HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

(LIHEAP)

December 2 , 2008

• LIHEAP Grant

• Grant Implementation

• Summary

• Requested Action

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• LIHEAP Grant

• Grant Implementation

• Summary

• Requested Action

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

LIHEAP GRANT

• Funded by the Department of Health & Human Services through the Florida Department of Community Affairs

• The mission of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is to assist low income households in meeting their immediate home energy needs

• An eligible household's income must not exceed 150% of the Federal Poverty Level

• Health & Family Services has provided LIHEAP assistance since 1992

• LIHEAP is an important component of our Family Support Services which also includes:– Family Resource Program– Crisis Assistance

LIHEAP GRANT

LIHEAP GRANT

• Calls to HFS Crisis Assistance Program and Family Resource Program – Increased to 52,000 calls from 45,500 over a one year period.

• 14.3% increase

• 211 Calls : #1 request for services is LIHEAP

• Current contract is $1.1 Million– Cooling Season:

• 60% of funds

– Heating Season:• 40% of funds

• Served 4,696 clients in FY 2007-08

LIHEAP GRANT

• LIHEAP Grant

• Grant Implementation

• Summary

• Requested Action

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• Health & Family Services Department has the opportunity to:– Utilize $4.3 Million in grant

funding– Serve an additional 15,000

Orange County residents– Minimize cost to the County– Maximize benefits to the client– Leverage Departmental

resources

• No increase to the Manning Table

GRANT IMPLEMENTATION

GRANT IMPLEMENTATION

• By reallocating HFS Department resources we propose to:– Serve 20,000 residents

between January 2009 and March 2010

– Increased access to LIHEAP benefits by adding 6 new full-time sites

• Produce a targeted information and marketing effort

• Engage our community partners

GRANT IMPLEMENTATION

• Services currently offered full time at:– Mable Butler Center

• Expanded sites will be phased:– First Phase will add:

• Hal Marston Center• East Orange Center• Bridges Center

GRANT IMPLEMENTATION

• Phase two– Pine Hills Center– Lake Underhill PCAN

clinic– Taft Community Center

with outreach to Southwood Community Center

– Outreach efforts to Renaissance and Marks Street Senior Centers

GRANT IMPLEMENTATION

OCPS Free/Reduced Lunch program

GRANT IMPLEMENTATION

Foreclosure sites

GRANT IMPLEMENTATION

New LIHEAPservice sites

GRANT IMPLEMENTATION

• Coordinated approach to expanded services

• Each Division has a definitive role in the program– Youth & Family Services,

Community Action, Cooperative Extension• Assigned full-time staff to

program

– Head Start, CCC• Assigned part-time staff to

program

IMPLEMENTATION PROPOSAL

• Information and Marketing

– Reach targeted audience with multilingual information effort

– Utilize print, electronic and visual media

– Reach potential clients through places of work, worship, transportation and relaxation

• LIHEAP Grant

• Implementation Proposal

• Summary

• Requested Action

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

SUMMARY

• Health & Family Services will:– Receive an additional $3.2

Million– Increase program capacity– At a minimal cost to the

County– While increasing client

access to LIHEAP– Community-based approach

to services– Utilization of existing

County staff

• LIHEAP Grant

• Implementation Proposal

• Summary

• Requested Action

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Approval to accept $4.3 Million in grantfunds from the Florida Department ofCommunity Affairs to serve LIHEAP eligibleresidents in Orange County with no increasein the Manning Table and at minimal cost tothe County.

REQUESTED ACTION