FFY2014 EAP Annual Training Part 2: Policies & Procedures; Reasonable Payment Worksheet

1. FFY2014 EAP Annual Training Part 2: Policies & Procedures; Reasonable Payment Worksheet

2. Crisis

3. Crisis Introduction Primary Heat First • Introduced last year • After some adjustments program took off • General agreement it is the right thing to do

4. Crisis Introduction FFY14 • No major changes to the approach in Crisis for FFY14 • Codify items issued during FFY13 into Manual • Improvements to eHEAT and procedures

5. FFY14 Crisis What’s New in FFY14 (Answer: Refinements) • Crisis services remains the same as FFY13 • Primary Heat First • Improvement documentation • Benefit determination functionality • With minor policies improvements and procedure enhancements including eHEAT • Emphasize: no major or minor policy changes

6. Introduction • Last year launched and we learned as we went • Issue FAQ, did enhancements, gathered input • We used lesson learned EACA input, FAQs and did JADs to refined policies and procedures

7. Reconnect to Crisis Design Background • Driven by reduced funding and issues discovered via auditing, EAP made Crisis improvements in FFY13 • An inherent issue with equity and fairness was addressed by using Primary Heat to address emergencies before using Crisis funds

8. Reconnect to Crisis Design Crisis Intentions Keep the program available for the most households for the entire program year given funding reductions Increase the equity of the Crisis program Improve program integrity to address major concerns revealed by audit finding Prevent non-heat electric disconnections to address socio-economic (evictions, etc), health & safety issues Improve measurement of addressing no-heat situations

9. FFY13 Crisis Program By the numbers (as of July 22, 2013)

10. FFY13 Crisis Program Considerations for Evaluating Outcomes • EAP is evaluating outcomes based on the intentions Challenges: • Some results are difficult to evaluate until we can compare from year to year • Some are difficult to measure due to inconsistent implementation • Some numbers need to be tested for other factors that influence the number

11. FFY13 Crisis Program Considerations for Evaluating Outcomes Intention 1: Keep the program available for the most households for the entire program given funding reductions • Did utilization of PH First lower Crisis average thus allowing more HHD to be served? • Measuring emergencies (shutoffs & disconnects plus resolved?).

12. FFY13 Crisis Program Considerations for Evaluating Outcomes Intention 2: Address socio-economic, health and safety issues related to non-heat electric disconnections • What effect did serving non-heat electric HHDs have?

13. Evaluating Crisis Services Considerations for Evaluating Outcomes Intention 3: Increase the equity of the Crisis program • PH First enables consistent and equitable application of Crisis • Balancing concerns with HHD returning for additional assistance with PH resolving the emergency Intention 4: Improve program integrity to address major concerns revealed by finding • Auditing shows Crisis documentation is greatly improved, improving program integrity

14. Crisis Services Overview Crisis Policy & Procedure • Fundamental change: PH first to address emergencies • Allow Crisis for non-heat electric • Coping with over 20% Crisis delivery mistakes • 24/7 phone coverage • Avoid self-supplied biofuel direct payments • Verification and documentation requirements

15. Crisis Requests Training Topics • Crisis Requests • Crisis Response Timeline • New Application Question & eHEAT Functionality • Crisis request procedures & policy refinements • Policy and Procedures refinements • Updated screen

16. Crisis Requests Enable SP to triage emergency response services New language Pg. 6 to Crisis Response Timelines • Life-threatening situation . . . • Not immediately life threatening: . . . • Household member age 60 or older and not shut off or in danger of being shut off and other households with a shutoff notice who are not at risk of being shut off: . . . . . .This third level is also for households with active disconnect notices that are not at risk of disconnect. These households are not subject to the 18/48 timeline and can be served in the normal priority order. .

