Home Energy Assistance Program Evaluation Jackie Berger July 28, 2010

APPRISE 2

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 Evaluation Experience 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 Evaluation Experience 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 Assessment Research 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 Assessment Research Goals Service delivery –Requirements –Policies and procedures –Performance Best practices –Identification –System-wide implementation 20

Service Delivery Requirements 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 Agency On-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