[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 27, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22626-22632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10486]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Refugee Resettlement Program: Proposed Allocations to States of
FY 1999 Funds for Refugee Social Services
AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, HHS.
ACTION: Notice of proposed allocations to States of FY 1999 funds for
refugee \1\ social services.
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\1\ In addition to persons who meet all requirements of 45 CFR
400.43, ``Requirements for documentation of refugee status,''
eligibility for refugee social services also includes: (1) Cuban and
Haitian entrants, under section 501 of the Refugee Education
Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-422); (2) certain Amerasians from
Vietnam who are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants under section 584
of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs
Appropriations Act, 1988, as included in the FY 1988 Continuing
Resolution (Pub. L. 100-202); and (3) certain Amerasians from
Vietnam, including U.S. citizens, under title II of the Foreign
Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations
Acts, 1989 (Pub. L. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. 101-167), and 1991 (Pub.
L. 101-513). For convenience, the term ``refugee'' is used in this
notice to encompass all such eligible persons unless the specific
context indicates otherwise.
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SUMMARY: This notice establishes the proposed allocations to States of
FY 1999 funds for social services under the Refugee Resettlement
Program (RRP). In the final notice, allocation amounts could be
adjusted slightly based on final adjustments in the FY 1998 arrivals in
some States. This notice includes a $15.5 million set-aside to: (1)
Provide outreach and referral to ensure that eligible refugees access
the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and other programs for
low income working populations; and (2) provide specialized interpreter
training and the hiring of interpreters to enable refugees to have
equal access to medical and legal services.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Comments on the proposed allocations contained in this
notice must be received by May 27, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Address written comments, in duplicate, to: Barbara Chesnik,
Division of Self-Sufficiency, Office of Refugee Resettlement,
Administration for Children and Families, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW,
Washington, DC 20447. FAX: (202) 401-5487 or (202) 401-0981.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara R. Chesnik, Division of
Refugee Self-Sufficiency, (202) 401-4558.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Amounts for Allocation
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has available $139,990,000
in FY 1999 refugee social service funds as part of the FY 1999
appropriation for the Department of Health and Human Services (Pub. L.
105-277).
[[Page 22627]]
The FY 1999 House Appropriations Committee Report (H.R. Rept. No.
105-635) reads as follows with respect to social services funds:
The bill provides $134,990,000 for social services, an increase
of $5,000,000 over the comparable fiscal year 1998 appropriation and
the budget request. Funds are distributed by formula as well as
through the discretionary grant making process for special projects.
The Committee agrees that $19,000,000 is available for assistance to
serve communities affected by the Cuban and Haitian entrants and
refugees whose arrivals in recent years have increased. The
Committee has set-aside $16,000,000 for increased support to
communities with large concentrations of refugees whose cultural
differences make assimilation especially difficult justifying a more
intense level and longer duration of Federal assistance. Finally,
the Committee has set aside $14,000,000 to address the needs of
refugees and communities impacted by recent changes in Federal
assistance programs relating to welfare reform. The Committee urges
ORR to assist refugees at risk of losing, or who have lost, benefits
including SSI, TANF and Medicaid, in obtaining citizenship. In
addition, ORR may initiate planning grants to create alternative
cash and medical assistance programs for refugees. The Committee has
included funding for health screening of new arrivals.
The Committee encourages ORR to award grants for mental health
and other health services for victims of torture if such activities
are authorized in law.
The Committee encourages ORR to consider supporting education
and outreach activities related to female genital mutilation if such
activities are authorized in law.
The FY 1999 Senate Appropriations Committee Report (S. Rept. No.
105-300) adds the following:
The Committee provides $19,000,000 to serve communities affected
by the Cuban and Haitian entrants and refugees, the same as the
amount contained in last year's appropriation. In addition, the
Committee recommends $14,000,000 to address the needs of refugees
and communities affected by recent changes in Federal assistance
programs, and $16,000,000 to assist communities with large
concentrations of refugees whose cultural differences make
assimilation difficult. These funds are included in the social
services line item.
The FY 1999 Conference Report on Appropriations (H.R. Conf. No.
