HHS Increases Total LIHEAP Funding Available to Help Low-Income Families to $3.9 Billion

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced the availability of additional funding to help eligible low-income families meet their home energy needs, bringing the total made available since October 1 to $3.9 billion. These funds will go to states, tribes and territories under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and are available under the terms of the latest continuing resolution. LIHEAP assists qualified families with their home energy needs such as heating in the winter, cooling their homes in the summer, and insulating their homes to make them more energy efficient and reduce their energy costs. These block grant funds will supplement two previous releases of funds under continuing resolutions in Fiscal Year 2011. A complete list of funds available to states today can be accessed at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/press/2011/liheap_allocation.html Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance should contact their local/state LIHEAP agency. For more information, please go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/ or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/brochure/brochure.html