Wilson/Fish Alternative 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 allows projects to establish or maintain a refugee program in a State where the State is not participating in the refugee program or is withdrawing from all or a portion of the program. These projects are considered under Category 1 in the Wilson/Fish announcement.

The Wilson/Fish authority also provides public and private non-profit agencies the opportunity to develop new approaches for the provision of cash and medical assistance, social services, and case management. These projects are considered under Category 2 in the Wilson/Fish announcement.

No additional funding is appropriated for Wilson/Fish projects; funds are drawn from regular cash and medical assistance grants and social services allocations. Wilson/Fish alternative projects typically contain several of the following elements:

• 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.

• Innovative strategies for the provision of cash assistance, through incentives, bonuses, and income disregards.

Wilson/Fish Grantees
State/County Grantee	RCA for TANF- Types	RMA	Social Services
Alabama - Catholic Social Services of Mobile (Cat. 1)	No	Yes	Yes
Alaska – Catholic Social Services (Cat. 1)	No	Yes	Yes
Colorado Department of Human Services (Cat. 2)	Yes	No	Yes
Kentucky - Catholic Charities of Louisville (Cat. 1)	No	Yes	Yes
Massachusetts Office of Refugees and Immigrants (Cat. 2)	No	No	Yes
Nevada - Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada (Cat. 1)	No	Yes	Yes
North Dakota Department of Human Services (Cat. 2)	Yes	No	Yes
San Diego - Catholic Charities (Cat. 2)	Yes	No	Yes
South Dakota - LSS of South Dakota (Cat. 1)	Yes	No	Yes
Vermont - IRSA (Cat. 2)	Yes	No	No
Idaho - Mountain States (Cat. 1)	Yes	No	Yes

In FY 2004, Wilson/Fish projects were operated by private non-profit agencies in Alaska, Kentucky, Nevada, South Dakota, Alabama, Vermont, Idaho, and San Diego County, California. In addition, there were three Wilson/Fish projects, (Massachusetts, Colorado, and North Dakota) that were publicly administered.

As in past years, Wilson/Fish program managers worked closely with ORR staff to establish outcome goal plans for their programs. The program goals established for FY 2004 are based on the program measures adopted for the State-administered program. For an explanation of each program measure and the outcomes for each project, see the section entitled “Partnerships to Improve Employment and Self-Sufficiency Out-comes,” beginning on page 16.

Voluntary Agency Matching Grant Program

Calendar Year (CY) 2004 marked the 25th anniversary of the Matching Grant program. In those twenty-five years, more than 2.5 million refugees have come to this country and nearly 560,000 clients (about 22 percent of all refugees) were served through the Matching Grant program. In FY 2004, refugee arrivals rebounded significantly from 28,000 to more than 50,000 refugees. With no increase in Matching Grant funding, many agencies exhausted their enrollment slots well before the end of the calendar year. Over 25,200 refugees, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, asylees and victims of trafficking participated in the Matching Grant program. These 25,200 clients were served by 241 affiliate sites of the nine voluntary agencies, or Volags, in 123 cities in 42 States. The program was successful in achieving self-sufficiency for 77 percent of all clients enrolled in the program. 

The Matching Grant program, funded by Congress since 1979, provides an alternative approach to State-administered resettlement assistance. The program’s goal is to help refugees attain self-sufficiency within four to six months after arrival, without access to public cash assistance. Participating agencies agree to match the ORR grant with cash and in-kind contributions; at least twenty percent of their match must be in cash. The Agency must match at least $1,000 (in either cash or in-kind contributions) for each $2,000 in Federal funds per enrollment.

The Matching Grant program is characterized by a strong emphasis on early employment and intensive services during the first six months after arrival. ORR requires participating agencies to provide maintenance (food and housing) for a minimum of the first four months and intensive case management and employment services through the first six months. Additional services, such as English language training and medical assistance, may be provided in-house or arranged through referral to other programs. Refugees in the Matching Grant program may use publicly funded medical assistance.

