IDHS

The Refugee Employment and Social Services is supported by federal funds (93.566 Refugee Social Service Program and Cash & Medical program). More information can be found under Funding Information. Based on 30 ILCS 708/45 (e) (3), this program is exempt from 2 CFR 200.201, Notice for Funding Opportunity. Funding for the program has been determined through a three-year competitive process which will end effective June 30, 2026. Funding opportunity for FY25, therefore, is limited to those public agencies and not-for-profit agencies which have been selected and currently receive funding from the Illinois Department of Human Services, Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Services. Exception to this rule is at the discretion of the Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Services in accordance to federal policies. The goals of the services to be funded are to increase economic self-sufficiency, decrease dependency on public assistance, education improvement for refugee youth and self reliance for seniors. Programs to be funded will address those problems specific to refugees and will demonstrate capacity to address the linguistic and cultural barriers to refugees' successful integration in their local community. Eligible Services include: EMPLOYMENT AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES Employment and Case Management Services form ORR’s core program for refugees, assisting refugees gain economic independence by helping them find and maintain employment. The focus of Employment and Case Management Services is on employability assessments, job counseling, job development, and job placement and maintenance, while also addressing barriers to employment and stability through case management services including social adjustment services, orientation, and information and referral services. Employment Services include the completion of an Individual Employment Plan (IEP) as part of the client’s FSSP, as needed assistance in obtaining Employment Authorization Documents, referral to or provision of job readiness training, pre-employment counseling, job placement, 90-day job placement follow-up, and post-employment counseling to facilitate job retention. Service may include assistance helping individuals move beyond initial, survival jobs into higher wage, higher skilled positions. This includes connecting clients with organizations that assist refugees to return to their prior career fields, organizations that provide vocational training programs, organizations that assist with re-certification, and/or organizations that provide ORR-funded Career Pathways programs. Case Management Services include social adjustment services as well as information and referral services. Social Adjustment Services may include, but is not limited to, short-term non-clinical counseling to clients facing a perceived crisis, assistance scheduling appointments and obtaining mainstream services, orientation to US culture, formal or informal instruction in household management of budgets, home maintenance, nutrition, housing standards, tenant’s rights, and consumer education services. Information and referral services may include providing clients with information on specific services, making arrangements for clients to access services, assisting with applications for services, providing interpretation/translation in order for clients to access services, and giving referrals to services that the client may access independently. Required services include the completion of a family self-sufficiency plan for each member in the household identifying primary goals for the first 12 months after enrollment; an individual employment plan for each employable adult and referrals to ORR and non-ORR funded services to pursue the goals identified. Progress toward identified goals should be measured at 6 and 12 months. JOB READINESS ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING Job Readiness English Language Training (ELT) is English language instruction with an emphasis on English as it relates to obtaining and retaining a job. English language instruction must be provided in a concurrent, rather than sequential, time period with employment or with other employment-related services, such as Employment and Case Management Services. Eligible clients are those actively engaged in Employment Services as well as those who have the potential to engage in Employment services in the future. Clients still enrolled in high school or resident beyond 60 months are not eligible for this program. Required services under Job Readiness ELT include initial placement testing to determine client proficiency in English, placement in appropriate level English instruction course, and regular client assessment to determine when client is ready to advance to the next level of English instruction and/or to graduate from the organization’s levels of English language instruction. REFUGEE SCHOOL IMPACT SERVICES The Refugee School Impact (RSI) program’s goals are to promote academic performance and successful integration of ORR-eligible children and youth ages 5 (or the age at which they enter school, whichever is earlier) until age 18 (or the age at which they leave high school, whichever is later) through facilitating education access and increasing school districts’ capacity to support children, youth, and