STEUBENVILLE — The Ohio Department of Development and the Area Agency on Aging, Region 9, are offering assistance to help Ohio’s families stay cool during the summer months.

Through Sept. 30, income-eligible Ohioans can receive assistance in paying their electric bill, purchasing an air conditioner or fan or making repairs to their central air conditioning unit through the Ohio Department of Development’s Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program, often referred to as HEAP.

“We’re proud to partner with community action agencies across the state to deliver this critical support during the hottest months of the year,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, which administers the program. “Time after time, this program has proven to be a vital lifeline for countless Ohioans when temperatures start to rise.”

The program assists low-income households or those who have a disconnection notice, have been shut off, are trying to establish new service on their electric bill, require air conditioning or those with a person 60 years of age or older, living in the home and can provide physician documentation that cooling assistance is needed for their health. Qualifying medical conditions can include lung disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, asthma and others.

To qualify for assistance, Ohioans must have a gross income at, or below, 175 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a family of up to eight members, and 60 percent of the State Median Income for a family of nine or more members. For a family of four, the annual income must be at, or below, $56,262.50.

Last year, the program assisted more than 44,000 households in Ohio, providing a total of $13.5 million in benefits.

Starting this year, applying for assistance and managing an account will be easier than ever. A new, streamlined, online portal will be available at energyhelp.ohio.gov.

To begin, Ohioans must register for an OHID account, which provides a secure and convenient way to access their HEAP account.

“We know that when someone is facing a crisis, every minute counts,” said Mihalik. “This new online system makes it faster and easier for Ohioans to apply for help — so they can get the support they need, when they need it most.”

Registration takes less than seven minutes and can be completed by visiting energyhelp.ohio.gov and clicking “Log into the EA portal.” Click on “Create an OHID” and follow the six-step account creation process. Ensure account security by setting up multi-factor authentication.

To apply for the program, clients are required to schedule an appointment with the Jefferson County CommunityAction Council. Appointments can be scheduled by calling (740) 725-8383.

Clients need to bring to their appointments a copy of their most recent energy bill, a list of all household members and proof of income for the last 30 days or 12 months, per member. Clients will need to bring in proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members and if applicable, proof of disability. A physician’s documentation is needed as well, stating cooling assistance is needed for a household member’s health.

Ohioans enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus program, who meet the above criteria, may be eligible for assistance toward their default PIPP payment, first PIPP payment or central air conditioning repairs, or may receive an air conditioning unit and/or fan.

For information about the program and what is needed to apply, older Ohioans can contact the Prime Time Office on Aging at (740) 314-8493.

To be connected to your local energy assistance provider, visit energyhelp.ohio.gov or call (800) 282-0880.