State's Use of Assurance 16
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 | % Funds |
Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Alabama |
2012 | 2 |
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. |
Alaska |
2012 | 0 |
|
Arizona |
2012 | 5 |
Energy conservation education |
Arkansas |
2012 | 5 |
Case management, job referrals, budget counseling, energy education, meter reading |
California |
2012 | 5 |
Energy needs assessment, budget counseling, energy conservation education, advocacy with utilities, energy efficiency measures |
Colorado |
2012 | 0 |
|
Connecticut |
2012 | 1 |
Risk assessment, counseling, energy education/awareness and assistance with energy suppliers/vendors |
Delaware |
2012 | .2 |
Energy conservation workshops and financial counseling |
Dist. of Columbia |
2012 | 5 |
Budget counseling, referrals, negotiations with utilities |
Florida |
2012 | .5 |
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. |
Georgia |
2012 | .001 |
Outreach materials mailed to customers, especially vulnerable; vendor negotiations; counseling on budget payment, unsafe heating, conservation; partnerships to extend available resources |
Hawaii |
2012 | 0 |
|
Idaho |
2012 | 5 |
Energy conservation education, budgeting, assessment of household energy and weatherization needs, low-cost/no-cost weatherization supplies, increased outreach |
Illinois |
2012 | 5 |
Client education and counseling; outreach and coordination with other related programs targeted to elderly and persons with disabilities. |
Indiana |
2012 | 5 |
Case management with emphasis on self-sufficiency and energy conservation; program information; referrals; budget counseling; coordination of crisis benefits; negotiations with outside entities. |
Iowa |
2012 | <5 |
Budget counseling, advocacy, energy education, low cost weatherization, needs assessment. |
Kansas |
2012 | 0 |
|
Kentucky |
2012 | .1 |
Budget counseling, energy conservation education, assistance with utility payment plans |
Louisiana |
2012 | 2 |
State provides resources, services, and expertise to local agencies to enable them to provide energy conservation education and information to clients |
Maine |
2012 | 1 |
Outreach, budget counseling, needs assessments, home energy education and referrals. |
Maryland |
2012 | 0 |
|
Massachusetts |
2012 | 4 |
Targeted outreach, benefits coordination, counseling, referrals and energy education provided to households in financial or energy crisis. |
Michigan |
2012 | 0 |
|
Minnesota |
2012 | 5 |
Outreach, referral, advocacy, needs assessment, counseling and vendor negotiations, targeted to households in crisis |
Mississippi |
2012 | 5 |
Vendor negotiations, case management, consumer education classes, vendor-sponsored workshops, low-cost/no-cost weatherization measures |
Missouri |
2012 | 0 |
|
Montana |
2012 | 5 |
Client education, vendor negotiation, budget counseling. |
Nebraska |
2012 | 0 |
|
Nevada |
2012 | 0 |
|
New Hampshire |
2012 | $625,000 |
Preventive services for households in crisis - targeted needs assessment; energy and financial counseling; assistance with energy vendors |
New Jersey |
2012 | 0 |
|
New Mexico |
2012 | 0 |
|
New York |
2012 | 0 |
|
North Carolina |
2012 | 0 |
|
North Dakota |
2012 | 0 |
|
Ohio |
2012 | 2 |
Data obtained by the regulated utilities is used to target high usage households with energy efficiency education. Local agencies will provide case management to assist clients in determining the best payment plan options for their household budgets, including PIPP. |
Oklahoma |
2012 | 0 |
|
Oregon |
2012 | 5 |
Case management (including needs assessments, budget planning and arrearage management), energy education, energy saving incentives (kits). |
Pennsylvania |
2012 | 0 |
|
Rhode Island |
2012 | 3 |
Needs assessments, counseling, and assistance with energy vendors. |
South Carolina |
2012 | 5 |
Energy education accomplished through 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. |
South Dakota |
2008 | 2 |
|
Tennessee |
2012 | 0 |
Local agencies can use up to 5% of their budget to provide energy conservation tips, and assistance with cutoff notices and other problems with energy suppliers. |
Texas |
2012 | 5 |
Identify household needs, provide literature and energy conservation education, refer client to other appropriate programs, encourage responsible vendor and consumer behavior. Subrecipients provide applications, forms, and energy education materials in Spanish, English, or other language when appropriate. |
Utah |
2012 | 1 |
About $70,000 will be budgeted to provide energy conservation education, weatherization materials (e.g., caulking, heat deflectors, tape, etc.), and activities such as needs assessments, counseling, and assistance with utility vendors. |
Vermont |
2012 | 0 |
|
Virginia |
2012 | 0 |
|
Washington |
2012 | 3.75 |
Needs assessments related to energy budget management, payment plans, and related services; assistance with energy vendors to encourage responsible vendor and consumer behavior and related client counseling. |
West Virginia |
2005 | 0 |
|
Wisconsin |
2012 | 1 |
Add-on to crisis funds helps counties process crisis applications. |
Wyoming |
2012 | 5 |