The Matching Grant voluntary agencies work with ORR staff to establish goal plans to measure continuous improvement in client outcomes. Because the program emphasizes family self-sufficiency (independence from cash assistance), goal plans measure the proportion of cases that are self-sufficient at four months after arrival in the U.S. and self-sufficiency retention two months later. Clients not self-sufficient at four months may continue in the program as long as they do not access public cash assistance. Goal plans establish self-sufficiency and retention goals for individual participants as well as case totals. Goals are also established for individual refugees in terms of job placements, wages, and health benefits. A change in the reporting requirements and goal plans was initiated in 2004. Programs will be evaluated based on the agencies’ abilities to assist all Matching Grant clients to become self-sufficient by the sixth month. Summaries of the progress reports of the nine participating agencies follow, with all data reported covering the calendar year 2004. ¹

Church World Service (CWS) received $3,300,000 to enroll 1,650 refugees in 31 sites (22 main offices and 9 sub-offices). CWS enrolled 1,675 refugees including the 1,650 refugees projected for the year plus an additional 25 refugees served with agency resources . CWS reportedly ran out of slots well before the end of the year and could have easily served hundreds of additional clients. The primary groups enrolled were Cubans, Liberians, and Somali Bantu. The largest sites were Miami, Florida; Dallas, Texas; Greensboro, North Carolina; Richmond, Virginia; and Atlanta, Georgia.

CWS
	Cases	Individ.	Percent.
Enrolled	680	1,675
Self-Sufficient (120 days)	505	1.230	73 %
Self-Sufficiency (180)	591	1,491	81 %
Entered Employment		719	78 %
Avg. Hourly Wage		$7.71
Health Benefits		417	65 %

Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) received $1,864,000 to serve 932 refugees at 20 sites in the Matching Grant program. EMM enrolled 942 refugees including the 932 refugees projected for the year plus an additional 10 refugees served with agency funds . Of EMM enrollees, 79% were self-sufficient by the 180 th day. The largest ethnic groups served were Bosnian and Sudanese, with clients coming from 39 different ethnicities.

EMM
	Cases	Individ.	Percent.
Enrolled	368	942
Self-Sufficient (120 days)	377	788	71 %
Self-Sufficiency (180)	450	901	79 %
Entered Employment		499	78 %
Avg. Hourly Wage		$7.63
Health Benefits		290	66 %

Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) received $1,174,000 in CY 2004 to serve

587 Matching Grant clients in twelve sites. ECDC ultimately enrolled a total of 587 clients from 31 countries into the Matching Grant program. The major ethnic groups served arrived from Sudan, Ethiopia, Liberia, and Somalia.

ECDC
	Cases	Individ.	Percent.
Enrolled	341	587
Self-Sufficient (120 days)	265	459	62 %
Self-Sufficiency (180)	319	600	78 %
Entered Employment		323	59 %
Avg. Hourly Wage		8.72
Health Benefits		248	84 %

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) requested $2,598,000 to support activities in CY 2004 to serve 1,299 clients through 38 affiliates. HIAS ultimately served 1,062 clients in the Matching Grant program, the vast majority from the successor republics of the former Soviet Union and Iran. Of those 1,298 refugees completing 180 days in the program in 2004, 520 were completely self-sufficient after 180-days in the U.S. HIAS continued to see a steady decline in caseload reflecting changes in the Former Soviet Union. The decline has been offset somewhat by enrolling 30 asylees.

