1. A. A household may apply for crisis assistance from November through March.
2. B. The applicant shall sign a declaration form attesting to the crisis situation.
3. C. A household may apply for crisis assistance at the time of application for MEAP or after the date of application, but before notification that the benefit has been granted.
4. D. The local agency shall determine income eligibility based on the documentation provided by the applicant at the time of application. The applicant shall declare the amount of income by signing an income declaration form, if the documentation provided is insufficient to complete the application.
5. E. The local agency shall determine eligibility for crisis assistance and provide a benefit for crisis assistance to equal the amount needed to alleviate the crisis, up to the current year's approved crisis assistance payment level in accordance with each year's State plan and any corresponding amendment or amendments to the plan.

6. F. The local agency shall arrange for delivery of the benefit within 18 hours of the time that the crisis is declared if the:

   1. (1) Household has no supply of fuel;
   2. (2) Household's utility service is disconnected; or
   3. (3) Household has a broken furnace or fuel burner.

7. G. The local agency shall arrange for delivery of the benefit within 48 hours of the time that the crisis is declared if the household has:

   1. (1) Not more than a 3 to 4 day supply of fuel; or
   2. (2) A "true" disconnection notice for within 3 or 4 days.

8. H. Crisis assistance benefits may take the form of:

   1. (1) Payment to an energy supplier;
   2. (2) Furnace repair; or
   3. (3) Temporary shelter.
9. I. If the household is determined eligible based on the completed application, the local agency shall deduct the value of the crisis assistance from the benefit. The local agency shall authorize the energy supplier to deliver the remainder of the benefit.
10. J. If the applicant is found to be ineligible after receiving crisis assistance, the local agency shall attempt to recover the benefit.
11. K. The local agency shall deny a household crisis assistance if the household applies for crisis assistance after the benefit has been exhausted, but the local agency shall refer the household to other agencies for assistance.

Authority: Human Services Article, §§5-5A-07 and 5-608, Annotated Code of Maryland
(Agency Note: Federal Regulatory Reference—45 CFR 96, Subpart H.)

Effective date: April 22, 1985 (12:8 Md. R. 801)

Regulations .02B, .03, .04B, .05F, .06, .12 amended effective July 28, 1986 (13:15 Md. R. 1733)

Regulation .02B amended effective April 6, 1987 (14:7 Md. R. 829)

Regulations .03E and .06B amended effective February 24, 1986 (13:4 Md. R. 395)

Regulation .03 amended effective April 6, 1987 (14:7 Md. R. 829)

Regulation .04B amended effective April 6, 1987 (14:7 Md. R. 829)

Regulation .12 amended effective May 4, 1987 (14:9 Md. R. 1079)

Annotation: COMAR 07.06.06 cited in Attorney General Opinion No. 86-013 (March 5, 1986)

Chapter revised effective April 15, 1991 (18:7 Md. R. 771)

Chapter revised effective May 24, 2004 (31:10 Md. R. 794)

Regulation .03A, C amended effective April 9, 2007 (34:7 Md. R. 697)

Regulation .04D amended effective April 9, 2007 (34:7 Md. R. 697)

Regulation .06D amended effective April 9, 2007 (34:7 Md. R. 697)

Regulation .07B, C amended effective April 9, 2007 (34:7 Md. R. 697)

Chapter recodified from COMAR 07.06.06 to COMAR 07.03.21, effective June, 2009

Regulation .12B, C amended effective May 22, 2017 (44:10 Md. R. 470)