105-825) reads as follows concerning social services:
The conference agreement provides $139,990,000 for social
services, an increase of $5,000,000 over the House and $10,000,000
over the Senate. The conference agreement includes $26,000,000 for
increased support to communities with large concentrations of
refugees whose cultural differences make assimilation especially
difficult justifying a more intense level and longer duration of
Federal assistance, and $14,000,000 to address the needs of refugees
and communities impacted by the recent changes in Federal assistance
programs relating to welfare reform. The agreement includes
$19,000,000 for assistance to communities impacted by Cuban and
Haitian entrants and refugees whose arrivals in recent years have
increased.
The Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) proposes
to use the $139,990,000 appropriated for FY 1999 social services as
follows:
$68,841,500 will be allocated under the 3-year population
formula, as set forth in this notice for the purpose of providing
employment services and other needed services to refugees.
$12,148,500 will be awarded as social service
discretionary grants through competitive grant announcements that will
be issued separately from this notice.
$19,000,000 will be awarded to serve communities most
heavily affected by recent Cuban and Haitian entrant and refugee
arrivals. These funds would be awarded through a discretionary grant
announcement that will be issued separately from this notice.
$26,000,000 will be awarded through discretionary grants
for communities with large concentrations of refugees whose cultural
differences make assimilation especially difficult justifying a more
intense level and longer duration of Federal assistance. A grant
announcement will be issued separately from this notice.
$14,000,000 will be awarded to address the needs of
refugees and communities impacted by recent changes in Federal
assistance programs relating to welfare reform. Awards will be made
through announcements issued separately from this notice.
In addition, we are proposing to add $15,500,000 in unexpended FY
1997 CMA funds to the FY 1999 formula social services allocation as a
set-aside, increasing the total amount available for the formula social
services program in FY 1999 to $84,341,500.
Congress provided ORR with broad carry-over authority in the FY
1999 HHS appropriations law to use FY 1997 CMA carry-over funds for
assistance and other activities in the refugee program in fiscal years
1998 and 1999. The appropriations law states:
``* * * That funds appropriated pursuant to section 414(a) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act under Pub.L. 104-208 for fiscal year
1997 shall be available for the costs of assistance provided and other
activities conducted in such year and in fiscal years 1998 and 1999.''
Refugee Social Service Funds
The population figures for the social services allocation include
refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, Amerasians from Vietnam, and Kurdish
asylees since these populations may be served through funds addressed
in this notice. (A State must, however, have an approved State plan for
the Cuban/Haitian Entrant Program or indicate in its refugee program
State plan that Cuban/Haitian entrants will be served in order to use
funds on behalf of entrants as well as refugees.)
The Director proposes to allocate $68,841,500 to States on the
basis of each State's proportion of the national population of refugees
who had been in the U.S. 3 years or less as of October 1, 1998
(including a floor amount for States which have small refugee
populations).
The use of the 3-year population base in the allocation formula is
required by section 412(c)(1)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(INA) which states that the ``funds available for a fiscal year for
grants and contracts [for social services] . . . shall be allocated
among the States based on the total number of refugees (including
children and adults) who arrived in the United States not more than 36
months before the beginning of such fiscal year and who are actually
residing in each State (taking into account secondary migration) as of
the beginning of the fiscal year.''
As established in the FY 1991 social services notice published in
the Federal Register of August 29, 1991, section I, ``Allocation
Amounts'' (56 FR 42745), a variable floor amount for States which have
small refugee populations is calculated as follows: If the application
of the regular allocation formula yields less than $100,000, then--
(1) A base amount of $75,000 is provided for a State with a
population of 50 or fewer refugees who have been in the U.S. 3 years or
less; and
(2) For a State with more than 50 refugees who have been in the
U.S. 3 years or less: (a) a floor has been calculated consisting of
$50,000 plus the regular per capita allocation for refugees above 50 up
to a total of $100,000 (in other words, the maximum under the floor
formula is $100,000); (b) if this calculation has yielded less than
$75,000, a base amount of $75,000 is provided for the State.
The Director also proposes to allocate an additional $15.5 million
from FY 1997 carry-over funds as a set-aside to: (1) Provide referral
services, including outreach, to ensure that refugees are able to
access the Children's Health
[[Page 22628]]
Insurance Program (CHIP) and other programs for low income populations;
and (2) provide for the hiring of interpreters and special interpreter
training to enable refugees to have equal access to medical and certain
legal services. Depending upon the existing capacity and need in the
community, we encourage States to use the funds equally for both
activities. Both types of services are not subject to the 5-year
limitation and may be provided to refugees regardless of their length
of time in the U.S. See Sec. 400.152(b).
