Our Care for Unaccompanied Children
By Robert Carey, Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement and Mark Greenberg, Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families
Unaccompanied children who make the dangerous journey from Central America to the United States, often in the hands of human smugglers, come in search of a better life. Many of the children we’ve spoken with are fleeing poverty and violence.
Clearly, these are vulnerable children in difficult circumstances, and we treat our responsibility for each child referred to our care with compassion and a commitment to their safety and well-being. Our mission to care for unaccompanied children who have been referred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has two key parts. The first is to create a safe and healthy environment in our shelters, one that ensures access to nutritious food, clean clothes, education and medical services. The second is to identify the most appropriate and least restrictive placement, usually with a sponsor, for each child while they await their U.S. immigration proceedings, subject to considerations of risk of flight, and danger to the child or community.
As soon as a child is referred to ORR, we begin the process of identifying potential sponsors, with preference given first to parents, then other family members -- some 87 percent of sponsors are parents or close family members. If there is not a suitable parent or other relative in the U.S., ORR works with the family to identify an individual who might care for the child while the immigration proceedings are pending. Once a sponsor has been identified, the potential sponsor undergoes a multi-step assessment process.
More information about the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Available in Spanish: Nuestro Cuidado Para Ninos no Acompanados
NEWS
The Program Support Center at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is seeking small businesses (including NGO’s) that will contribute to the Equity and Disparities Capacity-Building Program developed by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The program is a pilot project undertaken by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary (IOAS) 
to increase the capacity of ACF program staff to incorporate an "equity lens" in program planning and decision-making. One element of the project is the procurement of training, coaching, and professional development services from a vendor able to provide intermediate training to help social services/human services program staff to be more able to discuss and analyze issues of racial disparities and equity. ACF seeks a vendor able to deliver these training, coaching, and professional development services.
More information about this announcement.
SPOTLIGHT
FOIA at Fifty
By Kimberly Epstein, Director, Freedom of Information Act Office
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance and a people who mean to govern themselves must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives.” With these unforgettable words written shortly after the American Revolution, James Madison, fourth president and author of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, lay the foundation for the Freedom of information.
The Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, gives people the right to access most federal government records. Fifty years ago, after eleven years of hearings and several legislative tries, on June 20, 1966, Congress finally passed the FOIA. It was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on the Fourth of July.
Sunshine Week was celebrated March 13-19, is a nationwide initiative to underscore the importance of open government. Established back in 2005, Sunshine Week gives news media, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits and schools a chance to engage local, state and federal government agencies about the public’s right to information and the potential dangers of secrecy in government. For more information on FOIA click here.
GRANTS
ACF programs have a variety of funding opportunities available to support social service programming at the state, local and tribal levels. Our grantees include:
- Nonprofit Organizations
- For-profit Organizations
- Government
- Educational Organizations
- Public Housing Groups
ACF funds an array of activities that support the economic and social well-being of people throughout the country. See below for funding opportunities available today.
New Grants
The following opportunities are scheduled to be funded by ACF for fiscal year 2016. Review the full forecast and sign up for updates if you are considered eligible for funding.
Program Office: Administration for Native Americans
Funding Opportunity Title: Native Youth Initiative for Leadership Education and Development (Native Youth I-LEAD)
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ANA-NC-1167
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: March 14, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: June 13, 2016
Program Office: Administration for Native Americans
Funding Opportunity Title: Native Language Community Coordination Demonstration Project (NLCC)
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ANA-NS-1168
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: March 14, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: June 13, 2016
Program Office: Administration on Children, Youth, and Families
Funding Opportunity Title: Grants to Tribes, Tribal Organizations, and Migrant Programs for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Programs
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ACYF-CA-1119
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: January 15, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: April 14, 2016
Program Office: Office of Refugee Resettlement
Funding Opportunity Title: Refugee Microenterprise Development (MED) Program
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ORR-RG-1117
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: February 12, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: April 12, 2016
Program Office: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
Funding Opportunity Title: Family Strengthening Scholars
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-OPRE-PD-1114
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: March 19, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: May 19, 2016
Program Office: Office of Refugee Resettlement
Funding Opportunity Title: Ethnic Community Self Help Program
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ORR-RE-1129
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: March 22, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: May 23, 2016
Program Office: Administration for Children, Youth, and Families
Funding Opportunity Title: Foster/Adoptive Parent Preparation, Training and Development Project
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ACYF-CO-1122
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: March 28, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: May 27, 2016
Program Office: Office of Refugee Resettlement
Funding Opportunity Title: Preferred Communities Program
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ORR-RP-1116
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: April 4, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: June 3, 2016
Program Office: Office of Community Services
Funding Opportunity Title: Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) Organizational Standards Center of Excellence (COE)
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-OCS-ET-1127
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: April 10, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: June 10, 2016
Program Office: Office of Community Services
Funding Opportunity Title: Community Services Block Grant Training and Technical Assistance Program: Regional Performance and Innovation Consortium (RPIC)
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-OCS-ET-1128
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: April 10, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: June 10, 2016
Program Office: Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Funding Opportunity Title: Basic Center Program
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ACYF-CY-1121
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: April 12, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: June 13, 2016
Program Office: Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Funding Opportunity Title: State and Tribal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Implementation Partnership Grants
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ACYF-CT-1123
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: April 12, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: June 13, 2016
Program Office: Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Funding Opportunity Title: Street Outreach Program
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ACYF-YO-1124
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: April 12, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: June 13, 2016
Program Office: Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Funding Opportunity Title: Quality Improvement Center on Permanency and Placement Stability for LGBTQ Youth in Foster Care
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2016-ACF-ACYF-CW-1126
Estimated Opportunity Post Date: April 12, 2016
Estimated Application Due Date: June 13, 2016
EMPLOYMENT
Interested in Working with ACF?
ACF is working hard to increase diversity within its workforce and to enhance the cultural competency of the agency, its employees and its contractors. One sure way to reach its goal is to hire more people from diverse backgrounds. Please visit www.usajobs.gov and search for vacancies in the Administration for Children and Families within the Department of Health and Human Services. Keep up to date on recent federal job openings by following the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's job site on social media: Facebook , Twitter , YouTube and App .
ACF Job Openings (partial list, for complete list visit usajobs.gov):
Grants Management Specialist; Office of Grants Management; GS-9/12; Salary: $53,435 to $100,736; Location: Washington D.C.; Deadline: Monday, March 21, 2016. Apply here: U.S. Citizens
HHS Job Openings. Apply here:
Are you a Federal Employee with Status? Apply here:
Are You a Student or Recent Graduate Who Wants to Work in the White House?
Interested in Student or Summer Internships in the Federal Government?
Thank you for taking the time to learn about ACF opportunities. For more information, or to sign up a new recipient for Infόrmate, contact Special Assistant Lizette Olmos Godfrey in the ACF Office of Communications at Lizette.godfrey@acf.hhs.gov. For past issues, click on this link: Infόrmate.