Annual ORR Reports to Congress - 1999
In FY 1999, the refugee and entrant assistance program was funded under the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Act. In addition to this appropriation of $414.8 million, States received permission to spend prior year unexpended funds. At the end of the year, $15.8 million in FY 1999 appropriated funds remained unobligated.
Three Program Approaches to Domestic Resettlement
The domestic refugee program consists of three separate resettlement approaches:
(1) the State-administered program,
(2) the Wilson/Fish program, and
(3) the Match Grant program.
(1) State-Administered Program
Overview
Federal resettlement assistance to refugees is provided primarily through a State-administered refugee resettlement program. States provide transitional cash and medical assistance and social services to refugees, as well as maintain legal responsibility for the care of unaccompanied refugee children.
Cash and Medical Assistance
Needy refugees who meet the eligibility requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, and the Medicaid program may receive benefits under these programs. Those who do not qualify for the TANF, SSI, or Medicaid programs, but who meet the income and resource eligibility standards of these programs, may receive special Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) through the refugee program during their first eight months in the U.S. Due to insufficient funding, ORR does not reimburse States for their costs of the TANF, SSI, and Medicaid programs.
In FY 1999, $177.2 million was appropriated for these maintenance activities. Of this, ORR obligated $167.2 million to reimburse States for their full costs for the RCA and RMA programs and associated State administrative costs. Cash and medical assistance allocations for each State are presented in the table on pages 8 and 9.
Social Services
ORR provides funding for a broad range of social services to refugees, both through States and in some cases through direct service grants, for the purpose of helping refugees to obtain employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency and social adjustment as quickly as possible. After deducting set asides mandated by Congress, ORR, as in previous fiscal years, allocated 85 percent ($68.8 million) of the social service funds on a formula basis ORR supplemented its FY 1999 $68.8 million formula award with $20 million in unexpended prior year funds. ORR also funded a special social service set-aside under which States provided (1) outreach and referral services to ensure access for eligible refugees to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and other programs for low-income working populations, and (2) specialized interpreter training and the hiring of interpreters to enable refugees equal access to medical and legal services.
Altogether, through
both current year appropriations and prior year funds, ORR obligated
$104.3 million for formula social services. Program obligations varied
according to each States proportion of total refugee arrivals
during the previous three fiscal years. States with small refugee
populations received a minimum of $75,000 in social service funds.
Of total social service funds, ORR obligated $101.3 million to States
under the State-administered program and $3.1 million to other agencies
through privately administered Wilson/ Fish and other alternative
programs.
In addition to these funds, ORR obligated about $99.6 million in social services funds to discretionary programs. A discussion of these discretionary awards may be found beginning on page 24.
Targeted Assistance
The targeted assistance program funds employment and other services for refugees and entrants who reside in local areas of high need. These areas are defined as counties or contiguous county areas with unusually large refugee and entrant populations, high refugee or entrant concentrations in relation to the overall population, or high use of public assistance. Such counties need supplementation of other available service resources to help the local refugee or entrant population obtain employment with less than one years participation in the program.
In FY 1999, ORR obligated $49.5 million for targeted assistance activities for refugees and entrants. Of this, $44.5 million was awarded by formula to 29 States on behalf of the 50 counties eligible for targeted assistance grants. States in the State-administered program received $43.4 million of these funds, and the remaining formula funds were allocated to State-wide Wilson/Fish alternative programs. An additional $4.9 million was allocated to communities in the form of discretionary grants through the Targeted Assistance Ten Percent program. A discussion of these discretionary awards may be found beginning on page 29.
The table on pages 8 and 9 presents the amount of funds awarded to each State under the formula allocation program. The amounts for individual counties are provided in the table on the right.
Unaccompanied Minors
ORR continued its support of care for unaccompanied refugee minors in the U.S. These children, who are identified in countries of first asylum as requiring foster care upon their arrival in this country, are sponsored through two national voluntary agenciesthe United States Catholic Conference (USCC) and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)and placed in licensed child welfare programs operated by their local affiliates, Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services, respectively.
Each refugee minor in the care of this program is eligible for the same range of child welfare benefits as non-refugee children in the State. Where possible, the child is placed with a local affiliate of USCC and LIRS in an area with nearby families of the same ethnic background. Depending on their individual needs, the minors are placed in home foster care, group care, independent living, or residential treatment. ORR reimburses costs incurred on behalf of each child until the month after his eighteenth birthday or such higher age as is permitted under the States Plan under title IV-B of the Social Security Act.
