1996 State REACH Plans

Compiled by the LIHEAP Clearinghouse

Six states received grants totaling $5.1 million from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in September 1996, the first round of REACH funding. HHS received applications from 25 states.

Three of the state winners also received $100,000 for energy efficiency education proposals that met specified standards.

The following summaries were compiled from selected portions of successful REACH applications as provided to the LIHEAP Clearinghouse by the grantees.

STATE REACH GRANTS:
Maryland
Oregon
Massachusetts
Michigan
Nebraska
California

STATE REACH GRANTS

Maryland -

In Maryland, the Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee (SMTCCAC), Inc., received a grant of $169,178. SMTCCAC will direct a three-year program designed to use comprehensive case-management techniques to help households attain energy self-sufficiency. After a staggered recruitment of participants - ultimately enrolling 200 in a test group and 200 in a control group - an "Energy Gap Analysis" will determine each participant household's energy burden. For the test group, an action plan will provide for an energy audit, followed by a retrofit of the dwelling; training in household budgeting; an energy-conservation training program for adults and children; in-home demonstrations of energy cost-saving techniques; and, assistance with job skills and employment development.

For portions of the project, SMTCCAC, a private non-profit, will partner with a local utility - Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO). SMECO's in-kind contributions will provide for all energy audits and retrofit costs. For participant households who rent, landlords will be required to contribute 25 percent of the cost of the dwelling's retrofit.

The program's target population will be low-income households in southern Maryland who received LIHEAP benefits during the last heating season and were "high energy users." High energy users, as defined by the program, are households whose usage is 135 percent or more of SMECO's system average for residential customers. The REACH staff will attempt to recruit an equal number of households from each of three target counties - from Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's.

SMTCCAC suggests its program is unique because it focuses on closing the gap between a household's income and its utility bills. The gap, once quantified, will be attacked from two different angles. "First, there will be a reduction in the amount of energy used," with attention paid both to the household's physical plant and the energy-consumption behaviors of its members. In addition, efforts will focus on increasing a household's income. Case workers will help household members identify an action plan toward this end, considering the need for job training, identification of possible barriers to employment, assistance with employment searches, etc.

The program's ultimate goal is that participant households consistently will pay their energy bills on time and in full. Specific accomplishments anticipated are:

a reduction in the amount of energy used by participants, resulting in lower utility bills.
more regular payments of participants' now-lower utility bills.
a significant contribution by SMECO, the local utility vendor that will provide for the auditing and retrofitting of participant dwellings.

To evaluate the program's effectiveness, SMTCCAC will employ pre-and-post tests, both for the test group and the control group. In addition, participants will have opportunities throughout the project's duration to evaluate its usefulness and impact. All participant households will be required to sign a release allowing SMTCCAC to review both a household's past and current energy use and its payment history. "It is assumed that participation in the program will mean smaller electric bills, more regular and timely payments, and...more responsible payment practices by participants."

For more information about Maryland's REACH grant, contact: Mr. Dana Jones, executive director of SMTCCAC, in Hughsville, Maryland - (301) 274-4474

Oregon -

The Oregon Housing and Community Services Department (OHCSD) received a REACH grant of $1.5 million. The department will contract with 15 community-based organizations (CBO) - in rural and urban regions of western Oregon and in sparsely-populated areas of eastern Oregon - to provide a variety of services and benefits to clients who have received LIHEAP payments. The targeted counties are home to approximately 85 percent of Oregon's low-income population. Services and benefits provided could include co-payments on energy bills, energy education, residential repair and weatherization assistance, family services related to budget management and payment plans, and case management.

To be eligible to participate in the REACH program, a family receiving LIHEAP assistance must be spending at least 20 percent of household income on energy costs and have a utility-bill arrearage exceeding $100. LIHEAP intake applications will be used to identify participants eligible for REACH assistance.

According to the state's REACH proposal:

"Each year approximately 30,000 Oregonians receive LIHEAP energy-assistance payments that do nothing to reduce the economic impact of increased winter energy costs related to heating because the funds are used to buy down accumulated arrearages. Low-income households with arrearage or high energy burdens are most in need of having their home energy costs reduced through combined intervention of energy education, home energy assessment that identifies low-cost/no-cost weatherization activities, and, if appropriate, comprehensive weatherization of the home."

After an initial energy-education orientation session, either presented individually or in a group meeting, and other screening activities, a pool of eligible clients will be identified. Each will sign a contract declaring willingness to participate in REACH activities and commitment to working with the REACH coordinator to design a comprehensive energy-conservation plan for the household.

