Guide: Roles and Expectations in the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) Program

How will the URM program help you?

The URM program provides care and protection for refugee and other eligible youth, who are in the U.S. without a parent, legal guardian or relative to care for them, and who cannot return to their home country.

The URM program will provide you with caregiving arrangements—foster homes, group homes, supervised independent living, or help you reunite with relatives in the U.S. It will also offer other services to help you meet your needs and thrive, including medical, dental, emotional wellness and mental health services; education; classes on living independently in a new culture; and cultural orientation to help you get acclimated to your new environment and become a part of your new community while honoring your ethnic, cultural, and religious heritage.

What are the roles and expectations in the URM program?

The URM program has expectations and rules for you and others involved in your care to help you stay safe and healthy, obtain a lawful immigration status in the United States, and learn how to live independently. The program is funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), but exact program rules vary by state.

You

Learn and follow the expectations of your program, school, and work requirements (if you are working).
Meet and communicate regularly with your assigned case manager.
Use respectful, open communication with everyone in the URM program:
- Express your needs and wants
- Participate in setting goals and planning for your future
- Follow your group home’s housing rules—share honest information about where you are going and what you are doing
Attend your appointments or cancel with enough notice.
Make progress toward independent living.
Do NOT participate in illegal and unsafe activities.

Caregivers

Caregivers can include foster parents, legal guardians, or group home staff.
Establish clear rules and expectations.
Provide you with basic daily needs, such as food, clothing, hygiene supplies, and a safe sleeping area.
Welcome you into a supportive family environment or small group home structure.
Facilitate your education and supervise your progress in school; and help you prepare to live independently.
Caregivers must communicate with your assigned case manager.

Case Managers

Meet and communicate regularly with you.
Ensure your basic needs are met. Case managers will coordinate and monitor your housing, education, healthy and appropriate food, clothing, health care, age-appropriate supervision, transportation to appointments, access to fun activities, cultural connection and preservation of ethnic heritage, religious services, and mental health care.
- Partner with your caregivers to make an individualized service plan and work toward your self-sufficiency.
Explore opportunities for family reunification.
Advocate for educational, cultural, medical, and immigration/legal services.

Lawyers

Interaction with a lawyer will depend on your specific needs, immigration case, and the court requirements for the state you are in. Some states might have additional representatives, like a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) or Lawyer-Guardian Ad Litem (LGAL) supporting your case.

Immigration lawyers can help you obtain lawful immigration status, answer questions about immigration or out-of-country travel and consult on any interaction with law enforcement.

Dependency lawyers can represent you in dependency court (juvenile court) and help understand dependency court guidelines. (Dependency court oversight is different from state to state.)

Interpreters & Translators

Interpret from and to your preferred spoken language at appointments as needed in-person, virtually, or on the phone; and provide cultural insights.
Translate program and other documents for you as needed.
Maintain strict confidentiality by keeping your information private.