Dear Colleague Letter 20-01
October 23, 2019
Dear Colleague:
This DCL provides an overview of the fiscal year (FY) 2019 State Arrival and Service Data Collection Process, using the “ORR-5” form. Detailed instructions will be sent to states and state replacement agencies1 at a later date.
ORR continues to enhance its focus on data and program outcomes. In the past year, the FY 2018 ORR-5 data proved invaluable, providing context for the populations enrolled in Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA), Refugee Medical Services (RMS), and Refugee Support Services (RSS). This data has substantially improved ORR’s ability to assess cash and medical assistance utilization and the continuum of services post arrival. We appreciate the efforts states and state replacement agencies have made to improve ORR-5 data collection in the past year, and we hope that this data assists you with your oversight of the program.
As you prepare to submit your ORR-5 data, please note the following:
- Service enrollment dates for the FY 2019 ORR-5 data collection process are mandatory. Every service that an individual received in FY2019 must be reported on the ORR-5 form. Failure to report services will render a state non-compliant with OMB reporting requirements (OMB Form No: 0970-0034).
- An additional field, “City,” has been added to the ORR-5 form.
The FY 2019 ORR-5 data collection process has two primary purposes:
1) Refugee Programs Service Data Collection and Analysis
- ORR will use the FY 2019 ORR-5 to collect and analyze service data for all ORR populations served by any or all of the following refugee programs: Refugee Medical Screening (RMS), Refugee Support Services (RSS), Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA).
2) FY 2020 Refugee Support Services (RSS) Allocations
- For allocation purposes, ORR will use Cuban/Haitian Entrant and Asylee arrival and service data submitted by states and state replacement agencies, that is matched against data from federal sources2. See below for information about service data collection requirements for Cuban/Haitian Entrant and Asylee records for the purpose of allocations.
- For initial arrival Refugees, Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs), and Victims of Human Trafficking (VOT), ORR will use only FY 2019 arrival data from federal sources for FY 2020 RSS allocations. FY 2019 arrival and service records submitted for these populations in the ORR-5 form will not be used for FY 2020 allocations. However, records for these populations are still required, so that ORR is able to use them for service data analysis.
- For secondary migrants, states and state replacement agencies must submit arrival and service records for all ORR eligible populations in order for the record to be used for RSS allocations. See below for information about service data collection requirements for secondary migrant records for the purpose of allocations.
Collection Requirements Summary
Detailed instructions will be made available at a later date. Below are highlights of data collection requirements. Please see the appendix for the full chart of the data collection fields.
- As with the previous data match process, states and state replacement agencies will upload one file into the Refugee Arrivals Data Systems (RADS) application.
- The ORR data collection website (RADS) allows states and state replacement agencies to upload data files securely.
- The ORR data collection website (RADS) also permits ORR to provide verification to states and state replacement agencies of receipt of the data; performs front-end editing to reject improperly formatted or otherwise invalid data immediately after receipt; and provides reasons for rejections. States and state replacement agencies must make corrections to the data and then submit the revised file. This process is designed to ensure that final submissions by the states and state replacement agencies are complete and accurate for data matching in RADS.
Arrival Data Fields
- Arrival data fields 1-11 must be fully completed for each record in order for the file to be uploaded into RADS. If one of these fields is not completed, the file will be rejected during the submission process and returned to the user to be corrected and re-uploaded into RADS.
- Service data regarding U.S.-born children for all ORR populations should be included in the data match if both parents (or one parent in a one-parent household) are ORR-eligible and the child received benefits listed on the ORR-5 form. However, if one parent is not ORR-eligible, then the U.S.-born child is not eligible for the services listed on the ORR-5 form, and data on the child should not be submitted.
