Cortney Mullins
Director, Outreach Services Department
Missouri Valley Community Action Agency (MVCAA)
Free live webinar · 75 minutes
The Future of LIHEAPand CEAP in Texas: four agencies on what's working
Community action leaders from Missouri, Kentucky, Texas and Washington compare how they run energy assistance: where applicants and staff get stuck, what they've fixed, and where document verification and conversational AI could help without replacing the people who do this work.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 · 2:00 PM Eastern
2:00 PM ET1:00 PM CT12:00 PM MT11:00 AM PT
Free to attendOnlineLive audience Q&A
Save your seat
We'll email your join link and send reminders before the session.
One program, two names
Built for everyone running home energy assistance
The federal program is the same everywhere. What changes from state to state is the name, the rules, and how applications move from the front desk to a payment.
LIHEAP
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The name used in most states, including Missouri, Kentucky and Washington.
CEAP
Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program. How LIHEAP is delivered in Texas, administered by TDHCA through local providers.
What you'll learn
A practical conversation, in the order we'll cover it
Four agencies talking openly about how the work actually gets done.
- 01
Setting the scene
Each agency's scale: households supported, application demand, and how the busy periods hit.
- 02
How delivery differs
Online, by phone or in person. How state requirements shape local intake, and where agencies have room to do things their own way.
- 03
The biggest challenges
Where applicants and staff get stuck, what creates repeat work, and what each panelist would most like to fix.
- 04
What's working
Changes that paid off, lessons learned the hard way, and ideas you can take back to your own agency.
- 05
Looking ahead
Where document verification and conversational AI could help, and where human support remains essential.
- 06
Your questions
Open audience Q&A. Send a question in advance with your registration, or ask live.
Speakers
Four states, four ways of running the program
Missouri · LIHEAP
Samantha Ross
Community Services / HEAP Director
Central Kentucky Community Action Council (CKCAC)
Scott Humes
Community Services Program Manager
Brazos Valley Community Action Programs (BVCAP) / Brazos Valley Council of Governments (BVCOG)
Justin Marshall
Director of Impact
Olympic Community Action Programs (OlyCAP)
Moderated by Rob Symes, Cofounder of Fortell
Who should attend
For the people who keep the heat and lights on
If you plan, run or support LIHEAP or CEAP intake, you'll leave with ideas you can try this season.
- Energy assistance directors and program managers
- Intake, outreach and case management staff
- Community action agency executive directors
- Texas CEAP subrecipients and TDHCA partners
- State LIHEAP administrators and program officers
- Anyone weighing new tools for applications, documents or phone intake
Questions
Before you register
Is it free?
Yes. The webinar is free for anyone working in or alongside energy assistance programs.
How do I join?
After you register we'll email a confirmation with your join link. You'll also get reminders the week before, the day before and one hour before we start. You can join from a browser or dial in by phone.
I'm in Texas. Is this relevant to CEAP?
Yes. CEAP is how LIHEAP funding is delivered in Texas, and one of our panelists runs energy programs for a Texas CEAP provider. The intake, documentation and demand challenges are the same.
Can I send a question in advance?
Yes. Add it to the registration form and our moderator will bring it to the panel.
Can I invite colleagues?
Please do. Each person should register with their own email so they receive the join link and reminders.
Join us on October 20
Tuesday · 2:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM CT / 11:00 AM PT · Free