OKLAHOMA CAPITOL --The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released an additional $600,000 in emergency contingency funding for Oklahoma through the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services will be taking applications for these additional funds beginning Jan. 3, 2005 at all OKDHS Human Services Centers. Applications will be accepted until available funds are spent.

Households that received winter heating assistance in December should not apply. These individuals have received their maximum payment and are not eligible for these additional funds. Those not eligible may reapply when the program begins again in March 2005.

To be eligible for this additional LIHEAP funding, households must either have had service discontinued or terminated by their heating supplier or have notice of a scheduled cut-off of services within 72 hours, notice of refusal to provide additional fuel when fuel will likely be depleted within 72 hours or information regarding a fee for new connection.

Taking your household’s latest heating bill or 72-hour cut-off notice and income information to your local OKDHS office when applying will help prevent delay in the application process.

The amount available to each household is not to exceed the amount necessary to maintain, restore or attain service up to a maximum of $100 for a one-person household and up to $150 for a household of two or more persons.

The maximum income guidelines are:

Interested households should contact their local OKDHS office for further information!

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