Participant households will then receive a weatherization assessment that will include: a blower door test; CO testing, when appropriate; inspection of duct-work in forced-air furnace systems; an assessment of the structure's physical condition, including examination of windows, doors, roofs, etc.; and, an assessment of current insulation in the attic, floors, and walls. Specific recommendations will follow and, when necessary, referrals will be made for home weatherization or heat system repair.

As the REACH "action plan" for each household is developed, the plan may include: negotiations with energy vendors to reduce arrearages; exploration of available alternative payment arrangements; and budget counseling.

In addition, the local REACH coordinator will make referrals to family stabilization programs which include such resources and activities as rental assistance and other housing programs, support groups focusing on specific issues, family counseling, food/nutrition programs, or education/job training programs.

Follow-up contacts with participants will consider progress made and allow for refinement of original action plans.

One stated objective of Oregon's REACH program is that its combination of energy education and weatherization will reduce by 15 percent the home energy use of 75 percent of the households who successfully complete the action plan. In addition, at least 300 participating households will be enrolled in a family stabilization and self-reliance program.

Oregon's "final goals" include:

To assist low-income Oregon households to develop resource management skills that lead to reduced energy consumption, ability to remain current in fuel bill payments, reductions in home heating or cooling costs and elimination of health and safety risks to family members.
To develop a home-energy assistance program that is an access point to a complex of services which assist low-income Oregonians to move toward self-sufficiency.
To create a family stabilization and self-sufficiency model that is replicable in a variety of demographic and community settings.

For more information about Oregon's REACH program, contact: Lynda Marquam, LIEAP program representative, at (503) 986-2094.

Massachusetts -

In Massachusetts, the New England Farm Workers' Council (NEFWC) received a REACH grant of $479,611. NEFWC plans to target a sub-group of its LIHEAP-eligible population with the REACH program. The target group will include low-income clients served by NEFWC's Homeless Intercept Program (HIP) or by its Scattered Site Emergency Family Shelter Program (SSEFSP).

HIP is described as "a prevention program that assists families at risk of becoming homeless to locate and maintain safe, affordable and decent housing." The SSEFSP effort, meanwhile, "provides short-term (3-month) housing and stabilization services to families who would otherwise be sheltered in a hotel/motel without services..." This program's ultimate goal is to place clients in permanent housing.

Because clients in both programs often end up being placed in older rental units with poor energy-efficiency and absent or uninvolved landlords, and because household members may lack knowledge about energy efficiency, they often end up with a high energy burden. As a result, they often fail to pay bills from utilities or energy vendors and are at risk of starting anew the "homeless/near-homeless" cycle.

NEFWC plans to REACH pilot that "will provide extensive counseling, education and case management to the target group." Although the primary focus of the counseling and education will be energy conservation and energy-efficiency, NEFWC contends the anticipated effects of the intervention may generalize: "...increased self-esteem and empowerment resulting from success in one life area (e.g. controlling one's energy consumption and energy burden) will have a positive effect upon the total household in other various areas (i.e. education, job search, etc.)."

NEFWC's holistic approach will involve the following:

Referral and Assessment - Staff with HIP or SSEFSP will refer to REACH staff clients ready for housing placement. An initial assessment of household needs will follow. In addition, REACH staff will seek to obtain an energy-consumption history for the dwelling proposed as a placement for a household.
Counseling and Education - Clients will receive information about budgeting, energy conservation, and home-heating choices. When indicated, there will be referral for weatherization services. Staff from the University of Massachusetts will offer workshops in the areas of Family & Life Skills, Empowerment, and Positive Self-Esteem.
Vendor Negotiation - As an incentive for targeted households to participate and continue in the REACH effort, NEFWC plans to negotiate "some percentage of arrearage forgiveness with utility companies for participating households."
Case Management - Standard case-management efforts will ensure that households receive a comprehensive and holistic consideration of their needs.
Follow-up - REACH staff will follow up on households on a 30-60-90 day schedule.

NEFWC believes its program will result in a reduction of energy costs for REACH households and that budgeting education and life skills counseling will result in more regular energy/utility payments.

For more information, contact: Steve Carvalho, LIHEAP program planner, Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Service, Boston - (617) 727-7004, ext. 507.

