental bill payment. 2015 2015 Services provide include energy assessments, counseling and assistance with energy vendors (signing up for a reduced Electric (A60) and Gas rate) 2015 Household assessment, agency referrals, income management counseling, energy workshops and educational materials, intervention with energy vendors to promote client responsibility and prevent energy crisis, and follow-up evaluation with the family to ensure progress. 2015 Work with other agencies such as South Dakota Housing and Development Authority, South Dakota Public to ensure that literature and applications are made available. Post information online and participate in public health fairs and informational meetings sponsored by energy suppliers to help promote energy conservation. For clients who continue to have difficulties managing their money, we refer them to other support services available to them such as consumer credit counseling or debt relief counseling. 2015 Some agencies offer specific classes to clients to help reduce the energy burden. Energy saver flyers are provided to clients and one on one counseling takes place. 2015 2015 Energy conservation education, weatherization materials (e.g., caulking, heat deflectors, tape, etc.), and activities such as needs assessments, counseling, and assistance with utility vendors. 2015 Vermont supports three programs around the state that serve LIHEAP recipients who utilize firewood or wood pellets as renewable home heating fuels. 1) Vermont Sustainable Heating Initiative (VSHI) installs pellet stoves for LIHEAP recipeints through the non-profit VSHI organization and Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity. 2) Lamoille County Firewood Project provides free firewood to LIHEAP recipeints through United Way of Lamoille (VT) County and area community partners. 3) South West Vermont Firewood Project provides free firewood to LIHEAP recipeints through BROC - Community Action for SW Vermont and area community partners. 2015 2015 Any conservation education services provided are done so equitably to all households served. Conservation education services include but are not limited to: energy conservation education classes, informational videos, handouts/flyers, energy conservation kits, review and education of household's energy usage and costs, hands on conservation exhibits, in home visits in conjunction with weatherization home energy efficiency assessments. 2015 2015 2015 Some of these funds are used to purchase energy conservation educational materials. These materials are distributed by our Weatherization agencies to households receiving weatherization assistance, as well as by our LIHEAP contractor. LIHEAP office believes that behaviors impact energy usage and, as homes are weatherized, educating the household members about energy conservation as well as energy efficiency helps them be more conservative energy consumers overall. Also distribute our educational materials at application fairs and other public venues where LIHEAP applicants/clients are likely to show up. Also purchase a small number of low cost/no cost energy efficiency kits which are loaded with energy conservation educational materials for distribution to selected priority or high need households at the end of the LIEAP season.
