[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7814-7819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3892]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Refugee Resettlement Program; Proposed Availability of Formula
Allocation Funding for FY 1998 Targeted Assistance Grants for Services
to Refugees in Local Areas of High Need
AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, HHS.
ACTION: Notice of proposed availability of formula allocation funding
for FY 1998 targeted assistance grants to States for services to
refugees \1\ in local areas of high need.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ In addition to persons who meet all requirements of 45 CFR
400.43, ``Requirements for documentation of refugee status,''
eligibility for targeted assistance includes Cuban and Haitian
entrants, certain Amerasians from Vietnam who are admitted to the
U.S. as immigrants, and certain Amerasians from Vietnam who are U.S.
citizens. (See section II of this notice on ``Authorization.'') The
term ``refugee'', used in this notice for convenience, is intended
to encompass such additional persons who are eligible to participate
in refugee program services, including the targeted assistance
program.
Refugees admitted to the U.S. under admissions numbers set aside
for private-sector-initiative admissions are not eligible to be
served under the targeted assistance program (or under other
programs supported by Federal refugee funds) during their period of
coverage under their sponsoring agency's agreement with the
Department of State--usually two years from their date of arrival,
or until the obtain permanent resident alien status, whichever comes
first.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces the proposed availability of funds and
award procedures for FY 1998 targeted assistance grants for services to
refugees under the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP). These grants are
for service provision in localities with large refugee populations,
high refugee concentrations, and high use of public assistance, and
where specific needs exist for supplementation of currently available
resources.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by March 19, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Address written comments, in duplicate, to: Toyo Biddle,
Director, Division of Refugee Self-Sufficiency, Office of Refugee
Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, 370 L'Enfant
Promenade, SW, Washington, DC 20447.
Application Deadline: The deadline for applications will be
established by the final notice; applications should not be sent in
response to this notice of proposed allocations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Toyo Biddle (202) 401-9250.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Purpose and Scope
This notice announces the proposed availability of funds for grants
for targeted assistance for services to refugees in counties where,
because of factors such as unusually large refugee populations, high
refugee concentrations, and high use of public assistance, there exists
and can be demonstrated a specific need for supplementation of
resources for services to this population.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has available $49,477,000
in FY 1998 funds for the targeted assistance program (TAP) as part of
the FY 1998 appropriation for the Department of Health and Human
Services (Pub. L. No. 105-78).
The Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) proposes
to use the $49,477,000 in targeted assistance funds as follows:
$35,371,300 will be allocated to States under the 5-year
population formula, as set forth in this notice.
$14,105,700 will be used to award discretionary grants to
States under separate grant announcements, including TAP 10% grants and
as well as other discretionary grants.
In addition, the Office of Refugee Resettlement will have available
an additional $5,000,000 in FY 1998 funds for the targeted assistance
discretionary program through the Foreign Operations, Export Financing,
and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1998 (Pub. L. No. 105-118).
These funds will augment the 10-percent of the targeted assistance
program which is set-aside for grants to localities most heavily
impacted by the influx of refugees such as Laotian Hmong, Cambodians
and Soviet Pentecostals, including secondary migrants who entered the
United States after October 1, 1979.
The purpose of targeted assistance grants is to provide, through a
process of local planning and implementation, direct services intended
to result in the economic self-sufficiency and reduced welfare
dependency of refugees through job placements.
The targeted assistance program reflects the requirements of
section 412(c)(2)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA),
which provides that targeted assistance grants shall be made available
``(i) primarily for the purpose of facilitating refugee employment and
achievement of self-sufficiency, (ii) in a manner that does not
supplant other refugee program funds and that assures that not less
than 95 percent of the amount of the grant award is made available to
the county or other local entity.''
II. Authorization
Targeted assistance projects are funded under the authority of
section 412(c)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as
amended by the Refugee Assistance Extension Act of 1986 (Pub. L. No.
