Dear Colleague Letter 19-05
Date: August 2, 2019
Dear Colleague:
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has determined the Refugee Support Services (RSS) funding for each state and replacement designee (RD) for fiscal year (FY) 2019. The attached table displays the FY 2019 RSS base funding and the "population served"1 figures used to determine the allocations. To arrive at the "population served" figures, ORR counts the FY 20182 population data in the ORR Refugee Arrivals Data System (RADS) made up of Department of State refugee arrival data, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) arrival data, and Victims of Trafficking (VOT) data. ORR then compares or matches data submitted by states through the ORR-5 data form for the same time period for all other eligible populations and includes those individuals in the population served totals. ORR then divides the total amount of funds available by the adjusted "population served" figure to calculate each state's funding allocation.
States that have a "population served" of fewer than 30 people who have been in the United States for one year or less receive a floor base amount of $75,000. Next year, (FY 2020) ORR will reduce this floor base amount to $50,000. The base amount provides states with funding to support a minimal structure for the provision of employment and other support services necessary for successful resettlement in American communities.
Services
States must provide services in accordance with 45 CFR Part 400 Subpart I -- Refugee Social Services and Policy Letter (PL) 18-04. Although the allocation formula is based on the most recent fiscal year (12 months) refugee population served, 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 CFR §400.152(b)).
The regulations at 45 CFR §400.154 and §400.155 indicate the allowable social services. States must submit requests to the ORR Director and receive approval, as provided under 45 CFR §400.155(h), if they wish to provide additional services not included in these sections.
In accordance with 45 CFR §400.147, states must 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 United States 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 must submit the ORR-6 Performance Reports on a semi-annual basis and the Standard Form (SF) 425 Federal Financial Report on a quarterly basis.
States use Schedules A, C, D and the Annual Service Plan of the ORR-6 (0MB Clearance Number 0970-0036) for Performance Reports, which they submit to ORR. The ORR-6 Performance Report may be found at: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/resource/report-forms.
In addition, States are required to submit all Refugee Support Services enrollments through the ORR-5 Report.
Beginning with FY16 grant awards, grantees must submit SF-425 Federal Financial Reports through the Payment Management System (PMS). For questions regarding PMS, please contact the PMS Help Desk at 877.614.5533 or pmssupport@psc.gov.
If you have any questions about the Social Services allocations, please contact lulia Kramar at 202.401.5686 or iulia.kramar@acf.hhs.gov
Sincerely,
Jonathan H. Hayes
Director
Office of Refugee Resettlement
Footnotes
1. "Population served" includes the total number of refugees, Amerasians, SIVs, and VOT arrivals. Also included are state matched data for Cuban and Haitian Entrants (including Cuban Medical Professional Parolees and Havana Parolees) and asylees (all populations are adjusted for verified secondary migration.)
2. October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018
FY 2018 Refugee Support Services Base Formula Allocation
| State | Refugees | Special Immigrant Visas | Victims of Trafficking | Cuban/Haitian Entrants | Asylees | Secondary Migrations and Splits | Total with Adjustments | FY 2019 RSS Base Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 38 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0.00 | 56 | 147,748 |
| Alaska | 42 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 0.00 | 58 | 153,026 |
| Arizona | 956 | 159 | 56 | 64 | 69 | 29.00 | 1.336 | 3,524,881 |
| Arkansas | 57 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2.50 | 67 | 176,772 |
| California | 1,356 | 4,178 | 98 | 62 | 986 | 24.00 | 6,704 | 17,687,726 |
