Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) Referrals
  |
The Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP), administered by the Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS), provides temporary cash and medical assistance to newly arrived refugees.
Policy
Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) Voluntary Agency (VOLAG)
Refugees are not required to contact a Voluntary Agency(g) before applying for FAA benefits. They can apply in any of the following ways:
●Online through HEAplus at http://www.healthearizonaplus.gov/
●Online through MFB at https://myfamilybenefits.azdes.gov/Home.aspx.
●Over the phone by calling the Customer Care Center (855) 432-7587.
●In person at any FAA office. All of the following apply:
To locate the nearest FAA office, click ‘Find a DES Office’ on the DES Office Locator webpage found at https://des.az.gov/find-your-local-office.
FAA office hours are weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time) except for state holidays.
NOTE Some FAA office locations observe Daylight Saving Time(g).
●By fax to one of the following:
(602) 257-7031 (Area codes 602, 480, and 623)
(844) 680-9840 (Toll Free from any other area code)
●By mailing it to DES FAA, PO Box 19009, Phoenix, AZ 85005-9009
NOTE For more information about acceptable applications for benefit processing, see Application Requirements.
When needed, the Voluntary Agency (VOLAG) sends a refugee’s application for NA and CA through email to an FAA Refugee Office. (See FAA Refugee Offices for contact information.)
The goals of the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) include all of the following:
●The effective resettlement of refugees
●Assist refugees to achieve economic self-sufficiency utilizing all of the following:
Supportive Services
Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA)
TANF Differential Payments
Refugee Medical Assistance Program (RMAP)
The RRP program is available to refugees of all national origins. For the purpose of the RRP program, participants with any of the following statuses are referred to as refugees:
●Afghani Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders
●Amerasians
●Asylees
●Cuban and Haitian entrants (CHE)
●Refugees
●Ukrainian refugees
●Unaccompanied Refugee minors (URM)
●Victims of severe trafficking
RRP Voluntary Agency (VOLAG) Responsibility
The VOLAG is responsible for all of the following:
●Determining Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) eligibility for adult only refugee households and issuing RCA Payments.
●Referring refugees to FAA for any of the following when needed:
NA
CA
●Sending a copy of the application via fax or email to an FAA Refugee Office to register the application and to request an interview.
●Issuing TANF Differential Payments when a refugee household receives CA from FAA.
●Ensuring that the refugee is aware of all available support services.
●Assisting the refugee to become self-sufficient through employment readiness and placement. Work program registration and participation is emphasized.
The United States (U.S.) Department of State issues Reception and Placement (R&P) grants to Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) voluntary agencies (VOLAGs) to assist some newly arrived refugees. See Assistance Income Types for more information about the policy and procedures for R&P grants.
When the VOLAG determines that a refugee may be eligible for FAA assistance, the VOLAG staff assists the refugee in completing the official FAA application. All FAA applications for refugees during the refugee's first 12 months in the U.S. are processed at designated FAA Refugee Offices. After the first 12 months are completed, refugee application processing is no longer completed by the FAA Refugee Office.
Welcome Corps (WC) Sponsorship Program
The Welcome Corps (WC) is a United States (U.S.) Department of State program that assists Americans to welcome refugees arriving through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) using sponsorship groups.
WC matches approved sponsor groups with refugees that meet the eligibility and admissibility requirements to be approved for resettlement through USRAP. Through WC, sponsor groups are required to provide services similar to those provided by the Refugee Resettlement Program voluntary agency or Reception and Placement program.
WC provides sponsor groups with access to tools, resources, and guidance from resettlement experts, throughout the sponsorship period.
A WC sponsor group can include any of the following:
●A group of at least five individuals
●An organization or group of organizations
●A college or university through the WC on Campus Program
Welcome Corps (WC) Sponsor Group Responsibility
The Welcome Corps (WC) sponsor groups are responsible for all of the following:
●Referring adult only refugee households to a Voluntary Agency(g) for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) eligibility and issuing RCA Payments.
●Referring refugees to FAA for any of the following when needed:
NA
CA
●Referring refugee households receiving CA from FAA to a VOLAG for TANF Differential Payments.
●Ensuring that the refugee is aware of all available support services.
●Assisting the refugee to become self-sufficient through employment readiness and placement. Work program registration and participation is emphasized.
The U.S. Department of State authorizes WC sponsor groups to provide financial assistance, equal to the Reception and Placement (R&P) grants provided to VOLAGs, to assist the newly arrived refugees. See Assistance Income Types for more information about the policy and procedures for R&P grants.
When the WC sponsor group determines that a refugee may be eligible for FAA assistance, the sponsor group assists the refugee in completing the official FAA application. All FAA applications for refugees during the refugee's first 12 months in the U.S. are processed at designated FAA Refugee Offices. After the first 12 months are completed, refugee application processing is no longer completed by the FAA Refugee Office.