99-605), 8 U.S.C. 1522(c); section 501(a) of the Refugee Education
Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. No. 96-433), 8 U.S.C. 1522 note,
insofar as it incorporates by reference with respect to Cuban and
Haitian entrants the authorities pertaining to assistance for refugees
established by section 412(c)(2) of the INA, as cited above; section
584(c) of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related
Programs Appropriations Act, 1988, as included in the FY 1988
Continuing Resolution (Pub. L. No. 100-202), insofar as it incorporates
by reference with respect to certain Amerasians from Vietnam the
authorities pertaining to assistance for refugees established by
section 412(c)(2) of the INA, as cited above, including certain
Amerasians from Vietnam who are U.S. citizens, as provided under title
II of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs
Appropriations Acts, 1989 (Pub. L. No. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. No. 101-
167), and 1991 (Pub. L. No. 101-513).
[[Page 7815]]
III. Client and Service Priorities
Targeted assistance funding must be used to assist refugee families
to achieve economic independence. To this end, States and counties are
required to ensure that a coherent family self-sufficiency plan is
developed for each eligible family that addresses the family's needs
from time of arrival until attainment of economic independence. (See 45
CFR 400.79 and 400.156(g).) Each family self-sufficiency plan should
address a family's needs for both employment-related services and other
needed social services. The family self-sufficiency plan must include:
(1) A determination of the income level a family would have to earn to
exceed its cash grant and move into self-support without suffering a
monetary penalty; (2) a strategy and timetable for obtaining that level
of family income through the placement in employment of sufficient
numbers of employable family members at sufficient wage levels; and (3)
employability plans for every employable member of the family. In local
jurisdictions that have both targeted assistance and refugee social
services programs, one family self-sufficiency plan may be developed
for a family that incorporates both targeted assistance and refugee
social services.
Services funded through the targeted assistance program are
required to focus primarily on those refugees who, either because of
their protracted use of public assistance or difficulty in securing
employment, continue to need services beyond the initial years of
resettlement. States may not provide services funded under this notice,
except for referral and interpreter services, to refugees who have been
in the United States for more than 60 months (5 years).
In accordance with 45 CFR 400.314, States are required to provide
targeted assistance services to refugees in the following order of
priority, except in certain individual extreme circumstances: (a)
Refugees who are cash assistance recipients, particularly long-term
recipients; (b) unemployed refugees who are not receiving cash
assistance; and (c) employed refugees in need of services to retain
employment or to attain economic independence.
In addition to the statutory requirement that TAP funds be used
``primarily for the purpose of facilitating refugee employment''
(section 412(c)(2)(B)(i)), funds awarded under this program are
intended to help fulfill the Congressional intent that ``employable
refugees should be placed on jobs as soon as possible after their
arrival in the United States'' (section 412(a)(1)(B)(i) of the INA).
Therefore, in accordance with 45 CFR 400.313, targeted assistance funds
must be used primarily for employability services designed to enable
refugees to obtain jobs with less than one year's participation in the
targeted assistance program in order to achieve economic self-
sufficiency as soon as possible. Targeted assistance services may
continue to be provided after a refugee has entered a job to help the
refugee retain employment or move to a better job. Targeted assistance
funds may not be used for long-term training programs such as
vocational training that last for more than a year or educational
programs that are not intended to lead to employment within a year.
In accordance with Sec. 400.317, if targeted assistance funds are
used for the provision of English language training, such training must
be provided in a concurrent, rather than sequential, time period with
employment or with other employment-related activities.
A portion of a local area's allocation may be used for services
which are not directed toward the achievement of a specific employment
objective in less than one year but which are essential to the
adjustment of refugees in the community, provided such needs are
clearly demonstrated and such use is approved by the State. Allowable
services include those listed under Sec. 400.316.