Eligible refugee families often are not aware of, or do not know
how to access, other Federal support programs available to low income
working families in the community. We believe that these programs,
including CHIP, Food Stamps, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
(LIHEAP), Medicaid, Head Start, low-income housing, the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC),
child care assistance, adult day care for aged dependents, and other
support programs for low-income families, are important for the well-
being of working refugees, particularly refugee families, and are
necessary to help these refugees maintain employment and move toward
full self-sufficiency.
The organizations funded by the set-aside amount are expected to
conduct outreach into the community to identify low-income refugees and
to help these refugees enroll in and to be familiar with the services
available and the participation requirements of these programs. We
expect States to fund community-based organizations, to the maximum
extent possible, to provide hands-on assistance, which means having the
application forms available and helping refugees to fill out the
application, accompanying the refugee to the eligibility office,
assisting in the communication between the family and the eligibility
worker, closely following the application process until the family has
been found eligible, and then helping the family effectively use the
service or support program in which they have been enrolled. For
example, there may be different levels of medical coverage available to
a family, depending on the ages of the children and the income level of
the family, each with different requirements. It is important for the
caseworkers/advocates funded through this initiative to understand the
program requirements (such as a co-payment structure) in order to help
the family make decisions and fully participate.
The organizations funded under this set-aside should develop
effective ways to provide an on-going link between these services, the
population they serve, and the targeted low income programs. Methods
might include: partnering with schools to identify refugee children who
may be eligible for CHIP by virtue of their eligibility for the school
lunch program; connecting with local Head Start programs to help
identify refugee children who are eligible for CHIP and other health
care programs; arranging to have Medicaid eligibility workers visit the
MAA or other participating organization on a scheduled basis; and
working with other groups serving low income families, such as
hospitals, WIC programs, low-income housing programs, and food
assistance programs to make these services widely known to the refugee
community being served.
It is also important that States provide as high a standard as
possible in interpretation to non-English speaking and to Limited-
English-Proficient (LEP) refugees, particularly in regard to medical
and legal issues. As mentioned earlier, we are therefore including
funding in the set-aside for States to improve the availability and
quality of interpreter services for refugees in their communities. The
set-aside funds are to be used by States: (1) to fund specialized
interpreter training for medical and legal services; and (2) to pay for
the hiring and employment of these trained interpreters by MAAs,
voluntary agencies, and other community-based organizations serving
refugees, to the maximum extent possible, in order to increase the
number of skilled interpreters in the community.
Interpretation requires a great deal of skill--interpreters need to
be fluent in English and the language spoken by the refugee. They must
have the ability to quickly understand the message and terminology, if
technical, in one language and to express it as quickly and correctly
in another language. In addition to fluency in two languages,
interpreters must have the skills to handle confidential client
information and to deal with a variety of professionals in the medical,
legal, law enforcement, social services, and other fields.
States should use qualified training programs or trainers to
provide the interpreter training. Several strategies may be employed,
e.g., the direct training of interpreters in a group setting, paying
the course tuition and associated expenses for individuals at a
community college or university, and the training of trainers in order
to establish and maintain an efficient training capacity in the
community. To the extent possible, we would expect States to use an
established curriculum rather than incurring costs to develop a new
one. Funding of interpreter services should be directed to areas of
greatest need and to the most linguistically isolated communities.
States must determine a community's capacity to ensure refugee
access to medical and other services, and then examine how best to fund
and maintain interpreter services for refugees based upon the need and
size of refugee population. For example, an interpreter bank with
dedicated interpreters may be a preferred option if the needs of the
community can justify full-time interpreters. However, because the
provision of interpreter services may not fully occupy funded staff in
some locations or in certain languages, States may choose to train
bilingual caseworkers at voluntary resettlement agencies, MAAs and
refugee service providers. States may also consider cross-training of
interpreters so that they may also assist, for example, in enrolling
clients in CHIP, Medicaid, or other services for low-income clients,
and/or serve as case managers or in other staff positions. Staff with
both bilingual interpreter skills and knowledge of the family services
network, such as child protective services and the domestic violence
system, are also highly desirable.
