People may believe it’s too late to file their HHC. My best practice to get the word out was to deliver notes urging members to file for HHC and notify their DHHS worker if the amount was $20 or more. Members who used AARP tax prep were given notes that I provided and AARP passed them out, if they qualified for $20 or more. The notes urged them to report this to their DHS worker. In a note to my actives, I offered to assist to complete the claim form and to email the signed form to their workers. Many members thought they would have a SNAP CUT if they received over $20, or that they don’t pay for heat, so they couldn’t get a HHC. These beliefs had to be explained away. I’ve done a lot of these claims and I’m available if you have questions.
The following was from January 2015………(edited)
I received verification from DHS supervision about assisting members that were effected by the Heat and Eat decision. The State had to provide $20 for heat to each food assistance eligible public assistance recipient, (about $40 million) and then the Feds could continue funding the higher Bridge card amounts. Michigan did not provide this. However, members that receive $20 or more from the Home Heat Credit (HHC) will preserve their, “higher” Bridge card amounts. The DHS workers do have access to the Michigan Treasury’s HHC records. The deadline to file a HHC is September 30. The explanation from the Kalamazoo DHS supervisor follows: You are correct that we have seen many FAP benefits cut, especially those in subsidized housing where their rent includes heat. This resulted from a federal law change. Lansing along with other states were able to give all FAP cases the full heat standard by issuing $1.00 per year in energy money to clients. The federal level considered this a loophole and shut it down. They changed the law to state that at least $20 in energy funds, had to be given yearly to each FAP client in order to give every FAP client the full heat standard. This amount was too costly for the state to exercise.
