Page 1309

COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 12/2017

LOCAL RESETTLEMENT AGENCIES

0030.01

INITIAL RECEPTION AND PLACEMENT SERVICES

Local resettlement agencies administer “Initial Reception and Placement Services” for persons arriving with refugee status in Minnesota. Through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Department of State and their affiliated national resettlement agency headquarters, local resettlement agencies are responsible to assist assigned persons with refugee status with basic needs and provide core services during the first 30-90 days after U.S. arrival. These services are often provided with support from local volunteers, relatives (called U.S.Ties) and church groups. Initial Reception and Placement core services include:

● Airport reception.

● Initial housing.

● Basic household furnishings and supplies.

● Initial food.

● Cultural orientation.

● Application for Social Security cards.

● Application for public benefits.

● School enrollment for children.

● English As a Second Language (ESL)/English Language Learning (ELL) and employment services enrollment for adults.

● Health screenings and connection to needed medical services.

● Connection to other specialized resources as needed.

● Disbursement of Initial Refugee Resettlement Funds.

INITIAL REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT FUNDS

The federal government provides local resettlement agencies with a one-time sum of $1,125 per person. These initial refugee resettlement funds help pay for some of a household’s basic needs, including initial housing, basic furnishings, initial food, and clothing. Persons with refugee status may receive part of these resources in cash, and part in payments made to third parties on their behalf. Local resettlement agencies may have varying models for distributing and leveraging the initial refugee resettlement funds, but all must fully disburse the funds within 90 days of a person’s arrival.

For the purposes of public benefits eligibility, initial refugee resettlement funds may NOT be counted toward income or assets for any program, whether received as cash or as vendored third party payments.

MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR REFUGEES

Some local resettlement agencies may also offer a Matching Grant (MG) program for a limited number of people with refugee status. The MG program's goal is to help people with refugee status attain self-sufficiency within 6 months of arrival, without accessing to public cash assistance.

For more information about the Matching Grant program, see 0029.39 (The Matching Grant Program).

LOCAL RESETTLEMENT AGENCIES in RCA ADMINISTRATION

Local resettlement agencies participate in a contracted Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with DHS to administer the Refugee