[NFBNJ] NJ 2-1-1 Newsletter (Energy Assistance Info)

[joe ruffalo]

Greetings to all!
Thanks Pam Gaston, NJ CBVI, for sharing.
To all receiving, please read and share with others.
Joe


We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference
Joe Ruffalo, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
973 743 0075
nfbnj1 at verizon.net
www.nfbnj.org
Raising Expectations To Live The Life You Want!
Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.
Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking
www.carshelpingtheblind.org
or call 855 659 9314


Energy Assistance Programs now Open

When finances are tight, every penny counts. Last year, state officials 
noted that New Jersey residents who applied for utility assistance through 
LIHEAP saved 1.4 million dollars collectively. Households heating with 
electric and gas can often receive as much as $1,200 in savings annually. 
That's a whole lot of pennies. The Home Energy Assistance season opened on 
October 1 and offers help to residents who fall within the financial limits 
and program guidelines. As the State's Utility Assistance Hotline, NJ 2-1-1 
receives inquiries (calls, texts, and chats) from residents all over New 
Jersey who are asking for information about how programs work, how to apply 
for assistance and the status of their application once it has been 
submitted.

Utility assistance program comparisons, links to the applications needed and 
contact information for the local agency that processes applications in your 
area are available on the utility assistance pages of our 
website<https://www.nj211.org/utility-assistance-programs>.

Financial guidelines for utility assistance programs are based upon 
household income as it compares to the Federal Poverty Guidelines 
(reestablished every year) and the number of people in the household. For 
example, this year a household of four must have a monthly gross income of 
less than $4,184 to be eligible for LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program). To qualify for USF (Universal Service Fund), that 
monthly limit is set at $3,661 for a household that size.

If you received LIHEAP/USF last year, you are eligible to apply for the 
program through a process called recertification. New applicants or those 
who have moved within the last year will need to follow another process. 
Find out what you'll need to bring either 
way<https://www.nj211.org/utility-assistance-programs#documentation>.

Other utility assistance programs are available for higher wage earners who 
have experienced a financial crisis and are eligible for assistance through 
the NJ Shares program. Those in need may also find help through emergency 
assistance programs; weatherization services that can be used to improve 
energy efficiency in your home; and special assistance programs from your 
utility provider. NJ 2-1-1 has created a handout entitled Utility Assistance 
at a 
Glance<https://www.nj211.org/sites/default/files/documents/2018-09/utility-assistance-nj-at-a-glance-fy2018.pdf> 
for a quick review of what is available. More in-depth information is found 
on the utility pages<https://www.nj211.org/utility-assistance-programs> of 
our website.

Put us on your Team

Supported by a grant from the NJ Department of Health, NJ 2-1-1 has spent 
the past three months reaching out to family physicians, nurse practitioners 
and others in the medical community with a clear message, "Put us on your 
team." We've been met with open arms! What we have learned in the process is 
that the healthcare community has been struggling to find community 
resources for patients who have basic needs that are going unmet. They know 
how important it is to overall health and yet, in many cases, just didn't 
know where these services could be found. NJ 2-1-1 provides that vital 
connection and is just a phone call, text or chat away.

It is a logical union and one that research has proven to be beneficial to 
individuals and society as a whole. Social determinants like where you live, 
your level of education, your access to food, affordable housing, 
healthcare, etc. have a significant impact on your health. Some studies 
attribute 40% of your overall health outcome to these very factors.

With this thought in mind, NJ 2-1-1 started targeting its outreach efforts 
to healthcare workers throughout New Jersey to educate them about our 
services and the breadth and integrity of our resource database. NJ 2-1-1 
Executive Director, Melissa Acree, participated in a panel discussion at the 
NJAFP (NJ Academy of Family Physicians) Diabetes Summit to discuss how 
connections made by 2-1-1 could offer practitioners and their patients a 
practical solution to addressing these basic needs which, when left unmet, 
often obstruct the road to good health. Her message was simple and direct, 
"When you are meeting with a patient who needs help with any of their basic 
needs, ask them to dial 2-1-1. We are always open and we can help to connect 
them with programs and services that can make all the difference. Put us on 
your team." Watch our video<https://www.nj211.org/sdoh>.

One Door Leads Home

"I don't have any place to sleep tonight. I need help." As the Homeless 
Hotline for Morris County, our office gets many calls that start this way. 
When a person dials the Hotline, they are connecting themselves with a 
continuum of service providers in Morris County committed to assessing each 
individual situation and responding accordingly. The system is structured to 
minimize traditional barriers to shelter and housing services by creating a 
single point of entry and providing additional support to access as needed.

Formally known as Morris County's Continuum of Care, the group consists of 
13 agencies that have come together to communicate a simple message: One 
Door Leads Home. If you are experiencing a housing crisis, the number to 
call is 2-1-1.

Climbing out of homelessness is virtually impossible without a 
community-wide response, and local groups have coordinated their efforts and 
services to meet the unique needs of Morris County community members 
experiencing a housing crisis. Those in need of shelter and others who are 
experiencing a housing crisis can make the call to 2-1-1 themselves or go to 
one of two drop-in centers to get connected to the appropriate housing and 
shelter resources in the county. The important thing is that they take that 
first step<https://www.nj211.org/morris-county-homeless-hotline>.

The use of a coordinated entry system like this is encouraged by the US 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and offers distinct 
advantages to past approaches including, equal access, standardized 
assessment and coordinated referral. All in need may get help through 2-1-1. 
NJ 2-1-1 serves as the Homeless Hotline in three other counties including 
Hudson (4:30pm-8am), Middlesex (24 hours), and Passaic (24 hours). Callers 
from other areas of the state are referred to the appropriate county 
hotline.

Jersey Cares Volunteers join our Ranks

NJ 2-1-1 was called to action on September 11 as North Carolina prepared for 
another hurricane to make landfall just as Hurricane Matthew had done in 
2016, only to be followed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. "Part of the beauty of 
the 2-1-1 system is that we can depend upon one another in times such as 
these," NJ 2-1-1 Executive Director Melissa Acree explains. "Every state in 
the country has a 2-1-1 now. And when disaster hits we can reach out to 
other locations for back-up."

NJ 2-1-1 was built for disaster and that enables us to quickly ramp up when 
the volume of calls increases. So when Hurricane Florence hit on September 
14, our staff took some of the calls from North Carolina and continues to do 
so as people recover. Volunteers from Jersey Cares asked if they could help 
and, after receiving special training, are providing assistance with calls 
during the weekends. We thank them for that!

North Carolina Governor Cooper has expressed his gratitude to NC 2-1-1 for 
the valuable role they have played, saying they served as the "voice to the 
public." In addition to handling calls, the organization very successfully 
employed reverse text messaging which enabled them to communicate directives 
to North Carolina residents who had opted into the system. Before, during 
and long after the storm 2-1-1 is there. As of October 1, NJ 2-1-1 had 
answered over 1,700 calls for help from North Carolina.


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