DHS: We don't have the funding, staff for heating assistance
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — After a mild start to fall, temperatures in Oklahoma have begun to drop, leaving people reaching for their thermostats.
This season, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services says, it won't be able to help all of people who need assistance with their heating bills.
"We just don't have the staff to run the agency the way that we typically handled things in the past and the Lighting And Heat Winter Heating Assistance Program is a result of that," said DHS spokesperson Mark Beutler.
Beutler said DHS is no longer accepting in-person applications for the program at county offices. People who need assistance can apply online.
Last winter, DHS helped 97,000 people who applied for utilities assistance. Beutler said this is one of the agency's most popular programs.
This year, DHS will only be able to help a fraction of applicants.
"We're not really even encouraging people to apply because we have significantly less funding for the program this year," he said.
The Salvation Army has heating utility assistance programs, that uses allocations from donations on OG&E and ONG bills, but said has not been enough donations to keep it funded.
"We currently don't have any funds for them so anyone coming to us seeking help with utilities, don't have any money to give them," Maegan Dunn said.
She said the only way to provide assistance is if more donations come in.
"Giving at the red kettle helps us meet these critical needs," she said.
DHS cut 1,200 jobs because of state budget cuts and lost $100 million in funding.