HHS Releases $100 Million in Emergency Contingency Funds

On January 5, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced $100 million in emergency contingency funds to states, tribes and territories that will help families in need pay their heating and energy bills this winter. In addition, HHS will now make available up to 100 percent of states' remaining block grant funds -- which total $633 million -- for a combined total of $733 million in available resources. These funds are administered by the Administration for Children and Families through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

States have already received $1.3 billion in annual block grant funds in the first quarter of FY 2006 under a continuing resolution. The federal government has another $101 million that remains available for crises through the emergency contingency fund.

The formula for allocating the $100 million emergency contingency funds to states is based on state level data on the number and percents of low income households' fuel usage in each state, for natural gas, heating oil and propane. This information was obtained from a 2000 special Census tabulation. The allocations for states were determined based on the regular block grant allocation formula weighted by the relative percentage of low income households in each state that uses natural gas, heating oil and propane for heat."

View the total amount given to each state and tribe from the emergency contingency fund and the formula for distributing the funds at http://www.liheap.ncat.org/Funding/2006/2006-$100M.xls

Source: HHS News Release

Page Last Updated: January 5, 2006