Reflecting section 412(a)(1)(A)(iv) of the INA, States must
``insure that women have the same opportunities as men to participate
in training and instruction.'' In addition, in accordance with
Sec. 400.317, services must be provided to the maximum extent feasible
in a manner that includes the use of bilingual/bicultural women on
service agency staffs to ensure adequate service access by refugee
women. The Director also strongly encourages the inclusion of refugee
women in management and board positions in agencies that serve
refugees. In order to facilitate refugee self-support, the Director
also expects States to implement strategies which address
simultaneously the employment potential of both male and female wage
earners in a family unit. States and counties are expected to make
every effort to assure availability of day care services for children
in order to allow women with children the opportunity to participate in
employment services or to accept or retain employment. To accomplish
this, day care may be treated as a priority employment-related service
under the targeted assistance program. Refugees who are participating
in TAP-funded or social services-funded employment services or have
accepted employment are eligible for day care services for children.
For an employed refugee, TAP-funded day care should be limited to one
year after the refugee becomes employed. States and counties, however,
are expected to use day care funding from other publicly funded
mainstream programs as a prior resource and are encouraged to work with
service providers to assure maximum access to other publicly funded
resources for day care.
In accordance with Sec. 400.317, targeted assistance services must
be provided in a manner that is culturally and linguistically
compatible with a refugee's language and cultural background, to the
maximum extent feasible. In light of the increasingly diverse
population of refugees who are resettling in this country, refugee
service agencies will need to develop practical ways of providing
culturally and linguistically appropriate services to a changing ethnic
population. Services funded under this notice must be refugee-specific
services which are designed specifically to meet refugee needs and are
in keeping with the rules and objectives of the refugee program.
Vocational or job-skills training, on-the-job training, or English
language training, however, need not be refugee-specific.
When planning targeted assistance services, States must take into
account the reception and placement (R&P) services provided by local
resettlement agencies in order to utilize these resources in the
overall program design and to ensure the provision of seamless,
coordinated services to refugees that are not duplicative. See
Sec. 400.156(b).
ORR strongly encourages States and counties when contracting for
targeted assistance services, including employment services, to give
consideration to the special strengths of mutual assistance
associations (MAAs), whenever contract bidders are otherwise equally
qualified, provided that the MAA has the capability to deliver services
in a manner that is culturally and linguistically compatible with the
background of the target population to be served. ORR also strongly
encourages MAAs to ensure that their management and board composition
reflect the major target populations to be served.
ORR defines MAAs as organizations with the following
qualifications:
a. The organization is legally incorporated as a nonprofit
organization; and
b. Not less than 51% of the composition of the Board of Directors
or governing board of the mutual assistance association is comprised of
[[Page 7816]]
refugees or former refugees, including both refugee men and women.
Finally, in order to provide culturally and linguistically
compatible services in as cost-efficient a manner as possible in a time
of limited resources, ORR strongly encourages States and counties to
promote and give special consideration to the provision of services
through coalitions of refugee service organizations, such as coalitions
of MAAs, voluntary resettlement agencies, or a variety of service
providers. ORR believes it is essential for refugee-serving
organizations to form close partnerships in the provision of services
to refugees in order to be able to respond adequately to a changing
refugee picture. Coalition-building and consolidation of providers is
particularly important in communities with multiple service providers
in order to ensure better coordination of services and maximum use of
funding for services by minimizing the funds used for multiple
administrative overhead costs.
The award of funds to States under this notice will be contingent
upon the completeness of a State's application as described in section
IX, below.
IV. [Reserved for Discussion of Comments in the Final Notice]
V. Eligible Grantees
Eligible grantees are those agencies of State governments that are
responsible for the refugee program under 45 CFR 400.5 in States
containing counties which qualify for FY 1998 targeted assistance
awards.
The use of targeted assistance funds for services to Cuban and
Haitian entrants is limited to States which have an approved State plan
under the Cuban/Haitian Entrant Program (CHEP).
The State agency will submit a single application on behalf of all
county governments of the qualified counties in that State. Subsequent
to the approval of the State's application by ORR, local targeted
assistance plans will be developed by the county government or other
designated entity and submitted to the State.
