Great News! The Arkansas Energy Office has made temporary policy changes to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Winter Crisis Program due to COVID-19. The policy changes are intended to make the current LIHEAP program more responsive to the significant financial challenges many Arkansans are facing due to unexpected terminations, furloughs, and reduced hours. Modification highlights, outlined below, are effective as of May 1, 2020:

• Directing programs to remain open until further notice, rather than close in May, as usual
• Removing shut-off notice submission requirement, and allowing submission of past due amount on a utility bill, as verified by the utility through a portal or by direct contact
• Benefit amount raised from $500 to $1,000
• Increasing the number of times an individual can apply from 1 time to 2 times for a total, maximum Crisis benefit of up to $1,000

Click here to access a contact list for LIHEAP in each county to share with your customers/members. Applicants are encouraged to apply for LIHEAP in the county in which they live.