Administration for Children and Families

Refugee Assistance

Refugee AssistanceRefugee assistance provides benefits and services to refugees admitted to the United States. Refugees are those who have a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of origin because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. Eligibility for Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-funded benefits and services extends to refugees, asylees, Cuban and Haitian entrants, certain Amerasians from Vietnam, victims of a severe form of trafficking and specified family members of trafficking victims.

In order to be admitted to the United States, a refugee usually must have a special tie to the U.S., such as former employment by the U.S. government or a U.S. company, previous education, close relatives living in the U.S. and/or persecution specifically related to an individual’s association with the U.S. government. Refugees may also be admitted on humanitarian grounds.

ORR provides funds for the following programs: cash and medical assistance, social services (including employment services), preventive health services, the voluntary agency matching grant program, the targeted assistance program, the victims of torture program and the Wilson/Fish alternative program.

Funding is available through discretionary grants for services. Public and private non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for discretionary grants. States receive formula grants for social services and are reimbursed 100 percent for their costs of cash and medical assistance.

Contact Information:

Office of Refugee Resettlement
370 L’Enfant Promenade, S.W.
8th Floor West
Washington, D.C. 20447
Telephone: 202-401-9246
Fax: 202-401-0981
Website: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/index.html


Keywords:

refugee assistance; social services.

 

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