families. Beginning in FFY22, ORR expanded RSI access to children ages birth through 5 (or the age at which they enter school), referring to these services as Early RSI. The goals of Early RSI are to ensure that ORR-eligible children are prepared to succeed in formal schooling and to raise the quality of services to children and families across the birth-to-kindergarten continuum. Required Early RSI Services include assistance to families with children age birth to 3 with disabilities or delays to enroll in services available through Early Intervention; assistance in enrollment in preschool programs; parent engagement services to help parents participate in parent/teacher conferences, IEP/504 Plan meetings, and other school activities. Required RSI K-12 services include assistance in school enrollment, orientation, and effective participation; parent engagement including interpretation/translation support; after school programs including tutoring support, social emotional learning and student support and summer programing. Organizations are encouraged but not required to provide activities that facilitate parent integration. YOUTH MENTORING The Youth Mentoring program was established by ORR to address the needs of refugee youth and young adults between the ages of 15 and 24 to promote their civic and social engagement. The Youth Mentoring program goals are to provide the social, educational, and vocational supports needed to ensure all refugee youth and young adults are well-positioned on a path toward self-sufficiency. Youth Mentoring services may include developing opportunities to promote social and life skills, providing opportunities for social engagement with peers, introductions to American culture, information about civic and community service activities, supporting learning of English, math, or other skills, offering academic support (school transitions, collage applications, scholarship and/or FAFSA applications), assisting with career development (skill building, resume drafting, understanding worker’s rights), and/or developing health and financial literacy. Youth mentoring program providers are required to perform an initial assessment of needs and goals of youth and develop a service plan; document activities between mentor and youth; assess progress against the plan; recruit and train volunteer mentors; background check all volunteers. SERVICES TO OLDER REFUGEES Senior Services are designed to ensure that refugees age 60 and older have access to applicable services and focus on outreach, service enhancement, independent living, and naturalization. Appropriate activities within these areas include increasing community connections and access to area aging services, participation in enrichment programs, interpretation and translations as well as enrollment in senior-specific benefit programs. Additionally, providers may provide citizenship and naturalization outreach, civics instruction, English language instruction in preparation for the citizenship exam and application assistance. All clients must be provided with needs assessments, senior-focused case management services including referral to mainstream senior services as appropriate, and access to naturalization services either in-house or via referral. Services should be culturally and linguistically appropriate and are available to senior refugees who have been in the US for up to five years. Naturalization services may be provided beyond 60 months. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES The Behavioral Health program was created with the understanding that emotional wellness is foundational to successful resettlement and integration. The Behavioral Health program aims to build capacity to address the behavioral health needs of refugee populations by providing individual behavioral health counseling, group behavioral health and wellness services, or a combination of individual and group services. ORR-eligible individuals aged 18 and older are eligible for Behavioral Health Services within their first 60 months of residency. Services should be provided by qualified behavioral health professionals and should be culturally and linguistically appropriate. The Behavioral Health program is not a case management program and funds may not be used to provide case management services. Required services include an initial assessment of client need and the development of a customized plan of care; documentation of services provided and progress against client plan; coordination of case management needs with a case management provider with documented informed consent for coordination of services. RENTAL ASSISTANCE The Rental Assistance program was created to utilize RSS base funds to support ORR-eligible populations with housing assistance during their first 12 months of eligibility. The Rental Assistance program seeks to provide additional housing support beyond Reception and Placement (R&P) and Matching Grant (MG) funds to help provide the stability needed to secure employment and/or develop other means of financial stability that will permit the client to maintain stable housing after Rental Assistance services cease. ORR-eligible populations within their first 12 months of eligibility may receive assistance through this program, unless ORR issues an updated eligibility policy that supersedes ORR PL 24-03.

