Welcome to Workforce 3 One U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration May 2013 Presented by: U.S. Department of State U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Moderator: (Kim Vitelli) Title: National Programs, Tools and Technical Assistance, Chief Organization: U.S Department of Labor 2#

Presenter: Dee Daniels Scriven Title: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Special Assistant to the Director Organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Presenter: Barbara Day Title: Domestic Resettlement Section, Chief Organization: U.S. Department of State 3#

U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Office of Workforce Investment

5# Introduction and overview of U.S. Refugee Resettlement System Provide the public workforce system the needed information on this untapped labor pool currently being served by the Department of Health Human Services (HHS)

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Office of Admissions

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Office of Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights

Identification of refugees who are eligible to be processed for U.S. admission. Overseas processing, including Department of Homeland Security (DHS) adjudication, cultural orientation, medical screening, security background checks, and sponsorship assurances. Transportation to the U.S. Initial reception and placement in the U.S.

Department of State: Develops policy and serves as overall manager of the USRAP. Responsible for initial support to refugees post-arrival. DHS/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS/USCIS): Officers determine eligibility for admission. Congress: Consulted on annual refugee admissions. Department of Health and Human Services/ORR: Administers cash, medical and social service programs through states and NGOs.

UNHCR: Provides protection and refers applicants for resettlement IOM: Transports all refugees to the U.S. and handles medical exams in some locations; manages four RSCs

Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs): Under cooperative agreements with DOS/PRM. Assist applicants with pre-interview paperwork and post- interview procedures. Domestic NGOs: Under cooperative agreements with DOS/PRM. Provide initial reception and placement. State and Local Governments: Provide cash, medical, employment services, transportation, education.

Priority One (P-1): – Individual refugee cases referred by UNHCR, U.S. Embassies, partner NGOs Priority Two (P-2): – Persons or groups of special concern – In-country processing as authorized by President in Cuba, Former Soviet Union, Iraq, other locations on an exceptional basis. Priority Three (P-3): – Refugees of certain nationalities who are spouses, unmarried children under age 21, or parents of persons admitted to the U.S. as refugees or who were granted asylum. Currently 22 eligible nationalities.

Currently there are 9 RSCs headquartered in: Amman, Bangkok, Havana, Istanbul, Kathmandu, Moscow, Nairobi, Quito, and Vienna Most RSCs cover all cases in an assigned region RSCs pre-screen cases, track security clearances, support DHS interview teams, request assurances, schedule medical exams, run cultural orientation classes, and create travel packets

Individual P-1 Referral Group P-2 Referral Family Reunification P-3 DHS Interview and Fingerprints Approval Denial Security checks: CLASS / SAO / IAC 1 Medical Screening Sponsorship Assurance Cultural Orientation IAC 2 Travel to U.S. (IOM) Request for Review RSC (Resettlement Support Center) R&P Services

DOS/PRM operates the Refugee Processing Center (RPC) to provide technical, data, and refugee processing support. RPC provides various reports including monthly reports on refugee arrivals broken down by country of origin and arrival city. For these reports, visit the RPC website at: #16

Church World Service Episcopal Migration Ministries Ethiopian Community Development Council Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society International Rescue Committee Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service United States Conference of Catholic Bishops U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants World Relief

Provide financial support to partially cover the recipient’s expenses for initial reception and placement of refugees. Provide refugees with basic necessities and core services during their initial resettlement period of days. Assist refugees in achieving economic self-sufficiency as soon as possible after arrival in coordination with publicly supported refugee service and assistance programs.

Basic needs support Case file preparation and maintenance Reception services Cultural orientation Resettlement Service Plan development and implementation Assistance with access to services: employment, health, education, etc. Communication with state and local authorities Assistance to refugee children-foster care Coordination and consultation with public agencies, stakeholders Local program monitoring Travel loan collections

Strengthen linkages between CO programs and R&P agencies Provide CO materials and information to overseas CO programs and R&P affiliates Provide support and TA to overseas CO programs Provide feedback from R&P agencies to CO programs Current grantee is the Center for Applied Linguistics

Office of Refugee Resettlement

Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Office of Refugee Resettlement

On March 17, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed the Refugee Act of 1980 into law. The Refugee Act created the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The mission of the Office of Refugee Resettlement is to assist refugees and other ORR eligible populations, who have inherent capabilities, to establish a new life that includes the dignity of obtaining economic self-sufficiency and encompasses full participation in opportunities which Americans enjoy.