A State with more than one qualified county is permitted, but not
required, to determine the allocation amount for each qualified county
within the State. However, if a State chooses to determine county
allocations differently from those set forth in this notice, in
accordance with Sec. 400.319, the FY 1998 allocations proposed by the
State must be based on the State's population of refugees who arrived
in the U.S. during the most recent 5-year period. A State may use
welfare data as an additional factor in the allocation of its targeted
assistance funds if it so chooses; however, a State may not assign a
greater weight to welfare data than it has assigned to population data
in its allocation formula. In addition, if a State chooses to allocate
its FY 1998 targeted assistance funds in a manner different from the
formula set forth in this notice, the FY 1998 allocations and
methodology proposed by the State must be included in the State's
application for ORR review and approval.
Applications submitted in response to the final notice are not
subject to review by State and areawide clearinghouses under Executive
Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
VI. Qualification and Allocation
A. Qualified Counties
The 47 counties listed as qualified for TAP funding in the FY 1997
final TAP notice will remain qualified for TAP funding in FY 1998. We
do not plan to consider the eligibility of additional counties for FY
1998. In the FY 1996 targeted assistance final notice (61 FR 36739,
July 12, 1996) the ORR Director indicated her intention to determine
the qualification of counties for targeted assistance funds once every
three years, beginning in FY 1996. Therefore, in FY 1999, ORR will
again review data on all counties that could potentially qualify for
TAP funds on the basis of the most current 5-year refugee/entrant
population data available at that time.
B. Allocation Formula
Of the funds available for FY 1998 for targeted assistance,
$35,317,300 is allocated by formula to States for qualified counties
based on the initial placements of refugees, Amerasians, entrants, and
Kurdish asylees in these counties during the 5-year period from FY 1993
through FY 1997 (October 1, 1992-September 30, 1997).
With regard to Havana parolees, in the absence of reliable data on
the State-by-State resettlement of this population, we are crediting
5,992 Havana parolees who arrived in the U.S. in FY 1997 according to
the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), to qualified targeted
assistance counties based on the counties' proportion of the 5-year
entrant arrival population. For FY 1995 and FY 1996, Florida's Havana
parolees for each qualified county are based on actual data submitted
by the State of Florida, while Havana parolees credited to counties in
other States were prorated based on the counties' proportion of the 5-
year entrant population in the U.S. The proposed allocations in this
notice reflect these additional parolee numbers.
If a qualified county does not agree with ORR's population estimate
and believes that its 5-year initial resettlement population from FY
1993-FY 1997 was undercounted and wishes ORR to reconsider its
population estimate, the county must provide the following evidence:
The county must submit to ORR a letter from each local voluntary agency
that resettled refugees in the county that attests to the fact that the
refugees/entrants listed in an attachment to the letter were resettled
as initial placements during the 5-year period from FY 1993-FY 1997 in
the county making the claim. Documentation must include the name, alien
number, date of birth, and date of arrival in the U.S. for each
refugee/entrant claimed. Listings of refugees who are not identified by
their alien numbers will not be considered. Counties should submit such
evidence separately from comments on the proposed allocation formula no
later than 30 days from the date of publication of this notice and
should be addressed to: Loren Bussert, Division of Refugee Self-
Sufficiency, Office of Refugee Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade,
SW., Washington, DC 20447, telephone: (202) 401-4732. Failure to submit
the required documentation within the required time period will result
in forfeiture of consideration.
VII. Allocations
Table 1 lists the qualified counties, the number of refugee and
entrant arrivals in those counties during the 5-year period from
October 1, 1992-September 30, 1997, the prorated number of Havana
parolees credited to each county based on the county's proportion of
the 5-year entrant population in the U.S., the sum of the third,
fourth, and fifth columns, and the proposed amount of each county's
allocation based on its 5-year total population.
Table 2 provides proposed State totals for targeted assistance
allocations.