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Immigration and nationality Act of 1952, as amended (P.L 82-414) and Federal Regulations at 45 CFR 400 and 401 and Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980, Title V, Section 501(a), Public Law 96-422, 94 Stat. 1799, 8 U.S.C 1522 note; Refugee Act of 1980, Section 412, Public Law 96-212, 94 Stat. 111, 8 U.S.C 1522; William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, Section 212-235, Public Law 110-457; Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, Public Law 106-386.

Employment and Case Management Annual Performance Standards ECM-1 The organization will serve at least the number of clients projected in Employment Services. ECM-2 The organization will serve at least the number of clients projected in Case Management Services. ECM-3 At least 95% of clients receiving Employment and Case Management Services will have an FSSP completed within 30 days of enrollment in services (including all members of the family in the household). ECM-4 At least 95% of FSSP 6-month follow-up assessments will occur no later than Day 210 after enrollment (including all members of the family in the household). ECM-5 At least 95% of FSSP 12-month follow-up assessments will occur no later than Day 395 after enrollment (including all members of the family in the household). ECM-6 At least 65% of clients receiving Employment Services will be placed in a new job. ECM-7 At least 80% of clients placed in a new job will be employed 90 days after job placement. ECM-8 At least 80% of clients placed in full-time positions will have medical benefits available to them through their employer. Job Readiness English Language Training Annual Performance Standards ELT-1 The organization will serve at least the number of clients projected in Job Readiness English Language Training. ELT-2 At least 50% of clients enrolled in Job Readiness English Language Training will advance to the next level of English instruction or graduate from the organization’s levels of English language instruction. Refugee School Impact Annual Performance Standards Early Refugee School Impact Annual Performance Standards ERSI-1 The organization will serve at least the number of children projected in Early Refugee School Impact Services. ERSI-2 The organization will enroll at least the number of children projected in preschool/early childhood programs. ERSI-3 The organization will facilitate parent engagement for at least the number of Early Refugee School Impact parents projected. Refugee School Impact (K-12) Annual Performance Standards RSI-1 The organization will serve at least the number of students projected in Refugee School Impact Services. RSI-2 The organization will facilitate parent engagement for at least the number of Refugee School Impact parents projected. RSI-3 The organization will serve at least the number of students projected in After School Programs. RSI-4 The organization will serve at least the number of students projected in Summer Programs. RSI-5 At least 85% of students served in Refugee School Impact Services will advance to the next grade level at the end of the academic year. RSI-6 At least 50% of students served in Refugee School Impact Services afterschool programs will demonstrate increased Social and Emotional Competency, as evidenced by pre- and post-testing. Youth Mentoring Annual Performance Standards YM-1 The organization will serve at least as many Youth Mentoring clients as projected. YM-2 The organization will recruit at least as many new Youth Mentoring participants as projected. YM-3 At least 95% of Youth Mentoring clients will have an assessment and service plan completed within 30 calendar days of enrollment. YM-4 At least 45% of Youth Mentoring participants will successfully complete at least one of their Youth Mentoring service plan goals, as measured by 6-month or program exit assessment. Services to Older Refugees Annual Performance Standards SOR-1 The organization will serve at least as many clients in the Services to Older Refugees Program as projected. SOR-2 For organizations directly providing naturalization services, the organization will serve at least as many clients in Services to Older Refugees Program naturalization services as projected. SOR-3 At least 95% of Services to Older Refugee Program clients will have an assessment and service plan completed within 30 calendar days of enrollment. SOR-4 At least 65% of clients receiving Services to Older Refugees will evidence increased knowledge related to accessing community and/or health-related services as measured by client assessment or pre- and post-testing. Behavioral Health Annual Performance Standards BH-1 The organization will serve at least the number of clients projected in individual Behavioral Health services. BH-2 The organization will serve at least the number of clients projected in group Behavioral Health services. BH-3 At least 65% of clients receiving individual Behavioral Health services will present a reduction in symptoms and/or an improvement in functioning, as evidenced by documented assessment. BH-4 At least 85% of clients participating in group Behavioral Health services will evidence increased knowledge related to behavioral health and wellness as measured by client assessment or pre- and post-testing.

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Nonprofit Organizations; Government Organizations;

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Project Grants

Human Services

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Based on 30 ILCS 708/45 (e) (3), this program is exempt from 2 CFR 200.201, Notice for Funding Opportunity. Funding for the program has been determined through a three-year competitive process ending in FY26. Funding opportunity for FY25, therefore, is limited to those public agencies and not-for-profit agencies which have been selected and currently receive funding from the Illinois Department of Human Services, Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Services. Exception to this rule is at the discretion of the Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Services in accordance to federal policies. Grant awards will be made based on funding available from the Office of Refugee Resettlement for state fiscal year 2025, program priorities and performance of agencies in meeting program goals under existing contracts.

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Funding for this program is not available in FY25 through a Notice for Funding Opportunity. This FY25 funding opportunity is limited to those public agencies and not-for-profit agencies which are currently receive funding from the Illinois Department of Human Services, Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Services. Exception to this rule is at the discretion of the Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Services in accordance to federal policies. Services can only provided to eligible populations.

For the purpose of reporting and documentation of service provision, funded agencies must meet the following requirements: • Agencies, through their caseworkers are responsible for reporting to IDHS, using the appropriate IDHS forms, entered employments and instances of non-cooperation for all clients receiving cash assistance. Entered employments must be reported within two (2) working days of employment, along with the date of the first paycheck. • Agencies must maintain record-keeping systems that are organized in such a way that a logical progression from service delivery to reimbursement may be ascertained. It must be possible to aggregate all reports submitted and trace the data back to source documents. Source documents might include intake/assessment forms, casework notes, client attendance records, worker time sheets, or other documents. Agencies will be asked to report individual and/or aggregate data on a regular basis. • Agencies will be responsible for monthly submission of complete and accurate client-based service data using the on-line database. Agencies should make provision for internal data quality management controls as incomplete data will not be attributed to the quarterly and/or annual outcomes. Agencies should anticipate at a minimum yearly on-site monitoring and data verification. • Case notes will serve as verification of on-going services provided to the client. The services can include both personal contact and phone contact. It is necessary that all case notes must be in chronological, narrative form detailing all services provided. Correspondence to the client that indicates a proactive service delivery model must also be included. • Fiscal reporting will be done on a monthly basis and is due 10 days after the close of the month.

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Refer to CFDA below.

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8/16/2024

FY 2017 : $3,659,111
FY 2018 : $3,908,209
FY 2019 : $3,729,423
FY 2024 : $14,873,217
FY 2025 : $22,422,293