[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43398-43404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-20246]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of Refuge Resettlement
Refugee Resettlement Program: Final Notice of Allocations to
States of FY 1999 Funds for Refugee Social Services
AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, HHS.
ACTION: Final notice of 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 allocations to States of FY 1999
funds for social services under the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP).
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: August 10, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara R. Chesnik, Division of
Refugee Self-Sufficiency, (202) 401-4558.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A notice of proposed allocations to States
of FY 1999 funds for refugee social services was published in the
Federal Register on April 27, 1999 (64 FR 22626).
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).
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) will 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.
[[Page 43399]]
$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 have added $15,500,000 in unexpended FY 1997 CMA
funds to the FY 1999 formula social services allocation as a set-aside
for referral and interpreter services, and $20,000,000 in unexpended FY
1997 CMA funds to the FY 1999 formula social services allocation as
part of the standard formula allocation, increasing the total amount
available for the formula social services program in FY 1999 to
$104,341,500.
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 is allocating $88,841,500, which includes $20,000,000
in unexpended FY 1997 cash and medical assistance (CMA) funds, 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 is also allocating 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 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 45 CFR 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
[[Page 43400]]
eligible for CHIP and other health care programs; arranging to have
Medicaid eligibility workers visit the Mutual Assistance Association
(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 (LEN) 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 the 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 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.
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. 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
[[Page 43401]]
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 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 (64 FR 19793, April 22,
1999).
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
[[Page 43402]]
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. Discussion of Comments Received
We received one letter of comment in response to the notice of
proposed FY l999 allocations to States for refugee social services.
This comment is summarized below and followed by the Department's
response.
Comment: The commenter expressed concern about the proposal to
allocate $15.5 million as a set-aside to provide referral services to
ensure that refugees are able to access the Children's Health 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 services and certain
legal services. The commenter believes that refugees are able to
adequately access public assistance and medical assistance programs.
Instead, the commenter recommended that the set-aside funds be
allocated to States based upon the estimated number of refugees who
have been in the country for over seven years who are losing
eligibility for Federal Food Stamps. The commenter recommended that
States should be given the discretion on how to use the funds in
providing food assistance, employment services, or naturalization
services in order to mitigate the loss of Federal Food Stamp
eligibility. The commenter also recommended that the funds should be
used by states to translate notices and information relating to
programs and services which refugees need because translation is more
cost-effective and efficient than interpreter services. And lastly, the
commenter indicated that the President's budget for Federal Fiscal Year
(FFY) 2000 includes $40 million to increase and expand the use of TANF
funds for the current Medicaid outreach program to include children
newly eligible for CHIP and therefore the ORR set-aside would be
duplicative of this initiative.
Response: With the continuing increase in diversity among newly
arriving refugee groups, and the increased ability of these groups to
become employed soon after arrival, we believe that there is a strong
need for refugees to receive specially directed assistance to help them
access medical and other assistance programs for low-economic
populations. We believe this assistance is critical to helping refugees
make the transition from the entry and low level jobs which are
obtained soon after arrival, when families are struggling to adjust to
their new lives, jobs, and communities, to becoming self-sufficient
members of the community.
We also believe that it is vital to have appropriate interpreter
services available so that the diverse newly arriving populations
receive the services necessary for their well-being and integration
into their new communities. While both interpreter and translation
services are currently allowable social services for States to fund
under ORR regulations, it is our understanding that newly arriving
refugees would particularly benefit from having additional interpreter
services available in the community. In many communities, it is no
longer possible for each local resettlement provider to have on staff a
bilingual worker for each arriving refugee group. New strategies and
means of addressing the diverse population must be found. It is our
intent that the set-aside funds will support that need. And finally,
while funding to augment access to CHIP may be provided under the FFY
2000 budget, and we would certainly encourage States to do whatever
possible to ensure that refugee populations are served if these funds
are included in the final appropriations legislation, we do not believe
this to be a duplication because refugee program funds would have been
available to serve refugees before next year's appropriation is made
available to States.
III. Allocation Formulas
Of the funds available for FY 1999 for social services, $88,841,815
is allocated to States in accordance with the formula specified below.
In addition, $15.5 million in set-aside funds are 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 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 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 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 through 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
[[Page 43403]]
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.
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
formula amounts which the population estimates yield (col. 5); the
allocation amounts after allowing for the minimum amounts (col. 6); the
set-aside amount (col. 7); and the total final allocation (col. 8).
V. Allocation Amounts
Funding subsequent to the publication of this notice 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 for allocation for refugee social services in FY 1999:
Table 1.--Estimated 3-Year Refugee/Entrant Populations of States Participating in the Refugee Program and Final Social Service Formula Amount and
Allocation for FY 1999.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Havana Total Proposed Proposed
State Refugees Entrants parolees population formula allocation Set-aside Final
\1\ (1) (2) \2\ (3) (4) amount (5) (6) allocation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama........................................ 484 55 75 614 $198,965 $198,965 $34,829 $233,794
Alaska \3\..................................... 0 0 0 0 ........... ........... ........... ............
