ACF’s Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR) administers the U.S. Repatriation Program, which provides temporary assistance to U.S. citizens and their dependents who are returned to the United States by the Department of State because of destitution, illness, war, threat of war, or a similar crisis, and are without available resources. The U.S. Repatriation Program provides eligible repatriates with temporary assistance (e.g., food, cash assistance, shelter, transportation, case management) for up to 90 days through OHSEPR’s direct partnership with human services departments in each state and U.S. territory. Temporary assistance is provided in the form of a service loan that must be repaid to the U.S. government. In certain limited circumstances, temporary assistance may be provided for longer than 90 days.
In addition to administering the program during routine operations, OHSEPR is the federal domestic lead for emergency operations conducted under the U.S. Repatriation Program in response to large-scale, mass evacuations of U.S. citizens from foreign nations back to the United States.
OHSEPR activated its emergency response team in response to the Department of State’s closure of the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan on August 13, 2021. OHSEPR then requested that the Commonwealths of Virginia and Pennsylvania activate their State Emergency Repatriation Plans and establish emergency repatriation centers at the Dulles International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport, respectively, to provide short-term assistance including loans for transportation, hotels, and cash assistance.
Between August 16 and September 10, OHSEPR worked alongside the Commonwealths of Virginia and Pennsylvania and the U.S. Public Health Service to assist 601 U.S. citizens and their dependents upon arrival in the United States.
OHSEPR was directly involved in reuniting a U.S. citizen in Alexandria, Virginia with his pregnant wife after she arrived at the emergency repatriation center in Philadelphia. Through close coordination between OHSEPR and case managers in Virginia, the couple was reunited just days before the mother gave birth to their newborn son.
Since deactivating the emergency repatriation centers in September, OHSEPR has continued to support repatriates returned from Afghanistan through its routine partnership with state and territorial human services departments. For example, OHSEPR continued assisting a family of five — that included a two-year old, her parents and her three siblings — several weeks after they were initially evacuated from Afghanistan to Dulles International Airport. After the family safely arrived in their final destination in California, OHSEPR’s grantee continued to provide the family with case management services and coordinated with local service providers to identify resources. Local caseworkers supported the family in applying for human services programs administered by the state. Through this coordination, the family was approved for human services programs, including CalWORKs, CalFresh and Medi-Cal.
To ensure that all U.S. individuals and families who are evacuated from Afghanistan and are eligible repatriates receive the level of coordinated support upon arrival in the United States, OHSEPR is partnering with nongovernmental organizations that have direct access to their networks and community partners that can assist families returning home.
On September 30, 2021, OHSEPR awarded grants to three organizations that will help U.S. citizens and their dependents who evacuated from Afghanistan to the United States under Operation Allies Welcome.
- United Way Worldwide (United Way), Alexandria, VA
- National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Washington, DC
- American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), Arlington, VA
The awardees received $75,000 each to facilitate the coordination of culturally appropriate human services to U.S. citizens who have returned from Afghanistan and need assistance. In addition, these awards will enhance OHSEPR’s ability to support training and technical assistance, coordination, and subject matter expertise and make sure it is available to human service providers across the nation.
United Way will collaborate with its 211 operations nationwide as it provides information and referrals regarding local human services available to U.S. citizens returning from Afghanistan. The organization will also train its staff on providing culturally appropriate information in partnership with local human services providers.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) will provide training, technical assistance, and subject matter expertise to their members and networks to enable culturally competent case management and human services for returning citizens. This may include activities such as online trainings, peer-to-peer sharing, informational materials, and providing a platform for communities of practice.
NASW is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world. It works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies.
APHSA is a bipartisan national membership association representing state and local health and human services agencies and subject matter experts who help execute their mission. APHSA’s members are experts in administering, overseeing, and aligning programs that build resilience and provide access to food, health care, housing, employment, childcare, and community support.
These three awards will enable OHSEPR to continue supporting our fellow U.S. citizens as they return to their communities after a long journey home from Afghanistan.