- When submitting data for U.S.-born children receiving ORR benefits, do not enter the child’s Social Security Number or parent’s Alien Number in the Alien Number field. For these cases, states and state replacement agencies should list the 9-digit number “201900xxx,” where xxx corresponds to an incremental number based on the number of cases of U.S. born ORR recipient children served by the state. For example, if a state has three cases of U.S. born children receiving ORR benefits, the alien numbers for the children, in sequence, should be 201900001, 201900002, and 201900003. In the status field, enter the applicable status code: U.S. born Refugee, U.S. born SIV, U.S. born Asylee, U.S. born Entrant, or U.S. born VOT.
- States and state replacement agencies should report foreign-born children who do not have an Alien Number but are receiving ORR benefits listed on the ORR-5 form. When submitting data on foreign-born children receiving ORR benefits listed on the ORR-5 form, states and state replacement agencies should list the 9-digit number “201901xxx,” where xxx corresponds to an incremental number based on the number of cases of foreign-born children who do not yet have an alien number. For example, if a state has three cases of foreign-born children receiving ORR benefits listed on the ORR-5 form but who do not have an Alien Number, the Alien Number on the ORR-5 form should be 201901000, 201901001, and 201901002. In the status field, enter the applicable status code: Refugee baby with no Alien number, SIV baby with no Alien number, Asylee baby with no Alien number, Entrant baby with no Alien number, or VOT baby with no Alien number.
- Consistent with the FY 2018 data collection process, ORR will not reject individuals based on an inconsistency in their submitted immigration status. For example, an individual submitted by a state or state replacement agency as a Cuban/Haitian Entrant will not be rejected if the same individual is reported as an Asylee by a federal source. This individual will be moved into the Asylee category, and the state or state replacement agency will receive a credit for such individual as an Asylee instead of Cuban/Haitian Entrant.
Service Data Fields
All fields must be filled out as appropriate to the individual’s service utilization:
- States and state replacement agencies must submit initial service enrollment dates and exit dates, as applicable, for all eligible ORR populations, including Refugees, Asylees, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, SIVs, and VOTs who received RMS, RSS RCA, and RMA services during FY 2019 (October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019).
- Service enrollment dates (field 12, 14, 16, or 18) for every service provided must be completed. Any record that does not contain a service enrollment date will not be rejected during the submission process when uploading to RADS; however, ORR will not accept the record as valid when reviewing data for service analysis or RSS allocations for Cuban/Haitian Entrants, Asylees, and secondary migrants.
- If clients have multiple initial service enrollment and exit dates for the same service in FY 2019, please provide the earliest initial enrollment date and latest exit date. If the last date that they received a service is after September 30, 2019, then leave the exit date field blank (and only include an enrollment date). The end date should either be the last day the individual received the service before September 30, 2019, or blank if they were still receiving the service as of the end of the reporting period. Service enrollment dates must be provided for every service received. Service exit dates must be provided if an individual exited service during FY 2019.
- ORR will send states and state replacement agencies ORR-5 rejection letters detailing which ORR-5 records were not used for ORR allocation purposes and the reason for each record’s rejection.
Secondary Migration Field Data
- States and state replacement agencies must report secondary migration information containing data on Refugees, Asylees, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, SIVs, and VOTs who were resettled in the U.S. for 12 months or less as of the reporting date of September 30, 2019 (between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019). Secondary migration data must be reported in the Migration Status and Date of Migration fields (fields 20-21).
Timeframe and Next Steps
In preparation for the FY 2019 State Arrival and Service Data Collection Process, states and state replacement agencies must email the name, email address, and telephone number for a primary and an alternate user of the website to Khalil Ali, at Khalil.Ali@acf.hhs.gov, by COB Wednesday, November 06, 2019. Both prior and new users must be identified to ORR as a point of contact in order to access the ORR data collection website.
General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), ORR’s contractor for RADS, will provide instructions on the use of the web-based data collection system by Wednesday, November 20, 2019 to both primary and secondary users.
RADS accounts will either be re-enabled or created on Thursday, November 21, 2019. If a user already has an account but it is disabled, it will be re-enabled on November 21. If a user is new to RADS and does not yet have an account, it will be created on November 21.
