The Palm Beach County Community Services Department (CSD) is pleased to announce its new Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Virtual Appointments Pilot application to serve eligible repeat Palm Beach County clients aged 60 and older.

Each day in Palm Beach County, hundreds of families experience utility service disconnection. LIHEAP, a program administered by CSD's Community Action Program, is designed to provide financial relief from high-energy costs to prevent disconnection or restore electric service to families in crisis.

"LIHEAP has proven to be an essential resource to our residents. Last year we provided residential energy assistance to more than 2,000 older adults," said CAP Program Manager Natalie Diaz-Rodriguez. "Many of our elderly clients experience physical difficulties in coming to our offices. We want to ensure adequate efforts are made to serve this population, and this enhancement will allow them to apply for assistance and submit supportive documents from the comfort of their homes."

Types of LIHEAP assistance categories available to eligible clients include home energy assistance (up to $300 once every 12 months); crisis benefit (up to $600 twice a year for past due), final notice or disconnection; and weather-related benefit assistance during a natural disaster.

To access the LIHEAP Virtual Appointments Pilot application, go to www.pbcgov.com/OSCARSS.

To learn more about LIHEAP and the eligibility requirements, visit http://discover.pbcgov.org/communityservices/communityaction/Pages/Utility-Assistance.aspx.