Program Objectives:

· To assist refugees’ prospect for early employment and self-sufficiency,

· To reduce refugees’ level of welfare dependence,

· To enhance acculturation, and

· To promote coordination among voluntary resettlement agencies and service providers

 

Program Description:

The Wilson/Fish Projects offer an alternative means of providing interim financial assistance, medical assistance, social services, and case management to refugees and Cuban and Haitian entrants.

 

The Wilson/Fish Projects provide integrated services and cash assistance to refugees to increase their prospects for early employment and self-sufficiency, and to reduce their level of welfare dependence.  The projects also enhance acculturation and promote coordination among voluntary resettlement agencies and service providers.

 

The Wilson/Fish Projects are available to either 1) establish or maintain refugee program services and assistance, including refugee cash and medical assistance, employment and other social services, targeted assistance, and preventive health services, in a State that has elected to discontinue participation in all or part of the refugee program or is not currently participating in the program; or 2) provide an opportunity to implement alternative projects to the existing system of assistance in order to better promote refugee self-sufficiency.

 

Although provision of medical assistance is allowable under these projects, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) strongly believes that the best medical assistance option available in almost all circumstances is the existing State-administered program of refugee medical assistance or Medicaid.

 

Eligible Grant Applicant:

Public and private non-profit organizations, such as States, private voluntary resettlement agencies, a consortium of agencies, local government entities, refugee mutual assistance associations, and community-based organizations.

 

Targeted Population: 
All newly arriving refugees in similar cash assistance categories in a geographic area. Applicants may propose to serve refugees otherwise eligible for refugee cash assistance and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

 

Geographic Area(s): All

 

Policy Info:

·  Section 412(e)(7)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)

·  (Pub.L. 98-473)

· 64 CFR 19793