Since January 1979, a total of 11,588 children have entered the program through local affiliates in 41 States. Of these, 1,383 subsequently were reunited with family and 9,884 reached the age of emancipation. At the end of FY 1999, only 240 minors remained in the program. The number leaving the program by reaching the age of majority continues to accelerate. As a result, programs in 21 States have already phased out.
CMA
(a/), Social Services (b/), and Targeted Assistance (c/) |
||||
State | CMA | Social Services | Targeted Assistance | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama |
48,000
|
$233,794
|
281,794
|
|
Arizona |
5,468,000
|
2,632,278
|
979,275
|
9,079,553
|
Arkansas |
30,000
|
94,340
|
124,340
|
|
California |
26,019,000
|
13,612,603
|
8,427,677
|
48,059,280
|
Colorado |
2,520,000
|
1,253,502
|
365,960
|
4,139,462
|
Connecticut |
1,216,000
|
1,033,034
|
2,249,034
|
|
Delaware |
50,000
|
78,574
|
128,574
|
|
Dist.Columbia |
1,532,000
|
575,346
|
438,453
|
2,545,799
|
Florida |
19,000,000
|
16,087,622
|
8,824,640
|
43,912,262
|
Georgia |
5,700,000
|
3,259,409
|
1,382,778
|
10,342,187
|
Hawaii |
150,000
|
81,864
|
231,864
|
|
Idaho d/ |
930,000
|
617,613
|
1,547,613
|
|
Illinois |
7,433,000
|
4,491,969
|
1,957,424
|
13,882,393
|
Indiana |
300,000
|
557,069
|
857,069
|
|
Iowa |
1,613,000
|
2,015,426
|
387,268
|
4,015,694
|
Kansas |
473,000
|
397,906
|
870,906
|
|
Kentucky e/ |
0
|
0
|
-
|
0
|
Louisiana |
382,000
|
577,251
|
959,251
|
|
Maine |
400,000
|
231,129
|
631,129
|
|
Maryland |
2,236,000
|
1,196,006
|
3,432,006
|
|
Massachusetts |
10,572,000
|
2,633,801
|
788,742
|
13,994,543
|
Michigan |
6,132,000
|
2,956,695
|
550,857
|
9,639,552
|
Minnesota |
4,440,000
|
3,147,843
|
904,528
|
8,492,371
|
Mississippi |
911,000
|
80,672
|
991,672
|
|
Missouri |
3,631,000
|
2,488,346
|
864,955
|
6,984,301
|
Montana |
50,000
|
82,147
|
132,147
|
|
Nebraska |
886,000
|
813,329
|
263,252
|
1,962,581
|
Nevada f/ |
-
|
-
|
-
|
0
|
New Hampshire |
590,000
|
416,946
|
1,006,946
|
|
New Jersey |
4,389,000
|
1,671,590
|
337,211
|
6,397,801
|
New Mexico |
676,000
|
524,704
|
363,705
|
1,564,409
|
New York |
17,216,000
|
11,927,687
|
7,147,719
|
36,291,406
|
North Carolina |
2,157,000
|
1,408,857
|
235,969
|
3,801,826
|
North Dakota |
1,658,000
|
497,289
|
188,166
|
2,343,455
|
Ohio |
1,004,000
|
1,607,620
|
430,336
|
3,041,956
|
Oklahoma |
299,000
|
185,817
|
484,817
|
|
Oregon |
4,715,000
|
2,036,369
|
1,378,945
|
8,130,314
|
Pennsylvania |
4,748,000
|
2,817,333
|
864,391
|
8,429,724
|
Rhode Island |
290,000
|
129,843
|
419,843
|
|
South Carolina |
124,000
|
113,557
|
237,557
|
|
South Dakota g/ |
500,000
|
0
|
-
|
0
|
Tennessee |
481,000
|
1,517,758
|
366,298
|
2,365,056
|
Texas |
6,099,000
|
4,866,268
|
2,484,154
|
13,449,422
|
Utah |
1,246,000
|
1,204,763
|
519,176
|
2,969,939
|
Vermont |
379,000
|
336,983
|
715,983
|
|
Virginia |
2,779,000
|
1,812,856
|
670,250
|
5,262,106
|
Washington |
14,608,000
|
6,277,029
|
2,274,454
|
23,159,483
|
West Virginia |
5,000
|
75,454
|
80,454
|
|
Wisconsin |
1,104,870
|
619,136
|
1,724,006
|
|
Total |
$167,189,870
|
$101,277,427
|
$101,277,427
|
$311,863,880
|
-
Cash/Medical/Administrative, including Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA), aid to unaccompanied minors, and State administrative expenses. Does
not include funds for privately administered Wilson/Fish programs in
Kentucky ($2,158,458), Idaho ($381,000), and Nevada ($967,057).