17. Crisis Requests New Application Question and eHEAT Functionality for reported Emergencies • Requests submitted on Application • eHEAT Functionality Then • Procedural requirements for emergency requests • Policy & Procedure

18. Components of Emergency

19. The Application JAD developed these questions • Requests submitted on Application • Intended to reduce erroneous emergency request by giving enough info to determine it is energy emergency

20. Enter In eHEAT • Enter emergency info from Application question or • Must have at least one whole row

21. Complete Screen Feature • Emergency Information displayed for review

22. eHEAT Uses Info Emergency Info is available for review When Determining Eligibility is clicked, eHEAT using the info: • For delivered fuelswhen PH payment cover: • generates an ‘Resolved’ Crisis event • For connected or unresolved delivered fuels • It creates an ‘In Progress’ Crisis event • Schedules are collapsed

23. Crisis Summary Info Crisis Summary Link to Event

24. Crisis Event Screen • Auto Application Event with note • For non entry, new feature to select how emergency was initiated

25. Resolved Event Primary Heat covers minimum delivery Inserts note • Saves time on Delivered Fuel entries • Because Minimum deliveries and PH do not change

26. Initial Entry of Crisis Event In progress Xcel Energy (Heat) Collapse Scheduled Payments For emergency vendor • Saves initial entry time • Puts events in place pre-money arrival • Remember: SP verifies and updates info when funds arrive

27. 3 Other Specifics of Feature Outline • What reason are covered • Initiating a Event on Crisis Tab • Editing info after ‘Determine Eligibility’

28. What It is used for (& limitations) Use for 5 of the 7 Crisis Reasons • Heat Related Disconnection • Heat Related Disconnection Notice • Non-Heat Related Disconnection • Non-Heat Related Disconnection Notice • Less than 20% 1 & 3 2 & 4 5 Enter other 2 Reasons on Crisis tab • Senior • One Week Biofuel

29. How Initiated • New feature to report how emergency was initiated • Reminder: Auto Application is selected when event is generated from emergence question functionality

30. Editing Emergency Info • Making the app Incomplete • Unable to do if: • If Active Crisis events you need to cancel • Then update information, complete app and re-determine eligibility

31. Policy & Procedures Process for Handling Applications with Emergencies . The Manual Chapter 7 – Page 6-7

32. Policy & Procedures Chapter 7 – Page 6-7 Process for Handling Applications with Emergencies • Service Providers need to prioritize emergencies requests. • There are different prioritization processes when emergency requests arereceived before funds and with funds The following procedure should be considered as a best practice for processing the back-log. 1. Sort applications by log date and find those with emergencies. 2. Triage those with emergencies and prioritize based on known information about the household situation (emergency type, household resources, what the Service Provider knows about the energy vendor shut-off practices, etc.) 3. Process the application to determine eligibility based on the triage.

33. Using Application eHEAT Functionality   Chapter 7 – Page 7 Process for Addressing Emergencies Using eHEAT Emergency If a household reports an energy emergency and the Service Provider has not yet determined the household’s eligibility, the Service Provider may utilize energy emergency functionality in eHEAT. The process is: • Household reports emergency • If any part of application question is filled it is considered a request. • Can confirm with household or vendor • If no, return to normal processing, if yes process app • Can be on application or by phone or walk-in a a

34. Using Application eHEAT Functionality   Chapter 7 – Page 7 Process for Addressing Emergencies Using eHEAT Emergency • Enter the household Emergency Information on the ‘Housing and Heat Screen’ in eHEAT, complete the application and determine eligibility.

35. Using Application eHEAT Functionality • For delivered fuels emergencies: if Primary Heat payments for the emergency energy vendor are sufficient to cover the reported emergency amount, eHEAT creates a ‘Resolved’ Crisis event. If Primary Heat payments for the emergency energy vendor are insufficient to resolve the emergency, eHEAT creates an ‘In progress’ Crisis event. • For connected utility emergencies: eHEAT collapses Primary Heat payments for the emergency energy vendor into one payment and creates an ‘In-progress’ Crisis event. Or In progress In progress Collapse Scheduled Payments And

36. Using Application eHEAT Functionality   Chapter 7 – Page 7 • When Crisis funds are available, review ‘In progress’ Crisis events and verify the energy emergency with the energy vendor. If there is an energy emergency, process the Crisis event. If there is not an energy emergency, cancel the Crisis event. In progress Funds are allocated Review Verify Emergency at that time Emergency Info emergency No longer emergency

37. Policy Clarification Rewritten section: Crisis Benefit Determination and Distribution Amount of Crisis Benefit section Simplified Chapter 7 – Page 3

38. Policy & Procedures Chapter 7 – Page 2: New Section from FAQ Valid Disconnection Notice • The disconnection notice must have a scheduled disconnection date. • Validate with the energy vendor the disconnection notice is still active. • If an energy vendor issues disconnection notices and the notice has not been cancelled, it is considered a valid disconnection notice. • Variation between heat and non-heat related disconnections: • Non-heat disconnection notices: must be scheduled for disconnection within 30 days. • Heat-related disconnection notices: a date anytime in the past or future is valid.