We also encourage States to set up creative ways to maintain and
expand the availability of interpreter services in the community, such
as seeking reimbursement for services from the courts, hospitals, and
agencies which may be able to pay for interpreter services but have
been otherwise hindered in providing these services by the lack of
available and appropriately trained individuals. Fees from low-income
refugee clients, however, may not be sought.
In light of the unique position that refugee mutual assistance
associations (MAAs) have in the communities where refugees reside, we
are asking that States give special consideration to MAAs in using the
set-aside amount, where possible, to provide these services to refugee
families. However, qualified community based organizations with refugee
experience, voluntary resettlement agencies, or refugee service
providers may be funded as well.
In order to receive the optional funding under the set-aside, the
appropriate State agency official, State designee, or Wilson/Fish
project director where the State is not participating in the program
must provide written assurance to the Office of Refugee Resettlement
that the
[[Page 22629]]
following conditions will be observed by the State agency in using
funds made available to the State under this special allocation:
That such funds will be used to fund (1) services to
provide the support necessary to enroll refugees in low income support
programs, such as CHIP, Headstart, WIC, Food Stamps, LIHEAP, child care
services, and low-income housing assistance and, (2) training and
salaries for refugee interpreters; and
That special consideration will be given to interested and
qualified refugee MAAs, where possible.
Written assurance should be sent to Barbara R. Chesnik, Division of
Refugee Self-Sufficiency, Office of Refugee Resettlement,
Administration for Children and Families, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW.,
6th Floor, Washington, DC 20447. States must respond by 30 days from
the date of the final notice in order to avail themselves of this
special allocation. ORR's ability to award the proposed $15.5 million
set-aside is contingent upon the availability of funds when the final
notice of social services allocations is published.
Population To Be Served
Although the allocation formula is based on the 3-year refugee
population, in accordance with the current requirements of 45 CFR Part
400 Subpart I--Refugee Social Services, States are not required to
limit social service programs to refugees who have been in the U.S.
only 3 years. However, under 45 CFR 400.152, States may not provide
services funded by 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 400.147, States are required to provide
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.
ORR funds may not be used to provide services to United States
citizens, since they are not covered under the authorizing legislation,
with the following exceptions: (1) Under current regulations at 45 CFR
400.208, services may be provided to a U.S.-born minor child in a
family in which both parents are refugees or, if only one parent is
present, in which that parent is a refugee; and (2) under the FY 1989
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs
Appropriations Act (Pub. L. No. 100-461), services may be provided to
an Amerasian from Vietnam who is a U.S. citizen and who enters the U.S.
after October 1, 1988.
Service Priorities
In the past, a number of States have focused primarily on serving
refugee cash assistance (RCA) recipients because of the need to help
these refugees become employed and self-sufficient within the 8-month
RCA eligibility period. Now, with the passage of welfare reform,
refugee recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
also face a time limit for cash assistance and need appropriate
services as quickly as possible to become employed and self-sufficient.
In order for refugees to move quickly off TANF, we believe it is
crucial for these refugees to receive refugee-specific services that
are designed to address the employment barriers that refugees typically
face. We are pleased with the efforts that State Refugee Coordinators
have made to date to develop agreements with their State TANF program
to utilize the existing refugee service system in a State for refugee
TANF participants. We encourage States to continue their efforts in
this regard.
Refugee social service funding should be used to assist refugee
families to achieve economic independence. To this end, States 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.
Some States are doing remarkably well in achieving refugee self-
sufficiencies. For this reason, this may be a good time for these
States to re-examine the range of services they currently offer to
refugees and expand the range of services beyond employment services to
address the broader needs that refugees have in order to successfully
integrate into the community.
Reflecting section 412(a)(1)(A)(iv) of the INA, and in keeping with
45 CFR 400.145(c), States must ensure that women have the same
opportunities as men to participate in all services funded under this
notice, including job placement services. In addition, 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, particularly in the
case of large families. States are expected to make every effort to
assure the 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
refugee social services program. Refugees who are participating in
employment services or have accepted employment are eligible for day
care services for children. For an employed refugee, day care funded by
refugee social service dollars should be limited to one year after the
refugee becomes employed. States are expected to use day care funding
from other publicly funded mainstream programs to the maximum extent
possible and are expected to work with service providers to assure
maximum access to other publicly funded resources for day care.