-
Does not include funds for privately administered Wilson/Fish programs in Kentucky ($1,833,418), Nevada ($945,076), Idaho ($617,613), and South Dakota ($285,579).
-
Does not include funds for privately administered Wilson/Fish programs in Kentucky ($581,184), Nevada ($390.312), and South Dakota ($161,221).
-
During FY 1999, Idaho ended its participation on the RCA and social service programs, but retained administration of the RMA program. An alternative program currently provides
cash assistance and social services to newly arriving refugees.
-
Kentucky has not participated in the CMA program since FY 1994. A privately administered Wilson/Fish program has since replaced the State-administered program.
-
Nevada ended its participation in the State-administered program on April 30, 1994. A privately administered Wilson/Fish program has since replaced the State-administered program.
-
During FY 1999 South Dakota ended its participation in the social services and targeted assistance programs. A privately administered Wilson/Fish program currently administers
these two programs.
Targeted
Assistance Allocations by County, FY 1999
|
||
Maricopa |
AZ
|
$983,963
|
Fresno |
CA
|
339,804
|
Los Angeles |
CA
|
1,951,899
|
Orange |
CA
|
1,449,634
|
Sacramento |
CA
|
1,329,790
|
San Diego |
CA
|
1,052,107
|
San Francisco |
CA
|
914,111
|
Santa Clara |
CA
|
1,228,773
|
Yolo |
CA |
161,559 |
Denver |
CO
|
365,960
|
Dist. of Columbia |
DC
|
438,453
|
Broward |
FL
|
388,847
|
Dade |
FL
|
7,653,928
|
Duval |
FL |
434,169 |
Hillsborough |
FL
|
347,696
|
DeKalb |
GA
|
742,292
|
Fulton |
GA |
640,486 |
Cook/Kane |
IL
|
1,957,424
|
Polk |
IA
|
387,268
|
Jefferson |
KY |
581,184 |
Hampden |
MA
|
252,429
|
Suffolk |
MA
|
536,313
|
Ingham |
MI |
283,433 |
Kent |
MI
|
267,424
|
Hennepin |
MN |
600,125 |
Ramsey |
MN
|
304,403
|
St. Louis |
MO
|
864,955
|
Lancaster |
NE
|
263,252
|
Clark |
NV
|
390,312
|
Hudson |
NJ |
337,211 |
Bernadillo |
NM
|
363,705
|
Monroe |
NY
|
435,522
|
New York |
NY
|
465,060
|
Oneida |
NY
|
6,247,137
|
Guilford |
NC
|
235,969
|
Cass |
ND
|
188,166
|
Cuyahoga |
OH |
430,336 |
Multnomah |
OR
|
1,383,945
|
Erie |
PA |
211,165 |
Philadelphia |
PA
|
653,226
|
Minnehaha |
SD |
161,221 |
Davidson |
TN
|
366,298
|
Dallas/Tarrant |
TX
|
1,426,410
|
Harris |
TX
|
1,057,745
|
Davis/Salt Lake |
UT |
519,176 |
Fairfax |
VA
|
406,998
|
Richmond |
VA
|
263,259
|
Pierce |
WA |
299,667 |
King/Snohomish |
WA
|
1,635,543
|
Spokane |
WA
|
339,240
|
Total |
|
$44,529,300
|
(2) Wilson/Fish Alternative Program
An alternative approach to the State-administered program is the Wilson/Fish program. The Wilson/Fish amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act, contained in the FY 1985 Continuing Resolution on Appropriations, directed the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to develop alternatives to the regular State-administered program for the purpose of:
-
increasing refugee self-sufficiency,
-
avoiding welfare dependency, and
-
increasing coordination among service providers and resettlement agencies.
The Wilson/Fish authority provides States, voluntary resettlement agencies, and others the opportunity to develop innovative approaches for the provision of cash and medical assistance, social services, and case management. No separate funding is appropriated; funds are drawn instead from regular cash and medical assistance grants and social services allocations. Wilson/Fish alternative projects typically emphasize several of the following elements:
-
Preclusion of otherwise eligible refugees from public assistance, with cash and/or medical assistance provided instead through specially designed alternative projects.