FAA Refugee Offices
The two refugee offices are found at the following locations:
●In Phoenix
4324 W Olive Ave
Glendale, AZ 85302
●In Tucson
1455 S Alvernon Way
Tucson, AZ 85711
Procedures
Designated staff in the FAA Refugee Offices determine the refugee's NA and CA program eligibility during their first 12 months in the United States.
The initial 12-month eligibility period starts from the date of the refugee's entry into the United States (U.S.) and ends on the first day of the 13th month after entry. The arrival month is included in the 12-month count.
NOTE Do not transfer refugee cases to the refugee offices when the household is in the U.S. for over 12 months. Confirm that the household meets refugee criteria before referring them to the FAA Refugee Offices.
After the first 12 months are completed, the refugee remains potentially eligible for NA and CA, and application processing is no longer completed by the FAA Refugee Office.
When it is discovered that an application of a refugee is submitted to FAA and meets the criteria to be transferred to a Refugee Office, transfer the application and any supporting documents to the appropriate FAA Refugee within one workday(g) by completing one of the following:
●Upload the paper application and any supporting documents to OnBase and notify the FAA Refugee Office via an email at [email protected].
In the email, include the participant’s first and last name, HEAplus Application ID, AZTECS case number when the application is in OnBase, or both when available.
When not already uploaded to HEA or OnBase, attach supporting documentation the participant provided with the application to the email.
●Fax the paper application to (623) 931-5676.
NOTE When faxing the application there is no need to send an email. When faxing documents containing confidential information, use the Fax Cover Sheet (DES-1078A) form.
●When assisting the refugee by phone, data enter the application in HEAplus to preserve the application date. Transfer the application to the appropriate FAA Refugee Office via email.
When the case is already registered, ensure the site code on CARC is one of the following:
●285 – Applications received in Pima County
●169 – Applications received in all other counties
Verification
See Qualified Noncitizen Documents for refugee verification.
AZTECS Keying Procedures
Complete all of the following on IDCI:
●Key EA in the CI field for each participant
●Key the individual alien number, provided on the immigration documents, in the ALIEN ID NUMBER field for each participant
●Key the date of arrival to the United States (U.S.) in the US RES DATE field for each participant
Complete all of the following on NOCS:
●When the SAVE/VLP is pending additional verification and the immigration documents provided do not have the Class of Admissions (COA) Code, key one of the following in the COA field based on the immigration status:
●Afghani Special Immigrant lawful permanent resident – key SQ1 for the primary, SQ2 for the spouse, and SQ3 for all children
●Afghani Special Immigrant conditional permanent resident – key CQ1 for the primary, CQ2 for the spouse, and CQ3 for all children
●Afghani Special Immigrant parolee – key SQ4 for the primary and SQ5 for the spouse and all children
●Afghani Non-Special Immigrant Humanitarian Parolee – key OAR for all participants
●Amerasian – key AM1 for the primary, AM2 for the spouse, and AM3 for all children
●Asylee – key AS1 for the primary, AS2 for the spouse, and AS3 for all children
●Cuban and Haitian entrants – key CH6 for all participants
●Refugee – key RE1 for the primary, RE2 for the spouse, and RE3 for all children
●Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolee – key UHP for all participants
●Victim of severe trafficking – key T1 for the primary, T2 for the spouse, and T3 for all children
●When the COA Code is verified through the SAVE/VLP or is listed on the immigration documents provided, key the actual code in the COA field.
●Key one of the following in the STAT field based on immigration status:
●Afghani Special Immigrant lawful permanent resident - LP
●Afghani Special Immigrant conditional permanent resident - AV
●Afghani Special Immigrant Parolee - EM
●Afghani Non-Special Immigrant Humanitarian Parolee - EM
●Amerasian – AM
●Asylee – AS
●Cuban and Haitian entrant – CU
●Refugee – RE
●Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolee – RU
●Victim of severe trafficking – TR
●Key the U.S. residency date in the DATE field.
●Key the document expiration date in the EXP field, when applicable.
●Key the date that the application was data entered into HEAplus in the SAVE DATE field.
●Key one of the following in the SEC REQ field:
●When the SAVE/VLP verifies the immigration status, key an N.
●When the SAVE/VLP is pending a response, key a Y.
Cuban and Haitian entrants without employment authorization meet a good cause exemption for ABAWD and NA work requirements, are deferred from Jobs compliance, and require additional special keying procedures for NA and CA. To ensure the budgetary unit is exempted from ABAWD and NA work requirements and deferred from the Jobs program compliance correctly, complete all of the following:
●Key D in the AA/AF field on SSDO for each adult participant included in the Two Parent Employment Program (TPEP) CA budgetary unit, when applicable.
●Key HC in the PAR/EXEM FS field on WERE.
●Key HC in the PAR/EXEM field for AF and NA on WORW
Legal Authorities
45 CFR 400
45 FR 59323
Section 412(a)(9) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
last revised 04/15/2024