Federal Partners (Homeland Security, State Department, Justice Department) State Partners – State Refugee Coordinators, State Refugee Health Coordinators Non-Governmental Agencies – National Voluntary Agencies & Local Affiliates – Ethnic Community Based Organizations / Mutual Assistance Associations →Through our partnerships, refugees receive services 24

Refugees Asylees Cuban and Haitian Entrants Certain Amerasians admitted as immigrants from Vietnam Special Immigrant Visa Holders from Iraq and Afghanistan Certified Victims of Human Trafficking 25

Refugees need to become self-sufficient quickly - Americans “in waiting” Legally able to work - refugees, asylees, Amerasians & SIVs can work as soon as they receive their status (Trafficking victims and C/H entrants must apply for EAD) Diversity of experience – Farmers professionals – No or limited formal education MD or PhDs 26

1 Year Must apply for green card (LPR) 5 years (from Date of Arrival) Can apply for citizenship Naturalized Citizen

Based on a state’s eligibility standards, refugees may be eligible for mainstream benefits, the same as American citizens, including: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Medicaid Supplemental Social Security (SSI) − Time limited unless they become a naturalized U.S. citizen

ORR provides assistance to refugees through states. State Refugee Coordinators oversee and coordinate the delivery of assistance and services within their respective state. When refugees do not meet the eligibility requirements for mainstream benefits, ORR provides refugees with up to eight (8) months of: – Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and – Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) This funding is time limited

ORR allocates two formula fund grants to States to serve refugees for up to 60 months following their arrival to the U.S. These funds are distributed to states based on: – Arrival numbers & – A high concentration of refugees in county jurisdictions with a high utilization of public assistance Funding levels may fluctuate depending on location Funding is time limited 30

Services are intended to assist refugees obtain employment within one year's participation in the program and achieve self-sufficiency. Services covered under this funding include: – Employment services – Employment assessment services & on-the-job training – English language instruction – Vocational training – Case management /referrals to mainstream providers – Translation/Interpreter Services

States can compete for the following ORR Discretionary Grants (subject to available funding): Cuban/Haitian Preventive Health Refugee School Impact Targeted Assistance Discretionary Services to Elderly Refugees For more information about these programs including a list of grantees and funding amounts, visit:

Subject to available funding, ORR provides discretionary grants directly to non-profits (i.e. voluntary agencies, their local affiliates & others who work in resettlement). For more information about these programs including a list of grantees and funding amounts visit: Current Discretionary Grants to Non-Profits Ethnic Community BasedIndividual Development Accounts Matching GrantMicroenterprise Development Microenterprise for Home Based Child carePreferred Communities Technical Assistance ProvidersWilson/Fish

ORR awards a number of grants to agencies to provide technical assistance to ORR’s stakeholders. ORR’s TA provider for 15+ years on refugee employment issues is Higher (formerly Refugee Works) Current Categories in which ORR Technical Assistance Providers Work Child WelfareCommunity Engagement EmploymentHealth LGBT Resource CenterServices to Survivors of Torture

Higher offers: pre-employment training & post-employment support for refugees who want to enter the U.S. workforce; customized job brokering for companies looking for reliable workers, and consistent technical assistance & training to local employment service specialists as they work to support integration for new Americans & the communities that receive them. →For more information please visit Higher’s website at:

Visit ORR’s website & click on the map to find contact information for refugee service providers, the State Refugee Coordinator (SRC) & ORR funding amounts in your area:

Participate in local quarterly refugee stakeholder meetings – contact your State Refugee Coordinator for more info Visit Higher’s website to learn more about employing refugees Contact your local refugee service provider to see how you can help (i.e. mentor, tutor, etc.) Collaborate with refugee service providers to provide workforce investment services that target refugees or other ORR populations for a specific employment need in your state/locale Hire refugees! 37

Speaker:Kim Vitelli Speaker: Dee Daniels Scriven 38 # Speaker: Barbara Day

Thank You! Find resources for workforce system success at: 39#