Section 8. Right To Apply

A. Recipients/applicants: Anyone has the right to apply for any benefits provided by ISD whether or not it appears they will be eligible. B. Outreach: (1) HCA responsibilities: HCA conducts outreach regarding the LIHEAP program to eligible households, and particularly elderly and disabled households, through the ISD field offices and all of the offices and suboffices of the state's community action agencies. Additional outreach efforts to elderly and disabled households are made through workshops and conferences held by the state's agency on aging. (2) Community action agency responsibility: HCA coordinates with the community action agencies to provide information and outreach services regarding LIHEAP and other energy-related assistance programs. C. Barrier free policy: It is HCA's policy to make the application process for these households as barrier-free as possible. This includes: (1) paperwork reduction and not requiring reverification by the household of information already available to HCA, such as SSI status; (2) ease of access to physical locations where application may be made; (3) provide access to the HCA’s online application; and (4) provide additional assistance for any recipient/applicant who requires it. D. Annual benefit: Each eligible household will be issued one benefit each federal fiscal year. The benefit may be issued in one or multiple payments depending on the funding availability and the approval of the HCA secretary. Receipt of a LIHEAP benefit from any other LIHEAP administering entity (tribe, state or territory) funded by HHS during any federal fiscal year would prohibit the receipt of LIHEAP in New Mexico during that FFY. E. Supplemental benefit: A supplemental benefit may be established under certain conditions at the direction of the HCA secretary. A supplemental benefit may occur when: (1) funding levels are predicted to exceed allowable carryover of federal funds to the next federal fiscal year; 8.50.110 NMAC 2 (2) emergency weather circumstances.