In accordance with 45 CFR 400.146, social service funds must be
used primarily for employability services designed to enable refugees
to obtain jobs within one year of becoming enrolled in services in
order to achieve economic self-sufficiency as soon as possible. Social
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. Social
service 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 45 CFR 400.156(e), refugee social services must
be provided, to the maximum extent feasible, in a manner that is
culturally
[[Page 22630]]
and linguistically compatible with a refugee's language and cultural
background. 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 (45 CFR
400.156(d)).
English language training must be provided in a concurrent, rather
than sequential, time period with employment or with other employment-
related activities (45 CFR 400.156(c)).
When planning State refugee 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 (45 CFR
400.156(b)).
In order to provide culturally and linguistically compatible
services in as cost-efficient a manner as possible, ORR encourages
States and counties to promote and give special consideration to the
provision of refugee social services through coalitions of refugee
service organizations, such as coalitions of mutual assistance
associations (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.
States should also expect to use funds available under this notice
to pay for social services which are provided to refugees who
participate in Wilson/Fish projects. Section 412(e)(7)(A) of the INA
provides that:
The Secretary [of HHS] shall develop and implement alternative
projects for refugees who have been in the United States less than
thirty-six months, under which refugees are provided interim
support, medical services, support [social] services, and case
management, as needed, in a manner that encourages self-sufficiency,
reduces welfare dependency, and fosters greater coordination among
the resettlement agencies and service providers.
This provision is generally known as the Wilson/Fish Amendment. The
Department has already issued a separate notice in the Federal Register
with respect to applications for such projects (60 FR 15766, March 27,
1995) and expects to issue a revised notice in the near future.
The Use of MAAs
ORR believes that the use of qualified refugee mutual assistance
associations in the delivery of social services helps to ensure the
provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services as well
as increasing the effectiveness of the overall service system.
Therefore, we expect States to use MAAs as service providers to the
maximum extent possible. We strongly encourage States when contracting
for services, including employment services, to give consideration to
the special strengths of 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
expects States to continue to assist MAAs in seeking other public and/
or private funds for the provision of services to refugee clients.
States may use a portion of their social service grant, either
through contracts or through the use of State/county staff, to provide
technical assistance and organizational training to strengthen the
capability of MAAs to provide employment services and other social
services, particularly in States where MAA capability is weak or
undeveloped.
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
refugees or former refugees, including both refugee men and women.
II. (Reserved for Discussion of Comments in Final Notice)
III. Allocation Formulas
Of the funds available for FY 1999 for social services, $68,841,815
is proposed to be allocated to States in accordance with the formula
specified below. In addition, $15.5 million in set-aside funds are
proposed to be allocated in accordance with the formula specified
below. A State's allowable allocation is calculated as follows:
1. The total amount of funds determined by the Director to be
available for this purpose; divided by--
2. The total number of refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, Amerasians
from Vietnam, and Kurdish asylees who arrived in the United States not
more than 3 years prior to the beginning of the fiscal year for which
the funds are appropriated, as shown by the ORR Refugee Data System.
The resulting per capita amount is multiplied by--
3. The number of persons in item 2, above, in the State as of
October 1, 1998, adjusted for estimated secondary migration.
The calculation above yields the formula allocation for each State.
Minimum allocations for small States are taken into account.
IV. Basis of Population Estimates
The population estimates for the proposed allocation of funds in FY
1999 are based on data on refugee arrivals from the ORR Refugee Data
System, adjusted as of October 1, 1998, for estimated secondary
migration. The data base includes refugees of all nationalities,
Amerasians from Vietnam, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and Kurdish
asylees.
For fiscal year 1999, ORR's proposed formula allocations for the
States for social services are based on the numbers of refugees,
Amerasians, Kurdish asylees, and entrants who arrived during the
preceding three fiscal years: 1996, 1997, and 1998, based on arrival
data by State. Therefore, estimates have been developed of the numbers
of refugees and entrants with arrival or resettlement dates between
October 1, 1995, and September 30, 1998, who are thought to be living
in each State as of October 1, 1998.
The estimates of secondary migration were based on data submitted
by all participating States on Form ORR-11 on secondary migrants who
have resided in the U.S. for 36 months or less, as of September 30,
1998. The total migration reported by each State was summed, yielding
in-and out-migration figures and a net migration figure for each State.
