Nebraska Administrative Code › Topic - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM › Title 468 - AID TO DEPENDENT CHILDREN (ADC) › Chapter 5 - EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN (EA) › Section 468-5-007 - SCOPE

Current through June 17, 2024
The Emergency Assistance program has the following
				  guidelines:
(A) Emergency Assistance
				is intended to be the program of last resort when no other sources of
				assistance are available;
(B) With
				the exception of catastrophic illness payments, total payments for the benefit
				period of 12 months of Emergency Assistance must not exceed three times the
				maximum Aid to Dependent Children payment amount for the applicant's household
				size;
(C) This program includes
				migrant workers and transients statewide if they are otherwise eligible. There
				is no durational residence requirement;
(D) If the Medically Handicapped Children's
				Program (MHCP), an insurance company, or other third party liability (TPL) is
				involved, approval for assistance may be made before the receipt of a decision
				by the third part;
(E) Emergency
				Assistance must not be used to supplement foster care.
007.01
TIME PERIOD FOR
				SERVICES.
Payment can be made for services to meet needs which
				arose up to 60 days before and which extend 60 days beyond the application
				date. To be included, prior and subsequent needs must be directly related to
				the emergency need for which the application was made and must be such that, if
				they are met, the current emergency will be resolved. Assistance may be
				authorized only once per household in any 12-month period.
007.02
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
				BENEFITS.
Payment may be made for the following items if
				applicable eligibility requirements are met.
007.02(A)
SHELTER.
Payment may be made for a mortgage payment, rent, or a rental deposit if it is
				verified that payment will alleviate the emergency situation. If the applicant
				has received an eviction notice, or if an eviction notice is planned or
				threatened, payment may be made only if it will forestall the eviction. Shelter
				payment may also be made if the applicant was forced to move with no other
				shelter arrangements.
007.02(B)
UTILITY BILLS.
If the applicant has received a
				shut-off notice, payment may be authorized for electricity, gas, or water.
				Payment may also be made for delivery of bulk fuel. Emergency Assistance may be
				used for payment of heating and cooling bills only if the applicant is not
				eligible for the Nebraska Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (see Title
				476).
007.02(C)
HOME
				FURNISHINGS.
Payment may be made for the purchase or repair of
				only those home furnishings that are essential for health and safety.
007.02(D)
EMERGENCY NON-FOOD
				ITEMS.
Emergency non-food items such as toilet paper and cleaning
				supplies may be purchased.
007.02(E)
EMERGENCY
				FOOD.
If Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits
				cannot be used to meet the emergency, the purchase of food up to the amount of
				Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits a family of that size would
				receive may be authorized. If the household has already received its total
				Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and an emergency occurs, the
				Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program allotment may be
				supplemented.
007.02(F)
EMERGENCY CLOTHING.
Emergency clothing may be
				purchased if it is essential for health and safety.
007.02(G)
MOVING
				COSTS.
Moving costs may be paid if it is necessary for the
				applicant to move in order to lower housing costs, to move from substandard to
				adequate housing, to leave an unsafe living arrangement, or to enable an
				unemployed applicant to accept a bona fide job offer. The moving costs must be
				by the least expensive means available consistent with the applicant's age and
				physical condition. Emergency Assistance must not be used if the applicant is
				moving from one job to another.
007.02(H)
TRANSPORTATION.
Transportation may be provided:
(i) For a family traveling through the State
				of Nebraska when an emergency occurs;
(ii) To obtain emergency medical treatment;
				or
(iii) For a parent to visit a
				hospitalized child who is included in the family unit.
007.02(I)
EMERGENCY SPECIAL
				DIETS.
Emergency Assistance funds may be used only if the diet is
				more expensive than a normal diet. The applicant must provide a copy of the
				diet and a written statement by a physician that the diet is
				necessary.
007.02(J)
MEDICAL PAYMENTS.
Medical payments may be made to
				alleviate current needs of a family who are in a crisis situation because of a
				catastrophic illness and only if the family is not eligible for Medicaid. The
				illness must require hospitalization. Any member of the family may have the
				illness. Medical services related to the illness, such as physician's fees and
				ambulance charges, are included. Funeral expenses are not covered. If insurance
				or third party liability is involved, every effort must be made to resolve
				issues of liability before Emergency Assistance payment is made. If it is
				impossible to resolve liability issues within 60 days from the date of
				Emergency Assistance application, payment may be made but the insurance company
				must be notified of the Department's right of subrogation. All payments for
				medical care must be made at rates no higher than those paid by the Nebraska
				Medicaid program.
007.02(K)
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE INSTALLATION.
Payment may be made
				for emergency telephone installation when a phone is necessary because of
				medical needs.