Rule 23-104-7.52 - Home Energy Assistance and Support and Maintenance Assistance (HEA/SMA)A. This type of assistance is defined as follows:1. Low income energy assistance discussed in Rule 7.51 is governmental assistance. HEA/SMA is assistance which is the result of charitable efforts by the community to help recipients.2. Home energy assistance is any assistance related to meeting the costs of heating or cooling a home.3. Support and maintenance assistance is in-kind support and maintenance or cash provided for the purpose of meeting food, clothing and shelter needs. It includes energy assistance.B. This type of assistance is treated as follows:1. Home energy or support and maintenance assistance is not counted as income if it is certified in writing by the appropriate state agency to be both based on need and: a) Provided in-kind by a private nonprofit agency (501(c) organization); orb) Provided in cash or in-kind by a supplier of home heating oil or gas, a rate-of-return entity (e.g., a utility company) providing home energy, or a municipal utility providing home energy.23 Miss. Code. R. 104-7.52
Social Security Act §1902 (r)(2); 42 CFR §435.601(b) (Rev 1994).