[[Page 7817]]
Table 1.--Proposed Assistance Allocations By County: FY 1998
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$35,371,300
Total Total FY
County State Refugees Entrants Havana arrivals FY 1997
\1\ parolees 1993-1997 proposed
\2\ allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maricopa County.............. Arizona......... 5,920 652 242 6,814 586,972
Alameda County............... California...... 4,029 19 8 4,056 349,392
Fresno County................ California...... 4,596 2 0 4,598 396,081
Los Angeles County........... California...... 20,709 465 268 21,442 1,847,057
Merced County................ California...... 1,067 0 0 1,067 91,914
Orange County................ California...... 17,950 27 15 17,992 1,549,867
Sacramento County............ California...... 11,463 4 2 11,469 987,963
San Diego County............. California...... 10,780 517 205 11,502 990,806
SAN FRANCISCO AREA........... California...... 9,706 85 73 9,864 849,705
San Joaquin County........... California...... 1,708 7 3 1,718 147,992
Santa Clara County........... California...... 13,706 50 15 13,771 1,186,262
Denver County................ Colorado........ 3,384 3 1 3,388 291,849
District of Col.............. District of Col. 3,859 14 7 3,880 334,231
Broward County............... Florida......... 1,124 1,558 575 3,257 280,565
Dade County.................. Florida......... 9,486 34,623 17,902 62,011 5,341,754
Duval County................. Florida......... 3,416 41 25 3,482 299,947
Palm Beach County............ Florida......... 690 1,092 428 2,210 190,374
DeKalb County................ Georgia......... 6,051 13 8 6,072 523,054
Fulton County................ Georgia......... 5,866 210 89 6,165 531,066
CHICAGO AREA................. Illinois........ 17,240 412 182 17,834 1,536,257
Polk County.................. Iowa............ 3,301 1 0 3,302 284,441
Jefferson County \3\......... Kentucky........ 3,213 551 158 3,922 337,849
Baltimore City............... Maryland........ 2,683 3 0 2,686 231,378
Suffolk County............... Massachusetts... 5,090 73 103 5,266 453,624
Ingham County................ Michigan........ 1,715 319 102 2,136 183,999
Oakland County............... Michigan........ 3,409 8 4 3,421 294,692
Hennepin County.............. Minnesota....... 5,490 3 0 5,493 473,178
Ramsey County................ Minnesota....... 3,744 10 4 3,758 323,722
St. Louis City............... Missouri........ 6,614 1 0 6,615 569,830
Lancaster County............. Nebraska........ 2,218 36 10 2,264 195,026
Hudson County................ New Jersey...... 1,910 827 362 3,099 266,954
Bernalillo County............ New Mexico...... 1,322 1,228 517 3,067 264,198
Broome County................ New York........ 1,336 16 11 1,363 117,412
Monroe County................ New York........ 2,884 514 209 3,607 310,714
NEW YORK CITY AREA........... New York........ 69,582 728 454 70,764 6,095,755
Oneida County................ New York........ 3,470 1 0 3,471 298,999
Cass County.................. North Dakota.... 1,535 3 1 1,539 132,573
Cuyahoga County.............. Ohio............ 4,131 6 2 4,139 356,542
PORTLAND OREGON AREA......... Oregon.......... 10,451 549 209 11,209 965,566
Philadelphia County.......... Pennsylvania.... 6,756 55 30 6,841 589,298
Davidson County.............. Tennessee....... 3,243 54 14 3,311 285,216
DALLAS AREA.................. Texas........... 11,398 610 243 12,251 1,055,326
Harris County................ Texas........... 9,645 169 64 9,878 850,911
FAIRFAX AREA................. Virginia........ 4,337 8 3 4,348 374,546
Richmond City................ Virginia........ 1,981 103 42 2,126 183,138
Pierce County................ Washington...... 2,713 10 3 2,726 234,823
SEATTLE AREA................. Washington...... 15,355 52 15 15,422 1,328,482
----------------------------------------------------------------
Total.................. 342,276 45,732 22,608 410,616 $35,371,300
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refugees include: refugees, Kurdish asylees, and Amerasian immigrants from Vietnam.
