Senior spotlight, v.7 no.2

              Volume 7, Issue 2 First Quarter 2012
Inside this issue:
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
KEDDO Area Agency on Aging
LIHEAP -Winter Heating Assistance Reduced Area Agency
on Aging Staff
Kim Rose
Director
Samantha Humphreys
Information and
Assistance Coordinator
Sueann Deela
Bookkeeper/Planner
Renee Johnson
Ombudsman Supervisor
Pat Braund
Ombudsman Supervisor
Oklahomans who depend on heating assistance through the Oklahoma Department
of Human Services (OKDHS) federally-funded Low Income Home Energy Assis-tance
Program (LIHEAP) will see a greatly reduced dollar amount this winter. As
a result of the limited funds, an open application period which was to have taken
place December 1st will not occur.
OKDHS officials say because of the lower amount provided in the federal budget,
the number of Oklahomans who traditionally receive benefits will be drastically
reduced.
The OKDHS-LIHEAP budget is roughly one-third what it was a year ago, with
only $16 million appropriated to fund multiple programs, including winter heating,
energy crisis assistance, and summer cooling.
“Typically we have an open application period for winter heating assistance that
normally would begin Dec.1st,” said Kathie Wright, OKDHS Programs manager.
“But because of the drastically reduced funds this year, we will only offer assis-tance
to pre-approved households, or those who already receive benefits through
other OKDHS programs and identified as most vulnerable.”
“This goes against the very core of our mission at OKDHS, which is to help Okla-homans
in need. However, with limited funds from the federal government we can
only do what we can with what we have, “ Wright said.
Additionally, Wright says the amount provided to households who are pre-authorized
will be less than previous years.
“We were faced with some very tough decisions this year,” Wright said. “We
could keep the same dollar amount paid to households in past years, and help less
people, or we could reduce the dollar amount to each household and try to help as
many Oklahomans as possible. We chose the second option.”
If congress approves a budget & LIHEAP is funded at a higher rate than currently
anticipated, OKDHS will consider accepting applications from other households at
a later date in the winter of 2012.
“Bottom line is that OKDHS is trying to help as many Oklahomans as possible
with what we have been provided,” Wright said, “and we continue to hope addi-tional
funds will become available.” source: OKDHS News Release
Look for our newsletter on the KEDDO website at www.keddo.org under the Programs tab then click on
Area Agency on Aging.
Medicare Part D 2
Healthy You 3
Stopping Elderly
Fraud Cold
4
Earthquake
Safety Tips
5
Mark Your Cal-endar
6
Social Security-
COLA
6
National Care-giver
Month
6
Ombudsman
Corner
7