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Office of Refugee Resettlement   Advanced
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Social Services

Founded on the belief that newly arriving populations have inherent capabilities when given opportunities, ORR provides people in need with critical resources to assist them in becoming integrated members of American society. ORR funds State governments and private, non-profit agencies to provide social services that help refugees become self-sufficient as quickly as possible after their arrival in the United States. Social services are also provided through a variety of ORR grant initiatives that focus on special needs of refugees.

Social Services Formula Grants

A wide range of services is available under this program, including employability services, English language instruction, on-the-job training, transportation, day care, citizenship and employment authorization document assistance, translation/interpretation and others.

Funding under this program is available to State governments, as well as private, non-profit agencies.

Employability Services

Such services under this program are available and allowable as referenced in ORR’s regulatory provisions at 45 CFR 400.154. Examples of these services include:

  • Employment Services – all refugees who enter the U.S. who are able, must register for and obtain employment as soon as possible after entry to this country; the first step in this process requires refugees to have written plans for employability – an individual employment plan and if appropriate, a plan for helping the entire family obtain self-sufficiency; these plans determine the appropriate skills, training and services necessary to help the refugee and his/her family become self-sufficient through timely employment.
  • Employment Assessment Services and On-The-Job Training – after refugees have written plans to follow in obtaining self-sufficiency as quickly as possible, there are a number of adjunct services to help the refugee gain employment – among these services are an assessment of the refugee’s aptitude for certain professions and skills testing, along with on-the-job training programs that are provided by prospective employers.
  • English Language Instruction – learning English is the primary component in helping the refugee obtain employment – this instruction can take place in a wide range of settings, such as high schools, and its availability is generally offered days, evenings and weekends to pave the way to meet the varying schedules of refugee families.
  • Vocational Training – a popular program with many refugees because it provides skills that are needed in the employment market in a short period of time; the program also permits driver education and training as long as this is part of the refugees’ individual employment plan.
  • Skills Certification – this area of employability is available for those refugees who seek recertification of licenses in their respective professions; certain restrictions, however, apply, including the provision that the training necessary for this program do not exceed one year and the refugee must be currently employed at the time of seeking skills certification training and services.
  • Day Care, Transportation, Case Management Translation/Interpreter Services and Assistance in Obtaining Employment Authorization Documents - some or all of these services are aimed at providing aids to smooth the process to employability for the refugee and his/her family; day care for working parents, transportation that is necessary to get to and from a job are illustrations of the adjunct services that can speed the way to gaining employment.

Other Services

There are a host of services available to help the refugee on the road to gaining employment quickly, such as information and referral, outreach, emergency services (i.e., short-term counseling); these provisions are regulated by 45 CFR 400.155.

ORR regulation at 45 CFR 400.155(h) provides the flexibility for the ORR Director to consider services other than those listed in the regulations – as long as the purpose is that of gainful employment and there are no other funding sources available for the prospective services.

Social Services Discretionary Grants to States

States receive federal monies from ORR and in turn, make grants, subgrants, contracts and/or subgrants, with local community and faith-based organizations to deliver social services to refugee clients. 

In addition to the employment-related descriptions listed above, there are also user-specific social services programs administered by State Refugee Agencies for refugee clients, including the elderly and school-age children, like preventive health screenings and assessments, targeted assistance employment, and a program specifically aimed at serving Cuban and Haitian entrants.

ORR’s program of discretionary grants to States and Wilson/Fish Agencies is comprised of five program areas:

Social Services Discretionary Grants to Public and Private, Non-Profit Agencies

ORR makes available funds that are competitively awarded to non-profit organizations, such as faith-based and community-based groups, and to public agencies. These programs include: individual development accounts, microenterprise projects, healthy marriage programs, agricultural partnerships, technical assistance projects, etc. 

ORR’s program of discretionary grants to public and private, non-profit agencies is comprised of eight program areas:

Grants under these program areas are awarded competitively. Announcements of funds’ availability are posted to Grants.gov, the ACF website (at www.acf.hhs.gov/grants), and the ORR website (under Funding Opportunities). Grant awards are made on the basis of the program policy and selection criteria contained in each Notice. An integral part of the process includes a comprehensive review of each application by a panel of independent reviewers.