-
Creation of a "front-loaded" service system which provides intensive services to refugees in the early months after arrival with an emphasis on early employment.
-
Integration of case management, cash assistance, and employment services generally under a single private agency that is equipped to work with refugees.
-
Development of mechanisms for closer monitoring of refugee progress, including a more effective sanctioning system.
In FY 1999, ORR provided $6.2 million to fund three privately administered alternative projects in Kentucky, Nevada, and South Dakota and $13.2 million to fund a publicly administered alternative project in Massachusetts. As in past years, Wilson/Fish program managers worked closely with ORR staff to establish outcome goal plans for their programs. The program outcomes established for FY 1999 are identical to the program measures adopted for the State-administered program. For a fuller explanation of each program measure, see the section entitled "Partnerships to Improve Employment and Self-Sufficiency Outcomes", beginning on page 15.
Wilson/Fish
1999 Obligations
|
|||
Private
|
CMA | Social Services |
Total |
---|---|---|---|
Kentucky |
$2,158,458
|
$1,833,418
|
$3,991,876
|
Nevada |
$967,057
|
$945,076
|
$1,912,133
|
South Dakota |
$0
|
$285,579
|
$285,579
|
Sub total |
$3,125,515
|
$3,064,073
|
$6,189,588
|
Public |
|
|
|
Massachusetts |
$10,572,000
|
$2,633,801
|
$13,205,801
|
|
Kentucky
In FY 1999,
(USCC) and its local affiliate, Catholic Charities of Louisville,
administered a State-wide Wilson/Fish with $4.0 million in ORR
funds for almost 1,800 refugees. The project provides interim
cash assistance, private medical coverage, and social services
through a consortium of five local affiliates of four voluntary
agencies. In addition, Kentucky received $581,184 of formula Targeted
Assistance funds based on the five-year population for Jefferson
County. These funds were incorporated into the Wilson/Fish program,
but were awarded separately.
Kentucky |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
||
---|---|---|---|---|
Caseload |
1,601 |
|
872 |
|
Entered Employments |
1,049 |
|
838 |
96 % |
Terminations |
932 |
88 % |
804 |
96 % |
Reductions |
0
|
0
%
|
0
|
0
%
|
Average Wage |
$6.19
|
|
$7.06
|
|
Retentions |
761
|
73
%
|
779
|
93
%
|
Health Benefits |
870
|
83
%
|
767
|
92
%
|
Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants (MORI) completed its second year of administering a State-wide Wilson/Fish alter-native project. The project restructures the delivery of cash assistance and services and creates a case management and tracking system that provides each refugee family with a single case manager who works with them for their entire eligibility period.
Massachusetts |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
||
---|---|---|---|---|
Caseload |
1,876 |
|
1,775 |
|
Entered Employments |
1,256 |
|
1,083 |
61 % |
Terminations |
550 |
44 % |
520 |
48 % |
Reductions |
123
|
10
%
|
145
|
13
%
|
Average Wage |
$7.95
|
|
776
|
$8.75
|
Retentions |
796
|
63
%
|
741
|
63
%
|
Health Benefits |
734
|
73
%
|
|
87
%
|
Nevada
In FY 1999, Catholic Community Services of Nevada (CCSN) was awarded $1.9 million to provide social services, cash, and private medical coverage to almost 600 refugees resettled throughout the State. In addition, Nevada received $390,312 in Targeted Assistance funds for services to refugees in Clark County.
Nevada |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
||
Caseload |
594 |
|
914 |
|
Entered Employments |
310 |
|
454 |
50 % |
Terminations |
200 |
65 % |
345 |
76 % |
Reductions |
2
|
|
109
|
24
%
|
Average Wage |
$7.55
|
0
%
|
$7.40
|
|
Retentions |
271
|
87
%
|
431
|
79 % |
Health Benefits |
283
|
91%
|
409
|
95 % |
South Dakota
On March 5, l999, the South Dakota Department of Social Services (SD/DSS) notified ORR of their desire to withdraw from the administration of the social services portion of the refugee program. Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota, the primary resettlement agency in the State, submitted a Wilson/Fish Program application and was awarded a grant in the amount of $230,504 for the provision of refugee social services starting July l, 1999.