\2\ For 1997, 5101 Havana Parolees (HP's) were prorated to the qualifying counties based on the counties'
proportion of the five year (FY 1993-1997) entrant population in the U.S.
For FY 1996, HP arrivals to the qualifying Florida counties (6910) were based on actual data while HP's in the
non-Florida qualifying counties (1415) were prorated based on the counties' proportion of the five year (FY
1992-1996) entrant population in the U.S.
For FY 1995, HP arrivals to the qualifying Florida counties (7855) were based on actual data while HP's in the
non-Florida qualifying counties (1327) were prorated based on the counties' proportion of the five year (FY
1991-1995) entrant population in the U.S.
\3\ The allocation for Jefferson, KY will be awarded to the Kentucky Wilson-Fish project.
[[Page 7818]]
Table 2.--Proposed Targeted Assistance Allocations By State: FY 1998
------------------------------------------------------------------------
$35,371,300
Total FY
State 1997
proposed
allocation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona.................................................... $586,972
California................................................. 8,397,039
Colorado................................................... 291,849
District of Columbia....................................... 334,231
Florida.................................................... 6,112,640
Georgia.................................................... 1,054,120
Illinois................................................... 1,536,257
Iowa....................................................... 284,441
Kentucky................................................... 337,849
Maryland................................................... 231,378
Massachusetts.............................................. 453,624
Michigan................................................... 478,691
Minnesota.................................................. 796,900
Missouri................................................... 569,830
Nebraska................................................... 195,026
New Jersey................................................. 266,954
New Mexico................................................. 264,198
New York................................................... 6,822,880
North Dakota............................................... 132,573
Ohio....................................................... 356,542
Oregon..................................................... 965,566
Pennsylvania............................................... 589,298
Tennessee.................................................. 285,216
Texas...................................................... 1,906,237
Virginia................................................... 557,684
Washington................................................. 1,563,305
Total................................................ 35,371,300
------------------------------------------------------------------------
VIII. Application and Implementation Process
Under the FY 1988 targeted assistance program, States may apply for
and receive grant awards on behalf of qualified counties in the State.
A single allocation will be made to each State by ORR on the basis of
an approved State application. The State agency will, in turn, receive,
review, and determine the acceptability of individual county targeted
assistance plans.
Pursuant to Sec. 400.210(b), FY 1998 targeted assistance funds must
be obligated by the State agency no later than one year after the end
of the Federal fiscal year in which the Department awarded the grant.
Funds must be liquidated within two years after the end of the Federal
fiscal year in which the Department awarded the grant. A State's final
financial report on targeted assistance expenditures must be received
no later than two years after the end of the Federal fiscal year in
which the Department awarded the grant. If final reports are not
received on time, the Department will deobligate any unexpended funds,
including any unliquidated obligations, on the basis of the State's
last filed report.
The requirements regarding the discretionary portions of the
targeted assistance program will be addressed separately in the grant
announcements for those funds. Applications for these funds are
therefore not subject to provisions contained in this notice but to
other requirements which will be conveyed separately.
IX. Application Requirements
The proposed State application requirements for grants for the FY
1998 targeted assistance formula allocation are as follows:
States that are currently operating under approved management plans
for their FY 1996 or FY 1997 targeted assistance program and wish to
continue to do so for their FY 1998 grants may provide the following in
lieu of resubmitting the full currently approved plan:
The State's application for FY 1998 funding shall provide:
A. Assurance that the State's current management plan for the
administration of the targeted assistance program, as approved by ORR,
will continue to be in full force and effect for the FY 1998 targeted
assistance program, subject to any additional assurances or revisions
required by this notice which are not reflected in the current plan.
Any proposed modifications to the approved plan will be identified in
the application and are subject to ORR review and approval. Any
proposed changes must address and reference all appropriate portions of
the FY 1996 or FY 1997 application content requirements to ensure
complete incorporation in the State's management plan.