The net migration figure was applied to
[[Page 22631]]
the State's total arrival figure, resulting in a revised population
estimate.
Estimates were developed separately for refugees and entrants and
then combined into a total estimated 3-year refugee/entrant population
for each State. Eligible Amerasians and Kurdish asylees are included in
the refugee figures.
With regard to Havana parolees, in the absence of reliable data on
the State-by-State resettlement of this population, we are crediting
each State that received entrant arrivals during the 3-year period from
FY 1996-FY 1998 with a prorated share of the 13,442 parolees reported
by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to have come to the
U.S. directly from Havana in FY 1998. In addition, we have credited
each State with the same share of FY 1996 and FY 1997 Havana parolees
that they were credited with in the final FY 1997 and FY 1998 social
service notices. The allocations in this notice reflect these
additional parolee numbers.
If a State does not agree with ORR's population estimate and wishes
ORR to reconsider its population estimate, it should submit written
evidence to ORR, including a list of refugees identified by name, alien
number, date of birth, and date of arrival. Listings of refugees who
are not identified by their alien number will not be considered. Such
evidence should be submitted 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.
Table 1, below, shows the estimated 3-year populations, as of
October 1, 1998, of refugees (col. 1), entrants (col. 2), Havana
parolees (col. 3); total refugee/entrant population, (col. 4); the
proposed formula amounts which the population estimates yield (col. 5);
the proposed allocation amounts after allowing for the minimum amounts
(col. 6); the set-aside amount (col.7); and the total proposed
allocation (col. 8).
V. Proposed Allocation Amounts
Funding will be contingent upon the submittal and approval of a
State annual services plan that is developed on the basis of a local
consultative process, as required by 45 CFR 400.11(b)(2) in the ORR
regulations. The following amounts are proposed for allocation for
refugee social services in FY 1999:
FY 1999 Proposed Social Services Formula Notice
Table 1.--Estimated 3-Year Refugee/Entrant Populations of States Participating in the Refugee Program and Proposed Social Service Formula Amount and
Proposed Allocation for FY 1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed Total
State Refugees\1\ Entrants Havana Total formula Proposed Set-aside proposed
parolees\2\ population amount allocation allocation
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama....................................... 495 55 97 647 $162,184 $162,184 $36,704 $198,888
Alaska \3\.................................... 0 0 0 0
Arizona....................................... 6,269 387 581 7,237 1,814,106 1,814,106 410,552 2,224,658
Arkansas...................................... 144 9 13 166 41,611 79,078 9,417 88,495
California.................................... 32,975 342 717 34,034 8,531,339 8,531,339 1,930,735 10,462,074
Colorado...................................... 3,336 2 6 3,344 838,244 838,244 189,704 1,027,948
Connecticut................................... 2,380 150 263 2,793 700,124 700,124 158,446 858,570
Delaware...................................... 59 2 4 65 16,294 75,000 3,687 78,687
Dist. of Columbia............................. 1,538 4 10 1,552 389,041 389,041 88,044 477,085
Florida....................................... 12,708 8,225 18,679 39,612 9,929,582 9,929,582 2,247,172 12,176,754
Georgia....................................... 8,281 97 195 8,573 2,149,003 2,149,003 486,343 2,635,346
Hawaii........................................ 126 1 1 128 32,086 75,000 7,261 82,261
Idaho \4\..................................... 1,639 0 0 1,639 410,850 410,850 92,980 503,830
Illinois...................................... 11,334 231 400 11,965 2,999,279 2,999,279 678,770 3,678,049
Indiana....................................... 1,456 5 9 1,470 368,486 368,486 83,392 451,878
Iowa.......................................... 5,489 2 4 5,495 1,377,437 1,377,437 311,729 1,689,166
Kansas........................................ 1,075 9 15 1,099 275,487 275,487 62,346 337,833
Kentucky \5\.................................. 3,431 799 968 5,198 1,302,988 1,302,988 294,880 1,597,868
Louisiana..................................... 1,339 77 172 1,588 398,066 398,066 90,087 488,153
Maine......................................... 620 0 0 620 155,416 155,416 35,172 190,588
