Thousands of North Texans count on help to pay their utility bills, but now that’s in danger. NBC 5’s Alicia Barrera reports on the funding concerns after after cutbacks at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The entire staff for a federal program was laid off, and it could impact services for low-income North Texans.
The program affected is part of the Department of Health and Human Services and helps low-income Americans and seniors pay utility bills.
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WATCH HERE“It’s very disruptive. Right now, we don't know exactly how this will impact our funding,” said Dr. Philip Huang, director of the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department.
The layoffs at HHS include the staff who oversaw the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). In Dallas County, the program is known as the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP).
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SIGN UP The money is awarded to states based on factors including climate. In Texas, the Department of Housing and Community Affairs handles the job.
The funds are then distributed to counties and cities to help Americans with energy costs. These include assistance with utility bills, repairs to heating and cooling units, and weatherization of homes. The funds are also awarded as crisis funds for counties dealing with extreme temperatures.
“Last year, I think there were 22,000 individuals, over 8,800 different unduplicated households that benefited from that program,” Huang said. “So, it impacts many people. And these are low-income families and persons in our community.”
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The Senior Source dedicates time to help clients apply to the program every week.
“Every Monday at The Senior Source at 10 a.m., we welcome individuals who are looking to apply for CEAP, and we help them go through the application,” Julie Krawczyk said. Krawczyk is the director of the Elder Financial Safety Center at The Senior Source. “We make sure that document that their application is perfect so that when we send that into the county that that can be expedited and then they're receiving the help.”
Krawczyk said financial help covers essential services that often have a direct impact on a person’s health.
"Seeing them be able to receive assistance is just pure joy. The relief that it brings them, and just the peace of mind," Krawczyk said. "A lot of older adult clients that come to us need help with their utilities or minor home repairs. They're typically in a crisis. And so, being able to get that long-term energy assistance means that they can now afford their medication. They can maybe pay to get transportation to a doctor's office or visit, and they can afford food and keep their lights on."
Despite the federal layoffs, people have still been able to submit their applications for the energy assistance program.
“From our perspective, we haven't had to make any changes. And so, we're still helping our clients, and we are still seeing clients get approved and they're receiving the benefit,” Krawczyk said.
In the case of DCHHS, Huang said the department has received funding for the rest of the year. Still, they're unsure about the program's future.
“I think, a concern that we have some of these agreements that are supposed to go through the end of the year. But are those vulnerable? I don't, we don't know,” Huang said.
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs did not respond to NBC 5’s request for comment.
