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• RCA provides financial assistance to refugee adults who have resettled in the United States. The purpose of the program is to provide for the effective resettlement of refugees and to assist them to achieve economic self-sufficiency as quickly as possible. 1210.05.00 LEGAL BASIS (C)
The legal basis for the TANF cash assistance program is: • Title IV-A of the Social Security Act as amended by the Personal Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996. • The Indiana Code (IC) provides authority for operating in Indiana, and • The Indiana Administrative Code (IAC) contains specific rules about how the program is run in Indiana.
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the federal agency responsible for the program.
The legal basis for the RCA program is: • Title IV of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA); and • The Refugee Act of 1980. 1210.10.00 PROGRAM OVERVIEW (C)
TANF cash assistance is funded through the federal TANF Block Grant which requires states to maintain financial support of other programs for low-income families to receive the complete grant amount.
The Refugee Act of 1980 set procedures for the administration of the Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) program. RCA is funded completely by federal funds. 1210.15.00 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA (C)
TANF eligibility is based on financial eligibility factors (income, resources) and non-financial requirements (residency, immigration status, etc.), as well as the eligibility criteria noted below:
• A pregnant individual who does not have any other children in the assistance group (Pregnancy must be verified in writing by a licensed medical professional or by system interface.); or • A dependent child under age 18 who is a citizen of the United States, or an alien designated by Federal law as a ‘qualified immigrant’ (see 2402.20.00). • Living with an eligible relative (as described in Section 3215.05.00) who is unable to provide adequate financial support for the child.
Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) eligibility is determined based on: • Refugee status as verified by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).