Maryland...................................... 3,077 46 114 3,237 811,422 811,422 183,634 995,056
Massachusetts................................. 6,763 85 140 6,988 1,751,689 1,751,689 396,426 2,148,115
Michigan...................................... 7,099 347 484 7,930 1,987,821 1,987,821 449,866 2,437,687
Minnesota..................................... 8,353 7 18 8,378 2,100,122 2,100,122 475,280 2,575,402
Mississippi................................... 75 10 23 108 27,072 75,000 6,127 81,127
Missouri...................................... 6,562 8 16 6,586 1,650,920 1,650,920 373,621 2,024,541
Montana....................................... 130 0 0 130 32,587 75,000 7,375 82,375
Nebraska...................................... 1,516 36 51 1,603 401,826 401,826 90,938 492,764
Nevada \5\.................................... 1,255 609 893 2,757 691,100 691,100 156,403 847,503
New Hampshire................................. 1,102 0 0 1,102 276,240 276,240 62,516 338,756
New Jersey.................................... 3,409 365 806 4,580 1,148,073 1,148,073 259,822 1,407,895
New Mexico.................................... 357 467 758 1,582 396,562 396,562 89,746 486,308
New York...................................... 29,771 757 1,191 31,719 7,951,035 7,951,035 1,799,406 9,750,441
North Carolina................................ 3,684 29 44 3,757 941,771 941,771 213,133 1,154,904
North Dakota.................................. 1,320 0 2 1,322 331,387 331,387 74,997 406,384
Ohio.......................................... 4,160 44 62 4,266 1,069,363 1,069,363 242,008 1,311,371
Oklahoma...................................... 484 7 13 504 126,338 126,338 28,592 154,930
Oregon........................................ 4,658 344 531 5,533 1,386,963 1,386,963 313,885 1,700,848
Pennsylvania.................................. 7,021 240 358 7,619 1,909,863 1,909,863 432,223 2,342,086
Rhode Island.................................. 339 5 7 351 87,986 100,000 19,912 119,912
[[Page 22632]]
South Carolina................................ 231 6 10 247 61,916 99,382 14,012 113,394
South Dakota \4\.............................. 821 0 0 821 205,801 205,801 46,575 252,376
Tennessee..................................... 3,740 171 250 4,161 1,043,042 1,043,042 236,052 1,279,094
Texas......................................... 11,506 778 1,159 13,443 3,369,771 3,369,771 762,616 4,132,387
Utah.......................................... 3,232 1 1 3,234 810,670 810,670 183,463 994,133
Vermont....................................... 889 0 0 889 222,847 222,847 50,433 273,280
Virginia...................................... 4,555 114 210 4,879 1,223,024 1,223,024 276,784 1,499,808
Washington.................................... 16,511 45 68 16,624 4,167,156 4,167,156 943,073 5,110,229
West Virginia................................. 9 0 0 9 2,256 75,000 511 75,511
Wisconsin..................................... 1,618 9 15 1,642 411,602 411,602 93,150 504,752
Wyoming \3\................................... 0 0 0 0 ............ ............ ............ ............
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total..................................... 228,941 14,927 29,358 273,226 68,489,848 68,841,500 15,500,000 84,341,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes: refugees, Kurdish asylees, and Amerasian immigrants from Vietnam adjusted for secondary migration.
\2\ For FY 1998, 13,442 Havana Parolees (HP's) were prorated to all States based on their proportions of the three-year (FY 1996-1998) entrant
population. For FY 1997, Florida's HP's (3,957) were based on actual data, while HP's in other States (2,035) were prorated according to their
proportions of the three-year entrant population. For FY 1996, Florida's HP's (7,315) were based on actual data, while HP's in other States (2,611)
were prorated according to their proportions of the three-year entrant population.
\3\ Alaska and Wyoming no longer participate in the Refugee Program.
\4\ The allocations for Idaho and South Dakota are expected to be awarded to the State designee.
\5\ The allocations for Kentucky and Nevada are expected to be awarded to Wilson/Fish projects.
VI. Paperwork Reduction Act
This notice does not create any reporting or recordkeeping
requirements requiring OMB clearance.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.566 Refugee
Assistance--State Administered Programs)
Dated: April 20, 1999.
Lavinia Limon,
Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement.
[FR Doc. 99-10486 Filed 4-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P