Michigan -

Michigan received a REACH grant of $761,111. The funds will support separate projects. The Human Development Commission (HDC), a collaborative of six community action agencies serving 15 counties, will receive $495,000 to employ "a comprehensive, holistic approach in addressing the energy needs of LIHEAP-eligible households." With funding of $100,000, the Capitol Area Community Services agency (CACS) will oversee a similar project for its four-county service area. Finally, another agency, Region II, will use its funding of $90,000 to launch a statewide project intended to help low-income clients "maximize energy dollars by using the market forces unleashed by [utility] deregulation to their advantage."

Frank Pattinson of the state's Family Independence Agency (FIA) said the projects run by HDC and CACS will be essentially similar, with a few individual idiosyncrasies.

A description follows of HDC's collaborative approach:

"Beginning with an Energy PLUS Workshop, household members participate in a home assessment to identify energy wasters and implement energy-saving measures. [Staff from the six agencies] and participants may conduct a team assessment to evaluate the degree of energy efficiency, or participants may receive training to facilitate a self-directed energy assessment of their home. Life skills training follows energy assessment and education. Participants identify events/behaviors that interfere with their ability to pay utility bills and develop realistic plans to reduce/eliminate those barriers. [Staff] assists participants in locating other community resources that aid in achieving life-management goals."

Participants may access REACH when:

applying for weatherization assistance or other energy-reduction program;
seeking home heating assistance from The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW), Heat Bank, or other community action agency fund reserves like Walk for Warmth; and
requesting emergency assistance (e.g. homeless/homeless prevention, prescription, food).

Region II's project, which will focus on helping low-income clients make the best of utility deregulation, has three major components:

Education, "moving clients toward self-sufficiency in making energy choices." Initial efforts will focus both on increasing awareness in the low-income community that deregulation "is on the immediate horizon" and on the potential impact these changes may have on "the daily life of a low-income family."
Advocacy on behalf of low-income clients during transition [to deregulation and competition] "so they have the opportunity to utilize market forces on their behalf." Providing a voice for low-income customers in the public hearing/planning process.
Development of buying pools or cooperative organizations "to leverage better rates on behalf of low-income consumers."

Region II will recruit an "energy expert" who will:

Monitor PSC planning and hearings.
Represent the interests of and proposals from the low-income community through the process. Issues that need to be addressed - continued regulatory protections from shut-offs during the deregulation transition, ensuring there are no unnecessary barriers to using buying pools after transition.
Prepare timely information on the PSC deregulation plan and timetable to keep the "dissemination network" current.

For more information about Michigan's REACH projects, contact: Frank Pattinson, Michigan Family Independence Agency, (517) 335-3620

Nebraska -

Nebraska and the Lincoln Action Program (LAP) received a REACH grant of $600,000. As proposed, LAP's REACH project "will offer case management (short and long-term), energy-efficiency education and budget-training workshops, a home weatherization kit, and access to LAP's Home Weatherization program."

The project will be administered in "eight census tracts and neighborhoods surrounding the city center of Lincoln, Nebraska, within Lancaster County..."

"Upon acceptance into the program, REACH participants will agree to attend a series of workshops focusing on energy self-sufficiency services, energy-efficiency education, and budget-management skill building. To have all or a part of their past-due utility bill paid by REACH funds, all participants will have to attend 90 percent of the workshops." LAP hopes to recruit 600 income-eligible households "in need of energy self-sufficiency services, energy-efficiency education, and household budget training," and anticipates that 200 of these may ultimately drop out before completing the program.

After an initial assessment, households will be placed in either a "long-term case management group or the short-term case management group for support services, enhancing their families' functioning and reducing their level of energy usage."

The local electric company, Lincoln Electric System (LES), has agreed to perform energy audits for REACH households, a process that evaluates the energy efficiency of major appliances, water heaters, furnaces, and air conditioners, reviews the family's energy usage patterns, and suggests recommendations to reduce energy use.

"A key intervention will be the 12-18 hours of self-help home weatherization, energy-efficiency education, and household budget training that each participant will undertake." At the close of a two-session home-weatherization workshop, participants will be signed up for LAP's home weatherization program - which provides insulation for side-walls and attics, caulks cracks, fixes broken windows, and inspects the furnace. In addition, each participant will be scheduled for a home visit in order to receive an individualized self-help home weatherization kit, which will include, among other items, energy-saving light bulbs, weather-stripping, caulk and caulk gun, outlet insulators, and more. AmeriCorps and/or National Civilian Corps members will teach participants how to identify energy-saving needs and how to install and/or apply energy-saving supplies in their own home.