B. Assurance that targeted assistance funds will be used in
accordance with the requirements in 45 CFR 400.
C. Assurance that targeted assistance funds will be used primarily
for the provision of services which are designed to enable refugees to
obtain jobs with less than one year's participation in the targeted
assistance program. States must indicate what percentage of FY 1998
targeted assistance formula allocation funds that are used for services
will be allocated for employment services.
D. Assurance that targeted assistance funds will not be used to
offset funding otherwise available to counties or local jurisdictions
from the State agency in its administration of other programs, e.g.
social services, cash and medical assistance, etc.
E. The mount of funds to be awarded to the targeted county or
counties. If a State with more than one qualifying targeted assistance
county chooses to allocate its targeted assistance funds differently
from the formula allocation for counties presented in the ORR targeted
assistance notice in a fiscal year, its allocations must be based on
the State's population of refugees who arrived in the U.S. during the
most recent 5-year period. A State may use welfare data as an
additional factor in the allocation of targeted assistance funds if it
so chooses; however, a State may not assign a greater weight to welfare
data than it has assigned to population data in its allocation formula.
The application must provide a description of, and supporting data for,
the State's proposed allocation plan, the data to be used, and the
proposed allocation for each county.
F. Assurance that local administrative budgets will not exceed 15%
of the lcoal allocation. Targeted assistance grants are cost-based
awards. Neither a State nor a county is entitled to a certain amount
for administrative costs. Rather, administrative cost requests should
be based on projections of actual needs. States and counties are
strongly encouraged to limit administative costs to the extent possible
to maximize available funding for services to clients.
G. All applicants must establish targeted assistance proposed
performance goals for each of the 6 ORR performance outcome measures
for each targeted assistance county's proposed service contract(s) or
sub-grants for the next contracting cycle. Proposed performance goals
must be included in the application for each performance measure. The 6
ORR performance measures are: entered employments, cash assistance
reductions due to employment, each assistance terminations due to
employment, 90-day employment retentions, average wage at placement,
and job placements with available health benefits. Targeted assistance
program activity and progress achieved toward meeting performance
outcome goals are to be reported quarterly on the ORR-6, the
``Quarterly Performance Report.''
States which are currently grantees for targeted assistance funds
should base projected annual outcome goals on the past year's
performance. Proposed targeted assistance outcome goals should reflect
improvement over past performance and strive for continuous improvement
during the project period from one year to another.
H. A line item budget and justification for State adminstrative
costs limited to a maximum of 5% of the total award to the State. Each
total budget period funding amount requested must be necessary,
reasonable, and allocable to the project. States that administer the
program locally in lieu of the county, through a mutual agreement with
the qualifying county, may add up to, but
[[Page 7819]]
not exceed, 10% of the county's TAP allocation to the State's
administrative budget.
I. A line item budget and justification for State administaratgve
cost limited to a maximoum of 5% of the total award to the State. Each
total budget period funding amount requested must be necessary,
reasonable, and allocable to the project.
States administering the program locally: States that have
administered the program locally or provide direct service to the
refugee population (with the concurrence of the county) must submit a
program summary to ORR for prior review and approval. The summary must
include a description of the proposed services; a justification for the
projected allocation for each component including relationship of funds
allocated to numbers of clients served, characteristics of clients,
duration of training and services, and cost per placement. In addition,
the program component summary must describe any ancillary services or
subcomponents such as day care, transportation, or language training.
X. Reporting Requirements
States are required to submit quarterly reports on the outcomes of
the targeted assistance program, using Schedule A and Schedule C of the
new ORR-6 Quarterly Performance Report form which was sent to States in
ORR State Letter 95-35 on November 6, 1995.
Dated: Febuary 11, 1998.
Lavinia Limon,
Director, Office of Refuguee Resettlement.
[FR Doc. 98-3892 Filed 2-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M
