TO: STATE REFUGEE COORDINATORS

FROM: Gayle Smith
Acting Director
Office of Refugee Resettlement

SUBJECT: Notices of Proposed FY 2001 Social Service Allocations and Proposed FY 2001 Targeted Assistance Allocations

Enclosed are the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) proposed notices of FY 2001 social services and targeted assistance formula allocations to States which were published in the Federal Register on April 27, 2001 (66 FR 21224-21233).

Comment Period

The comment period for both notices ends on Tuesday, May 29, 2001. To be considered, comments must be received by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) by close of business on Tuesday, May 29, 2001.

Social Services Notice

Please note that the notice of proposed FY 2001 social service allocations contains two set-aside amounts representing an additional total of $20.5 million from prior year

carryover funds. The first set-aside ($10.5 million) is to: (1) provide referral services, including outreach, to ensure that refugees are able to access the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and other programs for low income populations; and (2) provide for the hiring of interpreters and special interpreter training to enable refugees to have equal access to medical and certain legal services. The second set-aside ($10 million) is to provide outreach, referral, and social services to ensure that persons granted asylum access programs to help them attain economic self-sufficiency.

Questions regarding the social services notice of proposed allocations should be directed to Barbara Chesnik, Refugee Program Specialist, at (202) 401-4558.

Targeted Assistance Notice

The notice of proposed FY 2001 targeted assistance allocations continues eligibility for those qualifying counties determined eligible in FY 1999, and listed in this notice as qualified to apply for FY 2001 targeted assistance funding. These same 50 counties

in 29 States remain qualified through FY 2002 on the basis of the most current five-year refugee/entrant arrival data.

Applications should not be sent to ORR in response to this notice of proposed allocations. The deadline for applications will be established by the final notice.

Questions regarding the targeted assistance notice of proposed allocations should be directed to Gayle Smith, Director, Division of Refugee Self- Sufficiency, at (202) 205-3590.

Enclosures