Transcript The Basics of Overseas Refugee Case Processing

Nazareth College
March 2013
DHS
PRM
Nine Volags
350 affiliate
offices
Private citizens
USCIS
ORR
IOM
ORR
Matching
Grant
Preferred
Communities
Microenterprise
Targeted
Assistance
Unaccompanied
refugee minor
Wilson
Fish
Cuban
Haitian
Refugee
Social
Services
School
Impact
Individual
development
accounts
United States Council on Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
25.78%
 Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service (LIRS)
14.26%
 International Rescue Committee (IRC) 12.21%
 US Committee for Refugees & Immigrants (USCRI)
11.8%
 Church World Service (CWS) 9.9%
 World Relief 9.48%
 Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) 6.5%
 Ethiopian Community Development (ECDC) 5.92%
 Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) 4.14%
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Voluntary agencies meet weekly to
participate in distribution (allocation) of
refugee cases.
3 “pools” of Refugee Cases:
 Free Pool: Cases not destined to a specific resettlement area
 Geo Pool: cases that are destined to specific resettlement areas for
reasons of family reunification
 Pre-Destined Pool: Cases that have a registered Agency interest
(through AORs or RIFs).
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Offices in 21 states
35 total offices & sub offices
22 affiliated main offices
5 affiliated sub-offices
8 CWS local offices
13 joint with EMM
5 joint with LIRS
3 joint with EMM & LIRS
1 joint office with USCCB
CWS History
of IRP
•In the aftermath
of WWII, CWS
began resettling
in 1946
•Have resettled
over 500,000
•Resettlement
began with
churches assisting
families upon
arrival
Some of the first families CWS resettled. This family
poses on a New York City pier shortly after arrival.
Funded: by PRM which is a bureau of the Dept
of State
 PRM issues Cooperative Agreement with
program guidelines
 Only agencies with 501(c)3 for 5 years can apply
-PRM sends out RFP annually
-CWS applies in coordination with affiliate
offices
-Local agencies work with SRC and Volag to
determine capacity
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R&P services are defined as:
 30-day core service period which can be
extended to 90 days
• Assurance: agreement to provide for all individuals on
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each case. Expires after 1 year
Airport reception: must provide hot meal and proper
interpretation upon arrival
Housing: decent, safe, and sanitary
Basic household need: furniture, supplies, seasonal
clothing, baby supplies, pocket money, etc.
Food, or food allowance
• Assistance enrolling in benefits: type and start dates
• Assistance enrolling in services: ESL, employment
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programs, non-employment programs
Assistance accessing health screening
Assistance enrolling children in school
Orientation: safety, transportation, community and other,
health, employment
Documentation of at least $925 for each refugee, with
client signature
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1. Refugee is in safe, stable environment
2. Refugee can navigate appropriate and
relevant systems
3. Refugee family is connected to means of
ongoing support for self/family
4. Refugee understands surroundings and
situation
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Each refugee or SIV is required to sign a
promissory note, which requires them to
repay on an interest free travel loan.
Payments begin 6 months of arrival
Individuals under 18 years upon arrival will
have their responsible adult pay
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Minor is a person under 18
Special care for all minors, especially those
not with their parents
Special paperwork / reporting for those cases
Asked to determine “suitable” living
conditions and that the responsible adult can
provide safe, stable environment for minor
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Funded by: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)
 Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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ORR issued Program Guidelines
Only Volags are invited to apply through Request for
Proposals (RFP)—intended to compliment R&P
assistance
 CWS submits proposal
 ORR awards funding (i.e. “slots”)
 CWS divides slots among affiliates and monitors slot
usage over the year
Purpose:
To help clients attain economic self-sufficiency
through comprehensive case management
and services leading to employment within
120 to 180 days of eligibility.
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Required Services In-house
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Case Management
Employment Services
Maintenance Assistance and Cash Allowance
Administration
Required Services In-house OR by Referral
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English Language Training
Health and Medical Services
Employment Training or Recertification
Social Adjustment Services
Support Services
CFC’s Refugee, Immigration & Language
Services Department
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Refugee Resettlement
Match Grant
Special Medical Case Management
Refugee Transitional Support
Refugee Employment
Immigration & Citizenship
Language Services
Refugee Admissions Projected for Rochester
Bhutanese……………….…………….…435
Somali ………………………………….….90
Burmese…………………………….……..85
Cuban…………………………………….…60
Iraqi………………………………………....40
Other African (Burundi, Sudanese,
Congolese, Ethiopian, Eritrean)………...20
 Other………………………….……………..20
 TOTAL………………………………… 750
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Local Partners
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Saint’s Place- Saint Louis Church
City School District
Monroe County Dept of Human Services
Rochester General Hospital
Monroe County Dept of Health
Rochester City Hall
Community Volunteers
Faith Based Communities
Local Businesses
Ethnic Community Groups
Neighborhood Associations
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Job hunt
Type of work
Loss
Reality of life in America
Rumor mill
Monthly assistance
Client expectations
Staff capacity
Difficult economic
times
• Housing
• Trauma & Stress
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•Honeymoon
•Crisis
•Recovery
•Acculturation
•Biculturalism
Informational Web Links
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Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)
http://www.cal.org/
Bridging Refugee Youth & Children Services (BRYCS)
http://www.brycs.org/
UNHCR - The United Nations Refugee Agency
http://www.unhcr.org/
Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM)
http://www.state.gov/g/prm/
Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/
U.S. Refugee Processing Center
http://www.wrapsnet.org
 Church World Service - IRP
http://www.churchworldservice.org/Immigration/index.
html
 New York State's Bureau of Refugee & Immigrant
Assistance (BRIA)
http://www.otda.state.ny.us/main/bria/default.htm
 Refugee Council USA
http://www.rcusa.org/
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