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Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Emergency Assistance Manual |
2.6.5.1 Exhausting Available Resources
2.6.5.2 Immediate Threat to Health and Safety
2.6.5.3 Financial Crisis due to Reasons Beyond the Control of the Caretaker Relative(s)
To be eligible for an EA payment for energy crisis all of the following conditions must apply:
1. The EA Group has exhausted available resources (see 2.6.5.1);
2. The EA Group needs financial assistance to obtain or maintain heat, electricity, water, or sewer service provided by a utility company;
3. The lack of, or imminent lack of, utility service providing heat, electricity, water, or sewer is or is likely to be an immediate threat to the health or safety of any member of the EA Group (see 2.6.5.2); and
4. The energy crisis must be a result of a financial crisis due to reasons beyond the control of the caretaker relative(s), or that constitute good cause as determined by the W-2 agency (see 2.6.5.3).
The EA Group may only receive an EA payment for energy crisis if there is an unmet energy crisis after exhausting all available resources for energy assistance. The EA Group has exhausted available resources if the group has been denied services from other sources, or other funding sources do not cover the full cost of the group’s energy crisis. If the EA Group has not already pursued other appropriate payment options, the W-2 agency must assist the EA Group to do so during the five working days timeframe.
The EA Group must first pursue alternative services and assistance from:
1. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) known in Wisconsin as the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP);
2. The local utility company as required by state regulations (see Energy Crisis Resources appendix); and
3. Any other available program.
The energy crisis must be or is likely to be an immediate threat to health or safety of any member of the EA Group from the lack of or imminent loss of utility services. The W-2 agency shall consider all situations which may be an immediate threat to health or safety. While the W-2 agency determination must be based on the circumstances of the specific situation, the following are examples of when this may occur:
· The home includes a person who requires utility service to operate essential medical equipment; or
· The home includes a person whose health would be affected by the loss of utility services; or
· The expected high temperatures for the next 72 hours will be below freezing (32° F).
The energy crisis must be a result of a financial crisis due to reasons beyond the control of the caretaker relative(s), or that constitute good cause as determined by the W-2 agency. The financial crisis and the energy crisis do not need to occur in the same month. However, the emergency must be a result of the financial crisis.
The financial crisis must be caused by one of the following:
a. Loss of employment that does not include voluntarily leaving employment without good cause;
b. Substantial loss of wages due to illness or injury of an EA Group member, domestic violence, lack of child care, a transportation breakdown, or a reduction of work hours by an employer, including temporary employment;
c. Loss of income due to a second parent leaving the EA Group;
d. Exceptional, unexpected, and necessary expenses that are not the responsibility of a third party, such as car repair expenses necessary for transportation to work or out-of-pocket medical expenses required to be paid;
e. Loss of W-2 benefits due to a sanction that is subsequently overturned through the Fact Finding process; or
f. Other reasonable circumstances that constitute good cause as determined by the W-2 agency, including but not limited to:
The substantial reduction in or loss of child support payments;
Loss of support from another caretaker relative, other adult household member, relative or other person outside the home who provided financial support to the EA Group;
Loss of Unemployment Insurance (UI);
Loss of student financial aid for housing;
The substantial reduction in or loss of an income tax refund; or
Decrease in a W-2 payment due to a sanction for which the W-2 participant is subsequently found to have good cause.
History: Release 22-06; Release 21-01.