HIAS
	Cases	Individ.	Percent.
Enrolled	489	1,062
Self-Sufficient (120 days)	260	589	50 %
Self-Sufficiency (180)	242	520	40 %
Entered Employment		353	43 %
Avg. Hourly Wage		$8.09
Health Benefits		152	57 %

International Rescue Committee (IRC) received a grant award of $6,200,000 to enroll 3,100 clients at its sixteen regional offices. By the end of the year, 3,060 new arrivals were enrolled in the program. More than forty ethnicities were represented in the IRC caseload. The largest ethnicities were from Cuba, Somalia, Liberia, Sudan and Colombia. Of the 3,347 clients reaching their 120 th day, 2,500, or 75 percent were self-sufficient. At the largest site in Miami, Florida, 811 clients enrolled in the program, with 98 percent self-sufficient within four months.

IRC
	Cases	Individ.	Percent.
Enrolled	1,360	3,053
Self-Sufficient (120 days)	1,140	2,500	75 %
Self-Sufficiency (180)	1,395	2,967	81 %
Entered Employment		1,433	71 %
Avg. Hourly Wage		$7.55
Health Benefits		702	57 %

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) received $7,404,000 to serve 3,702 clients in CY 2004. LIRS enrolled 3,742 clients during the year at 30 sites, or 40 more than funded. LIRS served the additional clients with private resources. Clients came from 21 different countries. The largest groups came from Cuba, Liberia, Somalia, Colombia and Sudan. Of the 3,923 individuals completing the program, 3,092 or 79 percent became self-sufficient.

LIRS
	Cases	Individ.	Percent.
Enrolled	1,642	3,702
Self-Sufficient (120 days)	1,278	2,855	77 %
Self-Sufficiency (180)	1,358	3,092	79 %
Entered Employment		719	78 %
Avg. Hourly Wage		$7.67
Health Benefits		909	61 %

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) received $15,138,000 million to serve 7,569 clients at 65 sites. USCCB ultimately enrolled all 8,048 clients in CY 2004. USCCB assisted 6,985, or 72 percent of its clients to become self-sufficient.

USCCB
	Cases	Individ.	Percent.
Enrolled	3,616	8,048
Self-Sufficient (120 days)	3,077	6,645	70 %
Self-Sufficiency (180)	3,346	6,985	72 %
Entered Employment		3,894	67 %
Avg. Hourly Wage		$7.52
Health Benefits		2,035	60 %

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) (formerly the Immigration and Refugee

Services of America or IRSA) received $9,522,000 for the enrollment of 4,761 refugees at sixteen sites. USCRI ultimately enrolled 4,690 clients in Matching Grant. USCRI served clients from 60 different ethnic groups. At the 180 th day mark, 89% of the cases were self-sufficient. Miami continues to be the largest program, enrolling 2,342 clients. More than 48 percent of the caseload consisted of Cuban/Haitian entrants, 17 percent were asylees and 36 percent were refugees.

USCRI
	Cases	Individ.	Percent.
Enrolled	2,524	4,685
Self-Sufficient (120 days)	2,304	4,293	83 %
Self-Sufficiency (180)	2,757	4,836	88 %
Entered Employment		2,947	78 %
Avg. Hourly Wage		$7.17
Health Benefits		1,274	47 %

World Relief Corporation

World Relief (WR) received $3,200,000 to resettle 1,600 refugees in its ten affiliate sites. WR enrolled 1,573 clients. Of 1,829 clients reaching 120 days, 1,271 were self-sufficient by the 120-day mark. Eleven affiliates participated in the program. The largest ethnic groups served were refugees from Africa and the Former Soviet Union.

WR
	Cases	Individ.	Percent.
Enrolled	650	1,573
Self-Sufficient (120 days)	592	1.271	69 %
Self-Sufficiency (180)	636	1,356	72 %
Entered Employment		806	68 %
Avg. Hourly Wage		$7.46
Health Benefits		644	88 %

[1]The attached tables represent Matching Grant clients that have completed the respective point in their service period, and not the outcomes for all clients that were enrolled in the calendar year.  For example, “enrollments” is for the total number of enrollments for the calendar year; while outcomes for “self-sufficient at 120-days” counts clients that were enrolled during the period from Sept. 2003 through August 2004 and were self-sufficient at 120 days.