"Upon successfully completing the workshop series, each participant will have a portion of or the entire past-due utility bill(s) paid directly to the utility company by LAP with REACH funds," allowing households to "start with a 'clean slate' with their newly-acquired knowledge on home budgeting, weatherizing, and energy-efficiency education."

In addition, to encourage further participation, "participants will have their utility bills reviewed each month to see if energy usage has been reduced. If they have established and then maintained improvements, participants will receive bonus award points to be able to 'shop' in LAP's Clothing/Household Goods Bank." Participants will learn also about other existing LAP programs and community resources that will help them make better use of their income.

For more information about Nebraska's REACH project, contact: Fayette Carpenter, Nebraska Dept. of Social Services, (402) 471-9370.

California -

California received $1.6 million for its REACH program, which is "designed to help low-income households reduce their energy vulnerability and energy usage."

Community-based organizations (CBO) implementing the REACh* project locally are: Economic and Social Opportunities, Inc. (Santa Clara County); Maravilla Foundation and Community Enhancement Services (consortium in Los Angeles County); and, Redwood Community Action Agency (Humboldt County).

[*Note: Because Pacific Gas and Electric has a copyright on its REACH program, the lower-case "h" distinguishes between the two programs.]

Two-thirds of the LIHEAP-eligible clients will enroll in the REACh plan (and will be known as the "Enhanced Services Group") and one-third will enroll in the control group. The control group will receive basic energy education, a heating/cooling payment, and standard weatherization. REACh clients will receive a "global" assessment for the dwelling - which will determine requisite installation or performance of energy-efficiency measures or weatherization materials - and the family. The family assessment, incorporating techniques from California's Family Self-Sufficiency program, will screen for problems related to five key areas: employment, child care, transportation, training/job placement, and substance abuse. Energy education will be another key component.

Clients must have incomes at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level to be eligible for the REACh program. California's Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) and the four participating CBOs have selected the following target populations - to be served in the order of priority listed:

Clients with a high energy burden (identified from the prior year's utility records).
Clients who receive AFDC. (The program targets clients seeking employment who are impacted by the welfare reform initiative.)
Clients with a current utility bill they are unable to pay (Pro-active approach).
Clients whose homes have not been weatherized. (Targets those dwellings in need of energy-related repairs and energy-efficiency improvements.)
Clients who speak limited English. (Targets a large segment of the low-income population.)

California suggests that some LIHEAP recipients have remained dependent, year-after-year, upon energy-assistance benefits because of "a piece-meal service delivery approach" that hasn't addressed larger household needs. "To move beyond living from one crisis to the next, a holistic approach to resolve family problems is required."

This holistic approach will include:

"Global assessment" of dwelling - When indicated, the LIHEAP and DOE weatherization programs will be used to help provide for weatherization and energy-efficiency improvements. "Additional, enhanced energy-efficient measures to be provided under the REACh program [may include]: air conditioning/evaporative cooler system tune-ups; efficiency lighting; electric to gas conversions; microwave ovens; refrigerator replacements; and, window retrofits. The assessment will also evaluate the client's home for the presence of lead or other health and safety hazards.
Family assessment - incorporating techniques from California's Family Self-Sufficiency Program, the assessment will screen for problems in five key areas: employment, child care, transportation, training/job placement, and substance abuse. Appropriate interventions or referrals will follow. When appropriate, some program participants will be offered assistance in consideration of starting a new "micro-business."
Energy education - with "an in-depth exploration of what the family's utility usage has been" and efforts to identify which household appliances are using the most energy. All participating utilities will provide 12-month consumption records for households, allowing for evaluation of the family's energy habits and modification of high-usage and high-cost behaviors. Two CBOs, Redwood and Economic and Social Opportunities, will offer energy education also to school-age children "who can serve as a catalyst in changing household energy-use patterns." California asserts that this "approach may be especially useful in educating refugee and immigrant families." The "enhanced energy education" component will include also budget counseling and help with financial management.
Pattern identification - as one innovative component of the REACh project, families will be encouraged to describe their own "story," a process by which members can realize self-defeating "scripts" or patterns they've relied upon in the past in response to crises. Clients will learn coping skills that will allow them to intervene more effectively in the present and future on their own behalf.
Households participating in REACh who make regular and timely payments on utility bills for four consecutive months will receive an incentive payment of $40 on their next bill.

For more information, contact: Maria Ferderer, California Department of Community Services and Development - (916) 327-2458.

Page Last Updated: January 27, 2010