Arizona........................................ 6,105 387 421 6,913 2,240,139 2,240,139 392,139 2,632,278
Arkansas....................................... 141 9 9 159 51,524 85,321 9,019 94,340
California..................................... 34,833 342 575 35,750 11,584,691 11,584,691 2,027,912 13,612,603
Colorado....................................... 3,284 2 6 3,292 1,066,764 1,066,764 186,738 1,253,502
Connecticut.................................... 2,362 150 201 2,713 879,140 879,140 153,894 1,033,034
Delaware....................................... 58 2 3 63 20,415 75,000 3,574 78,574
Dist. of Columbia.............................. 1,498 4 9 1,511 489,635 489,635 85,711 575,346
Florida........................................ 12,594 8,201 21,455 42,250 13,690,998 13,690,998 2,396,624 16,087,622
Georgia........................................ 8,307 98 155 8,560 2,773,845 2,773,845 485,564 3,259,409
Hawaii......................................... 120 1 0 121 39,210 75,000 6,864 81,864
Idaho \4\...................................... 1,622 0 0 1,622 525,605 525,605 92,008 617,613
Illinois....................................... 11,262 231 304 11,797 3,822,786 3,822,786 669,183 4,491,969
Indiana........................................ 1,451 5 7 1,463 474,081 474,081 82,988 557,069
Iowa........................................... 5,288 2 3 5,293 1,715,182 1,715,182 300,244 2,015,426
Kansas......................................... 1,025 9 11 1,045 338,629 338,629 59,277 397,906
Kentucky \5\................................... 3,375 802 638 4,815 1,560,288 1,560,288 273,130 1,833,418
Louisiana...................................... 1,296 79 141 1,516 491,256 491,256 85,995 577,251
Maine.......................................... 607 0 0 607 196,697 196,697 34,432 231,129
Maryland....................................... 3,000 46 95 3,141 1,017,833 1,017,833 178,173 1,196,006
Massachusetts.................................. 6,727 85 105 6,917 2,241,435 2,241,435 392,366 2,633,801
Michigan....................................... 7,078 347 340 7,765 2,516,227 2,516,227 440,468 2,956,695
Minnesota...................................... 8,245 7 15 8,267 2,678,899 2,678,899 468,944 3,147,843
Mississippi.................................... 71 10 19 100 32,405 75,000 5,672 80,672
Missouri....................................... 6,514 8 13 6,535 2,117,649 2,117,649 370,697 2,488,346
Montana........................................ 126 0 0 126 40,830 75,000 7,147 82,147
Nebraska....................................... 2,064 36 36 2,136 692,165 692,165 121,164 813,329
Nevada \5\..................................... 1,233 609 640 2,482 804,285 804,285 140,791 945,076
New Hampshire.................................. 1,095 0 0 1,095 354,832 354,832 62,114 416,946
New Jersey..................................... 3,371 365 654 4,390 1,422,568 1,422,568 249,022 1,671,590
New Mexico..................................... 346 467 565 1,378 446,537 446,537 78,167 524,704
New York....................................... 29,693 756 876 31,325 10,150,782 10,150,782 1,776,905 11,927,687
North Carolina................................. 3,639 29 32 3,700 1,198,975 1,198,975 209,882 1,408,857
North Dakota................................... 1,304 0 2 1,306 423,206 423,206 74,083 497,289
Ohio........................................... 4,134 44 44 4,222 1,368,128 1,368,128 239,492 1,607,620
Oklahoma....................................... 471 7 10 488 158,135 158,135 27,682 185,817
Oregon......................................... 4,616 344 388 5,348 1,733,005 1,733,005 303,364 2,036,369
Pennsylvania................................... 6,893 245 261 7,399 2,397,626 2,397,626 419,707 2,817,333
Rhode Island................................... 331 5 5 341 110,500 110,500 19,343 129,843
South Carolina................................. 226 6 7 239 77,447 100,000 13,557 113,557
South Dakota \4\............................... 750 0 0 750 243,035 243,035 42,544 285,579
Tennessee...................................... 3,636 171 179 3,986 1,291,653 1,291,653 226,105 1,517,758
Texas.......................................... 11,165 778 837 12,780 4,141,325 4,141,325 724,943 4,866,268
Utah........................................... 3,163 1 0 3,164 1,025,286 1,025,286 179,477 1,204,763
Vermont........................................ 885 0 0 885 286,782 286,782 50,201 336,983
Virginia....................................... 4,484 114 163 4,761 1,542,789 1,542,789 270,067 1,812,856
Washington..................................... 16,391 45 49 16,485 5,341,920 5,341,920 935,109 6,277,029
West Virginia.................................. 8 0 0 8 2,592 75,000 454 75,454
Wisconsin...................................... 1,606 9 11 1,626 526,901 526,901 92,235 619,136
Wyoming \3\.................................... 0 0 0 0 ........... ........... ........... ............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................................... 228,977 14,913 29,359 273,249 88,545,602 88,841,500 15,500,000 104,341,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes: refugees, Kurdish asylees, and Amerasian immigrants from Vietnam adjusted for secondary migration.
\2\ For FY 1998, Florida's Havana Parolees (10,183) were based on actual data, while HP's in other States (3,258) were prorated according to 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 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.
[[Page 43404]]
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: August 2, 1999.
Lavinia Limon,
Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement.
[FR Doc. 99-20246 Filed 8-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P
