State Letter 14-04

TO:        State Refugee Coordinators
              State Refugee Health Coordinators
              National Voluntary Agencies

FROM:  Eskinder Negash
              Director
              Office of Refugee Resettlement

SUBJECT:  FY 2014 Social Services Formula Allocations

Attached is a table (XLSX) that displays the FY 2014 Social Services allocations and the population figures used to determine the allocations.  The population figures are based on FY 2012 and FY 2013 arrivals data (October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2013) in the ORR Refugee Arrivals Data System (RADS) and data for the same time period that States submitted to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and that ORR matched against the data in RADS.
      
A State's formula allocation is calculated as follows:

1. The total amount of funds available for this purpose divided by:
2. The total number of refugees, Cuban and Haitian Entrants (including Cuban Medical Professional Parolees and Havana Parolees), asylees, certain Amerasians from Vietnam, victims of severe forms of trafficking, and Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrants (adjusted for verified secondary migration), as shown by the ORR Refugee Arrivals Data System for FY 2012 and FY 2013. 

Floor allocations for States with low numbers of arrivals are also determined by the allocation formula.

1. A base [floor] amount of $75,000 is provided for any State with a population of 50 or fewer refugees who have been in the U.S. two years or less.

The formula allocation floors for States with small numbers of arrivals provide funding for the minimal structure for a State to provide employment and other social services necessary for successful resettlement in American communities.

Services

Services to refugees must be provided in accordance with 45 C.F.R. Part 400 Subpart I -- Refugee Social Services.  Although the allocation formula is based on the most recent two year refugee population, States may provide services to refugees who have been in the country up to 60 months (5 years), with the exception of referral and interpreter services and citizenship and naturalization preparation services for which there is no time limitation (45 C.F.R. 400.152(b)). 

Allowable social services are those indicated in 45 C.F.R. 400.154 and 400.155.  Requests to provide additional services not included in these sections must be submitted to, and approved by, the Director of ORR, as required under 45 C.F.R. 400.155(h).

In accordance with 45 C.F.R. 400.147, States are required to provide social services to refugees in the following order of priority, except in certain individual extreme circumstances:  (a) all newly arriving refugees during their first year in the U.S. who apply for services; (b) refugees who are receiving cash assistance; (c) unemployed refugees who are not receiving cash assistance; and (d) employed refugees in need of services to retain employment or to attain economic independence.  States should, to the extent possible, ensure that all newly arriving refugees receive refugee-specific services designed to address the employment barriers that refugees typically face.
Reporting

States are required to submit (1) the ORR-6 Performance Reports on a trimester basis and (2) Standard Form (SF) 425 Federal Financial Report on a quarterly basis. 

Performance Reports are submitted using Schedule A and Schedule C of the ORR-6 (OMB Clearance Number 0970-0036).  The ORR-6 Performance Reports are submitted to the Office of Refugee Resettlement.  The ORR-6 Performance Report may be found at: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/resource/report-forms.
 
Effective October 1, 2013, grantees must submit the SF-425 Federal Financial Report through ACF’s On-Line Data Collection (OLDC) system.  

If you have any questions about the Social Services allocations, please contact Iulia Kramar at (202) 401-5686 or iulia.kramar@acf.hhs.gov.