39. Procedure Clarification Chapter 7 – Page 4 & 5 Collapsing payments • Common error was not changing schedule • SP must be attentive when collapsing payments for Crisis • When collapsed, defaults to next schedule date • If PH with next scheduled payment 25 days later when addressing a Crisis is not addressed in a timely manner • Check dates and set for current date Is this today?

40. Procedure Clarification Chapter 7 – Page 4 & 5 Accounting for PH payments • Crisis benefit may be wrong when Primary Heat payments and the Crisis determination process are out of sync. Adjust payments and make notes 12/8/13 – Actual amount owed is $152. $100 PH payment on 12/7/13 but not yet credited. Entered $52 - JM

41. Policy Clarification Addition to section: Crisis Benefit Determination and Distribution Crisis benefit is rounded up • eHEAT rounds Crisis Benefit upto nearest dollar • Before SP adjusted amount owed, but now eHEAT rounds when it • This ensures resolution of the emergency • This may result in a small credit of less than $1.00 • Manual says to enter a rounded amount and take notes – You can do this but not required

42. Policy & Procedures Chapter 7 – Page 9 Process to Reduce Ineligible Crisis Delivery section: • No Crisis fuel is put into the tank. • The trip charge is put on the household account. • pays the trip charge with the HHD’s available Primary Heat. If no PH use Crisis funds. • The Service Provider may request to have the truck driver, while still at the dwelling, provide any remaining Primary Heat funds after deducting any trip charges.

43. Policy & Procedures New sections: What if Delivered Fuel Post-Verification Price differs? • “As long as the initial information from the energy vendor was accurate and documented, a $10 or less difference caused by a price change may remain on a households energy vendor account. Make notes in eHEAT to explain the situation.” • For DF paid after delivery: the original verification date should be left in that field (for auditing of 24/48 timelines). Put updated information in the ‘Notes’ field to explain the situation.

44. Policy & Procedures Splitting Crisis Benefit – 11/19 FAQ • HHD has an emergency with 2 vendors • HHD wants to have Crisis distributed to both • eHEAT requires the Amount owed • SP can calculate the amount to put in the ‘Amount owed’ Fields and make notes in the notes field about the verified event 12/8/13 – Actual amount owed Xcel is $700. HHD has Crisis with CPE of $400. HHD wants to split $500 benefit to be $250 for each - JM 250

45. Reasonability Check Example: Today is 1/8/14 Assessment • Some entered info without assessing it • This info is intended to help assess if delivery is reasonable • Note assessment if info does not support delivery Enter HHD report in ‘Notes’ field • For Less Than 20%, note the HHD reported percent in tank • For One Week of Biofuel, note the HHD reported remaining days of biofuel (less than 7) 12/9/13 250 500 1/8/14 – HHD reported 15%. Consumption is high because of cold weather. HHD likely at 15 to 20%. - JM

46. Policy & Procedures Chapter 7 – Page 9&10: Clarification: Less than 20% Crisis Reason section: • Can pay an arrearage even if it does not result in a delivery. • If the available Crisis benefit is not enough for a delivery, it cannot be provided unless combined with the household’s or other resources to result in a delivery. $532 Arrears $500 Crisis $100 HeatShare $500 Avail Crisis $600 Min Del.

47. Delivery Confirmation Enhanced Rationale: • Gallons Filled more precise • Total delivery amount is figured out from gallons & price & fees • Did not have place for fees Previously Enhancements

48. Policy & Procedures Clarification from FAQ New section: Types of non-heat electric. The following are the four household situations where there is still heat if the electricity is shut off: • HIR: heat in rent. • Condo: heat is provided through a housing association. • Wood No Blower: electricity is not needed to operate or distribute heat. • Muni Steam: steam heat operating without electricity.

49. eHEAT Enhancement • Add ‘Employee Name’ field on Senior Crisis

50. Policy & Procedures Chapter 7 – Page 12 Update RPW Senior Past Due or Current Energy Bill • To be eligible for this Crisis reason, there must be at least one household member age 60 or older. • Household must have a past-due and/or current bill and are unable to pay as determined by the Reasonable Payment Worksheet (RPW). • “Unable to pay” means the RPW indicates the household’s past-due and/or current bill is more than the reasonable payment amount. Doug Burns will walk through update RPW