Seasonal
Crisis Program
Seasonal
Crisis Program
Step Forward’s Energy Assistance Services helps low-income households in Cuyahoga County who have been shut off from service or are at risk of disconnection, following the seasonal reconnection orders from the State of Ohio. We provide assistance on a first-come, first-served basis through scheduled appointments, which can be made online or by phone at any time.
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To ensure everyone has fair access to appointments, we post all available slots on our automated scheduling system. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate requests for special scheduling from our staff.
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To better assist households without service, we now separate requests for service restoration from those who have received disconnection notices. We work with utility companies to verify that households are without service before scheduling reconnection appointments.
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To schedule an appointment, please click here or call (216) 480-HEAP (4327). Appointments are updated daily, including any cancellations.
When these programs are available
Winter Crisis begins on November 1 and ends on March 31. Appointment scheduling starts 5-15 days before the season begins.
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Summer Crisis runs from July 1 to September 30. Appointment scheduling begins 5 to 15 days before the season starts. Clients who have not received cooling devices, such as air conditioners or box fans, in the last three years may be eligible for new devices. Distribution is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Four steps to getting crisis assistance
All four steps must be completed to receive assistance.
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Complete Your Application – Submit an online application at energyhelp.ohio.gov, the official portal for Ohio Energy Assistance Programs.
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Schedule an Appointment (If Needed) – After submitting your application, you will receive a notice informing you if a crisis appointment is required. The notice will include a link to find your local provider. If Step Forward is your provider, you can schedule an appointment by calling (216) 480-HEAP or booking online here.
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Keep Your Appointment – We will call at your scheduled time. Be sure to answer.
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Submit Additional Documents (If Required) – If we need more information, you'll have 10 days to send it in.
YOU MUST HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO RECEIVE CRISIS ASSISTANCE
Appointments are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
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All crisis appointments are conducted by phone. You do not need to visit an office.
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Appointment scheduling is reserved for crisis services only. Non-emergency benefits are processed by applying online or by mail.
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You can schedule an appointment 24/7, no internet access required by calling (216) 480-HEAP or schedule online here.
Appointment types
New this year, Step Forward has implemented a unified scheduling system to ensure all available appointments are fairly accessible to Cuyahoga County residents. We’ve introduced appointment types to ensure that households without service have daily appointment access so that we can more quickly get service restored for households with no heat.​
Crisis Reconnection: For households with no service or needing bulk fuel
Appointment slots for reconnecting service cannot be reserved by households that already have their service active at the time of scheduling—no exceptions. Step Forward will verify the loss of service before confirming such appointments and will release the slot if the requesting household is still connected. Reconnection appointments do not receive a 30-day hold with the utility provider. For households using bulk fuels, no provider verification is required.
Crisis Disconnection:
notice received by household
Appointment slots for households recently served a disconnection notice are automatically reported to the utility provider and must be granted a 30-day disconnection hold by the provider.
Application processing requirements
From the date of the appointment, Step Forward allows clients ten days to submit any additional requested documents, as instructed in writing or by email. After the ten days, any application processed by appointment will stay open until the end of the crisis period. However, clients must reschedule another appointment for further processing. Appointments are subject to availability, and during high-demand periods, it may be difficult to secure an additional appointment.
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Incomplete crisis applications will close within two weeks after the crisis period ends, following the program guidelines set by the State of Ohio.
Suggestions for a Successful Phone Appointment
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Enter your phone number in your application carefully and check your entry for accuracy. Transposed numbers, wrong numbers, and providing a phone number that is no longer in service will result in a missed appointment.
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You will be asked for personal information during your appointment. To protect yourself, make proper arrangements for privacy.
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Make proper arrangements for a quiet environment as excessive or loud background noise may prevent the appointment from being completed.
