Oklahoma Human Services accepting applications from households who need energy bill help

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Human Services has begun accepting online applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Summer Cooling and Low Income Home Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) at OKDHSLive.org.

LIHEAP is offered twice a year for winter heating and summer cooling, in addition to the Energy Crisis Assistance Program offered in mid-March and life-threatening crisis assistance that is available year round. Eligible households already receiving assistance through Oklahoma Human Services can be pre-authorized to receive LIHEAP for the summer cooling period. Households that are not pre-authorized but currently receive assistance through Oklahoma Human Services have been notified by mail and should apply online at OKDHSLive.org.

LIHWAP will provide funds to assist low-income households with water and wastewater bills. The non-emergency water bill pay program provides assistance to eligible households with a one-time payment to the public drinking water or wastewater participating provider for the household.

The water crisis program provides assistance for the minimum amount to resolve the crisis. The total payment is capped at $1,500 maximum per federal fiscal year for each LIHWAP eligible household. The water crisis program provides assistance for households who meet the income and resource guidelines outlined in the LIHEAP program; have a verifiable water crisis, disconnected service or will be disconnected within 72 hours; and a public drinking water or wastewater company is a participating provider.

Households with a member who is Native American may apply through OKDHSLive.org or through their tribal nation. Households cannot receive assistance from both Oklahoma Human Services and their tribe during the same federal fiscal year.

For LIHWAP, only one payment per open enrollment per household is allowed. The water crisis payment is capped at $1,500 per federal fiscal year. LIHWAP payments must be applied to the water or wastewater bill. Authorized payments may not be applied toward other services.

Information needed to apply for the programs include most recent utility bill for their home from the utility provider, ID, Social Security Number, verification of income, household size and available resources. Households are not eligible for either program if their utility bill is paid directly to the energy provider by someone who does not live at the residence.

Maximum monthly gross income allowed by household size is:

1: $1,473

2: $1,984

3: $2,495

4: $3,007

5: $3,518

6: $4,029

7: $4,541

8: $5,052