Home Energy Assistance Program Evaluation

Jackie BergerJuly 28, 2010

APPRISE

2

APPRISE

• Mission: APPRISE is a nonprofit research institute dedicated to collecting and analyzing data and information to assess and improve public programs

• Focus: Low-Income Energy Programs

• Location: Princeton, NJ

3

Research and EvaluationExperience• LIHEAP (Federal, NEADA, CO, WA)

• REACH (VT, PA, NH, CO, OH, IL)

• Energy Assistance Programs (NJ USF, PGW, PECO, PPL, Niagara Mohawk, IL PIPP, PG Energy, TW Phillips)

• Hardship Funds (NJ SHARES, Energy Outreach CO, PA Utilities)

4

Research and EvaluationExperience• Energy Efficiency Programs (Ameren, CO,

National WAP, NH WAP, NJ WAP, NJ Comfort Partners, Ohio EPP, PECO LIURP, PPL WRAP)

• Other Residential and Commercial Energy Efficiency Programs (NJ RNC Baseline, NJ ENERGY STAR Homes, We Energies C&I Programs)

5

NJ HEAP Evaluation

6

Research Goals

• Assess the fiscal integrity of LIHEAP/USF.• Investigate level of service provided to low-income

participants.• Determine opportunities for increased efficiency and/or

effectiveness in program operations.

7

Complexity

• Administrator: Office of Home Energy Assistance

• Intake: 40 LIHEAP Sub Grantee Outreach Centers (30 agencies)– Nutrition Assistance Households also screened

• Database: Office of Information Technology

• USF Implementation: 7 utilities work with OIT on eligibility and benefit calculation

• Crediting Customer Accounts: 7 utilities work with OIT and OHEA to credit HEAP and USF to customer accounts

8

Research Tasks

• OHEA Assessment• Agency Assessment

• Develop Assessment Procedures• Implement Assessment• Report

9

OHEA Performance Assessment

10

OHEA AssessmentResearch Goals

• Program responsibilities, performance standards, and reporting requirements

• Program policies and procedures

• Allocation of staff responsibilities

• Investments in staff training

• Other potential models

11

Assessment of LIHEAP Requirements

• Review LIHEAP State Plan

• Review other NJ LIHEAP documentation– Current NJ program design and implementation

• Interview HHS LIHEAP Compliance Staff– LIHEAP grantee requirements

• Interview DCA Management– NJ requirements for Federal grant programs

12

Assessment of USF Requirements

• Review Memorandum of Understanding with BPU• Review other USF documentation

– OHEA program administration requirements– Current USF program design and implementation

• Interview BPU USF Manager– BPU expectations for USF management

• Interview DCA Management– NJ requirements for state-funded programs

13

Implementation Status and Barriers

• Interview LIHEAP/USF Program Staff– Status of each identified requirement– Barriers to accomplishing program requirement– Potential changes/improvements

14

Assessment of DCA Resources

• Review Documents – DCA organizational chart, OIT agreements, utility agreements, other partner agreements

• Interview DCA Managers – office/agency responsibilities and fulfillment of responsibilities

• Interview DCA Staff – roles and responsibilities, self-assessment, and resource sufficiency

15

Assessment of Partner Resources

• Interviews to assess – Availability of resources

• Staff time and skill level

• Other resources needed

– Barriers to meeting program requirements

• Interviews– OIT Management– Utility Management (3)– CBO Management (3)

16

Identification of Best Practices

• 3 LIHEAP Managers from other states with payment assistance program responsibility– Program management model– Number of staff and skills available– Data management system– Utility interface– Local program partner systems

17

OHEA Assessment Report• OHEA Performance Requirements

• OHEAP Performance Assessment Indicators

• Resource Requirements

• Resource Gaps

• Options and Recommendations

18

Agency Performance Assessment

19

Agency AssessmentResearch Goals

• Service delivery – Requirements– Policies and procedures– Performance

• Best practices– Identification– System-wide implementation

20

Service DeliveryRequirements

• Client outreach

• Client intake

• Application processing

• Benefit distribution

• Client problem resolution

21

Agency Assessment Activities

• Document Review

• Data Review

• Interview Review

• Agency On-Site Assessment

• LIHEAP Client Survey

22

Document Review

• LIHEAP plan– Responsibilities assigned to local agencies

• Local agency contracts– Commitments made by local agencies

• Other state LIHEAP director interview summaries– Responsibilities assigned to local agencies in other

states

23

Data Review

• Census data analysis– Geographic analysis of eligible clients

• Agency statistics– Administrative costs– Service delivery statistics

• Program statistics– Application approval rates– Grant approval time

24

Interview Review

• Review DCA Interviews– Local agency responsibilities

• Review CBO Interviews– Understanding of responsibilities– Approach to program implementation

25

LIHEAP Intake AgencyOn-Site Assessments

• Agency interviews and observations

• 15 agencies around the state

• Assessment of resource requirements and staffing

• 4 agency subset – assessment of computer system capability and usability

26

LIHEAP Client Survey

• Client perspective

• Ease of application/enrollment

• Barriers

• Assistance and information provided

• Satisfaction

27

Agency Assessment Report• LIHEAP/USF Service Delivery Requirements

• LIHEAP/USF Agency Assessments

• Application Distribution, Processing, and Verification

• Computer System

• Telephone System

• Performance Measurement System

28

Contact

Jackie Berger

Director of Program Evaluation

APPRISE

32 Nassau Street, Suite 200

Princeton, NJ 08542

609-252-8009

jackie-berger@appriseinc.org

29