Refugees

• Assistance to Torture Victims
• Refugee and Entrant Assistance
• Services to Victims of a Severe form of Trafficking
• Wilson/Fish Programs

Assistance to Torture Victims
Department of Health and Human Services

The purpose of this program is to provide services and rehabilitation for victims of torture, with a special emphasis on timely and appropriate services to asylum applicants entering the United State that have been recent victims of torture. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) will provide a comprehensive program of support for domestic centers and programs for victims of torture.

Eligible applicants are public or private organizations and institutions.

Approximately $10,000,000 is appropriated for FY 2003, and the President requested $10,000,000 for the program for FY 2004.

Contact: Marta Brenden, (202) 205-3589, mbrednden@acf.hhs.gov, CFDA: 93.604

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Refugee and Entrant Assistance
Department of Health and Human Services

The purpose of this program is to improve resettlement services for refugees. Program objectives include: (1) providing adequate health assessment activities for refugees; (2) decreasing the numbers of refugees on public assistance and the length of time refugees require such assistance; (3) promoting refugee community and family stability; (4) encouraging placement of refugee families in locations with good job opportunities and lower costs of living; (5) increasing service dollars in areas with good resettlement records; (6) enhancing services to disadvantaged refugee groups; services to promote older refugees access to aging services, assist low income refugees with matching funds for individual development accounts (IDA) and (7) responding to national needs which are not the purview of any particular State services program.

State and local governments and private nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply.

Approximately $444,000,000 is appropriated for FY 2003, and the President requested $428,000,000 for the program for FY 2004.

Contact: Henley Portner, (202) 401-5363, hportner@acf.hhs.gov, CFDA: 93.576

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Services to Victims of a Severe form of Trafficking
Department of Health and Human Services

The purpose of this program is to provide individuals, determined to be victims of a severe form of trafficking, access to benefits and services to the same extent as refugees. Provide targeted case management, referrals and funded cash, medical assistance, special mental health or other services, and community/local outreach.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) discretionary grant program includes funding for specialized services and assistance to certified/eligible adult victims of a severe form of trafficking assisting criminal justice system efforts to prosecute traffickers (victims under the age of eighteen, not required to assist prosecution efforts in order to access benefits). Funds may be used only for the purposes set forth in the grant award.

State and local governments and private nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply.

Approximately $10,000,000 is appropriated for FY 2003, and the President requested $10,000,000 for the program for FY 2004.

Contact: Jay Womack, (202) 401-5702, nkromash@acf.hhs.gov, CFDA: 93.598

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Wilson/Fish Programs
Department of Health and Human Services

The purpose of this program is to develop alternative projects which promote early employment of refugees, including certain Amerasian immigrants, Cuban and Haitian entrants, asylees, and certified victims of a severe form of trafficking. States, voluntary resettlement agencies, and other resettlement organizations may develop innovative approaches for the provision of refugee cash and medical assistance, social services, and case management otherwise available through the State-administered program. The purposed of these alternative projects is to provide integrated services and cash assistance in order to increase refugees’ prospects for early employment and self-sufficiency, reduce their level of welfare dependence, and promote coordination among voluntary resettlement agencies and services providers. Projects must serve all eligible refugees in a community.

States, voluntary resettlement agencies, and other nonprofit refugee resettlement organizations may apply to initiate an alternative program.

Contact: Barbara Chesnik, (202) 205-3590, CFDA: 93.583

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