| Colorado | 469 | 268 | 7 | 45 | 124 | 20.00 | 933 | 2,461,612 |
| Connecticut | 146 | 164 | 2 | 2 | 67 | 9.83 | 391 | 1,031,608 |
| Delaware | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 21 | 75,000 |
| District Of Columbia | 12 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 33 | 5.00 | 70 | 184,687 |
| Florida | 532 | 139 | 42 | 7,662 | 1,175 | 155.17 | 9,705 | 25,605,516 |
| Georgia | 820 | 229 | 17 | 31 | 25 | 13.00 | 1,135 | 2,994,566 |
| Hawaii | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 | 10 | 75,000 |
| Idaho | 359 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14.00 | 400 | 1,055,354 |
| Illinois | 687 | 156 | 61 | 15 | 108 | 23.00 | 1,050 | 2,770,303 |
| Indiana | 492 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 6.33 | 536 | 1,414,174 |
| Iowa | 526 | 54 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 39.00 | 629 | 1,659,543 |
| Kansas | 365 | 45 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 12.83 | 435 | 1,147,697 |
| Kentucky | 867 | 63 | 7 | 237 | 27 | 52.00 | 1,253 | 3,305,895 |
| Louisiana | 26 | 21 | 3 | 19 | 191 | 3.33 | 263 | 693,895 |
| Maine | 61 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 5.50 | 101 | 266,477 |
| Maryland | 450 | 524 | 11 | 3 | 334 | 14.00 | 1,336 | 3,524,881 |
| Massachusetts | 456 | 76 | 1 | 77 | 60 | 12.00 | 682 | 1,799,378 |
| Michigan | 628 | 255 | 7 | 34 | 19 | 25.00 | 968 | 2,553,956 |
| Minnesota | 719 | 84 | 11 | 4 | 67 | 25.00 | 910 | 2,400,929 |
| Mississippi | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 0.00 | 24 | 75,000 |
| Missouri | 473 | 156 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 9.00 | 661 | 1,743,972 |
| Montana | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.00 | 114 | 300,776 |
| Nebraska | 336 | 127 | 0 | 31 | 4 | 6.33 | 504 | 1,329,745 |
| Nevada | 186 | 98 | 6 | 199 | 45 | 39.00 | 573 | 1,511,794 |
| New Hampshire | 154 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4.50 | 170 | 448,525 |
| New Jersey | 146 | 117 | 5 | 89 | 95 | 21.83 | 474 | 1,250,594 |
| New Mexico | 64 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 1.50 | 102 | 269,115 |
| New York | 1,248 | 427 | 144 | 84 | 500 | 42.83 | 2,446 | 6,453,487 |
| North Carolina | 913 | 160 | 9 | 22 | 32 | 25.50 | 1,162 | 3,065,802 |
| North Dakota | 161 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3.00 | 184 | 485,463 |
| Ohio | 1,385 | 162 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 17.00 | 1,591 | 4,197,669 |
| Oklahoma | 90 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 2.00 | 123 | 324,521 |
| Oregon | 436 | 134 | 20 | 36 | 16 | 7.50 | 650 | 1,714,950 |
| Pennsylvania | 893 | 154 | 27 | 39 | 80 | 14.00 | 1,207 | 3,184,529 |
| Rhode Island | 82 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2.50 | 99 | 261,200 |
| South Carolina | 108 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.00 | 118 | 311,329 |
| South Dakota | 202 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 9.00 | 227 | 598,913 |
| Tennessee | 417 | 110 | 3 | 71 | 266 | 37.33 | 904 | 2,385,099 |
| Texas | 1,667 | 1,823 | 217 | 1,237 | 665 | 131,83 | 5,741 | 15,146,962 |
| Utah | 311 | 133 | 17 | 1 | 20 | 6.00 | 488 | 1,287,531 |
| Vermont | 130 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2.00 | 142 | 374,651 |
| Virginia | 433 | 1,157 | 30 | 16 | 33 | 13.00 | 1,682 | 4,437,762 |
| Washington | 1,535 | 809 | 33 | 8 | 163 | 18.83 | 2,567 | 6,772,732 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0.00 | 11 | 75,000 |
| Wisconsin | 399 | 73 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4.00 | 486 | 1,282,255 |
| Total | 21,961 | 12,204 | 890 | 10,140 | 5,378 | 923 | 51,499 | 136,000,000 |
- SIV and Asylee counts include a proportional distribution of U.S. born dependents submitted by states as state-source data.
- For arrivals where two or more states submit a record, the credit for the record will be split proportionally for allocation purposes..
- FY 2019 RSS Base Funding does not include the School Impact, Youth Mentoring and Services for Older Refugees Set-Aside.
- California's RSS Formula Allocation includes funding that was awarded proportionally San Diego Wilson-Fish Program.
- Texas's RSS Formula Allocation was awarded proportionally to the Texas Replacement Designees.