For accounts that are re-enabled and accounts that are created, users will receive a temporary password via the email address your program provided. That temporary password must be used to log in to
RADS. Once a user logs in with the temporary password, the user will be prompted to create a new password. This temporary password expires 24 hours after it is sent to the user. The user must log in to RADS on Thursday, November 21 or be locked out.
If a user fails to log in to RADS on November 21, the account will be re-enabled on Monday, December
2. The same process will occur: the user must log in to RADS on December 2 in order to avoid the account being locked. Once the user has logged in to RADS and set up a new password, the account will be locked again if the user fails to log in to RADS within 60 days.
RADS will be open for file uploads from Monday, December 2, 2019 to Wednesday, January 15, 2020.
All submissions must be successfully uploaded by close of business on January 15. The website will be open 24 hours per day, 7 days a week during this period. Timely submission of the ORR-5 data will help ensure the timely allocation of the FY 2020 RSS award.
Contact Information
If you have questions about the FY 2019 State Arrival and Service Data Collection Process, please email Khalil Ali, Data Analyst, Division of Budget and Data Analysis, at Khalil.Ali@acf.hhs.gov. Other contact information is provided below.
Procedure | Contact Name | Email address | Phone number |
---|---|---|---|
DCL inquiries | Khalil Ali | khalil.ali@acf.hhs.gov | (202) 401-5445 |
DCL inquiries (back up) | lulia Kramar | iulia.kramar@acf.hhs.gov | (202) 401-5686 |
Technical issues | Chris Cox | Christopher.Cox@gdit.com | (703) 995-1992 |
Technical issues (back up) | Ken Rohrer | Kenneth.Rohrer@gdit.com | (703) 995-1949 |
Thank you for your support with this important step in improving our ability to serve refugees and other ORR-eligible populations.
Sincerely,
Jonathan H. Hayes
Director
Office of Refugee Resettlement
Appendix 1: FY2019 Data Match Form
FIELD | DATA | NOTES |
---|---|---|
1 | Alien Number |
8 or 9 digits |
2 | Status | Refugee, SIV, VOT, Asylee, C/H Entrant, Other |
3 | Name | Last, First, Middle |
4 | Date of Birth | mm/dd/yyyy |
5 | Gender | M, F, or U for Unknown |
6 | City | City Name |
7 | State | State Code |
8 | County | County Name |
9 | Nationality | Country of Birth |
10 | Organization providing the support | State Name or Replacement Designee Name |
11 | Date eligible for ORR benefits | mm/dd/yyyy |
12 | Medical Screening Initial Enrollment Date | mm/dd/yyyy or Null if not enrolled |
13 | Medical Screening Exit Date | mm/dd/yyyy or Null if not enrolled or still active |
14 | Refugee Social Services Initial Enrollment Date | mm/dd/yyyy or Null if not enrolled |
15 | Refugee Social Services Exit Date | mm/dd/yyyy or Null if not enrolled or still active |
16 | RCA Initial Enrollment Date | mm/dd/yyyy or Null if not enrolled |
17 | RCA Exit Date | mm/dd/yyyy or Null if not enrolled or still active |
18 | RMA Initial Enrollment Date | mm/dd/yyyy or Null if not enrolled |
19 | RMA Exit Date | mm/dd/yyyy or Null if not enrolled or still active |
20 | Migration Status | In, Out, or No Change |
21 | Date of Migration | In/Out date based on Migration Status |
Footnotes:
1. State replacement agencies refer to Replacement Designees and Wilson-Fish agencies.
2. For Cuban/Haitian Entrants, the state-submitted date of eligibility will not be used as a match against federal source data for allocation purposes. Only the name and Alien Number of the Cuban/Haitian Entrant will be used to match federal sources. If the state-submitted date of eligibility falls within FY 2019 (October 1, 2018 — September 30, 2019) and the Alien Number has not previously been credited as having been served, ORR will use the record for allocations.