UNCLASSIFIED US. Department of State CaeemNo. Doc No. CO5745688 Date: 11/16/2015 AFEILIATE AND PLACEMENT PROGRAM I OFFICE ox? ADMISSIONS RELEASE IN 0F AND MIGRATION DEPARTMENT OF STATE NATIONAL AGENCY: United States COhf?rence ofCathoi-ic Bishops LOCAL Catholic Charities of. Drange County Clarke Ellis, Senior Reviewer 85mm Amt-California; REVIEW AUTHORITY: BATES: Jannary- 16-17,,12201-4. PRM. --Maken=zieaBrookes Steve Walker STAFF ERVIEWED: Teresa- Executive Director Lo Coordinator (tetired) Lang Ton, Case Manager Tram Ha! Case Manager FINDINGS Summa to Findin 1 Monitors found Catholic Charities :of Orange County (CCOCJ mostly Receptioniand Placement Program requiremems. US, ties were generally: ensuring riafugees were accessing'services within thfe reguireci time frames, and. solid communi?ycoordinatien created. a stteamiined system health assessments and social. Security arid pubic bene?t applications. visited: one ?famiiy?whos?e: :eh'iidnen? Were-not yet certi?ed in school atter over moment-he; another: family who did not receive any assiSt'ence "the-af?liate to medical appointments, or any medicgal appointments, despitee chi-id'witlh epilepsy and auparent-with heart disease; and a. third, family who tiesor?ibed'the apartinemi?ie af?liate secured for themes unsafe and unsanitary. Refugees visited did" orientation-?de staff did-not domenstre?te a basic; undierstanding"ofCooperative Agreement implied that basic beads? support..;and core stars/ice delivery-we?re the re'spmsibi-iity oft-he USE. tier. Pro?ram Overview 0 Acetirdin? to'thetaf?iiate mitten questionnaire: Submitted to PM, been resenting :refugees-since 1.9761 Two weekspriorrto Ethe monitoring visit, the Program Coordinator retired, and two to that?thi? Program Director retired. The'pmtt- time case inanager was on extended medical leave during the visit, leaving one-ful?btime case manager and two noneRSzP staff members to. eegh in One hour per Week. 3 UNCLASSIFIED Department of State Case No. F-2013-13106 Doc No. 005745688 Date: 11/16/2015 Department of State Case No. F-2013-13106 Doc No. 005745688 Date: 11/16/2015 Therefore: three Staff members, a total .90? which are Eifunded by Staff-members speak E?gti?h, -SpaniSh,,and Vietnamese. When reftigees cannot Speak English??uently, st?f?l?y ori ties to provide interpretafim. According to State Department-Edam;four! Iraqi refugee cases comprising five individuais, and two Iraqi, and-one Afghan Speeial Immigrant Visa (SIV)..oaees artix?r?ed in ?s?cailfjfea?r (FY) 2014. In FY 2013, '33" re?tgeezcafses comprising-6'5 individuals armed, inel'uding, one SW case comprising four 'iodiv?i?duaii 0f over 75 percent-were Iraqi and 18 percent were Iranian, additiontoone Afghan and one. Somali ease. A11 cases had us. ties. The af?lia?tedoes not use any-volunteer'sandztol? monitors that'they plan tore-establishsa volunteer jorogram oncethey are full-y staffed. In addition to providing- 1162? Services, CCOC provides refugees access to its immigration and citizenship programs; a food pantry; and nutritional counseling. The executive director reported that private resources to augment the program coosist of funding from the umbrella organization and. furniture donations. Communitiz Coordination I Theaf?lirite reported-that it-consults with .the'statezfefugee coordinator (SEC) and the state refugee health coordinator (SR-HG) on an arterial ha's?isto- planf-or refugee, resettlemejht'. Regular email- eeromuoiica-tiOn also. "as does. coordination through- the Count)? Refugee Coordinator,- who ?onvenee Refugee Forum meetings-Which attend: Staff also reportedly'partic'ipate' in coliabora'tion-of .refugeeservi-ce providers, including; local Mutual Assistance.Associationg held. at ACCESS Califomia,~ the Refugee Cash Assistance program fend providing employme?t senrices-and ease-management to .re?'lgees in Staff (Jodie/standing Monitor's interviewod the executive director, who-Was joined, by-the recenti'y retired program coordinator who worked-ratthe-af?liate: for; 2'0 years: The'p'ro'gr?am eo?o?rdihator. a basic knowledge of some reqtiireme?nts, but reported to monitors that US. ties were required'to ageiist refugees witheore services. Monitors also interviewed the case manager With'ften?years? experience who. had just returned from six Weeks of'sick leave. When monitors .intemiewed him, he could notproVide I many of the required timeframes for core serviCe- delivery and overall demonstrated a- mi-nimali .uh?derstanding of "the COoperatiVe Agreement. Bioth?the programppordinator and .?rll-t?i?te easemonager described mostly infomtal 'troinihg received over the years with the ex?cepefon of attendihg two yUSCCB?tonfer/?ences; The temporary part?timercase manager rrfrorii?tors intervieweddemonstrated know-ledge of any requiremehtsrand did nor know of the CooperatiVe Agronement?sexistence; 'She? described- receiviog' only on?the-job train-ingsihce assumingzithe role three months earlier. Home .Visrrs Monitors tirisi'ted four refugee fantil-ies who arriix'ied between September. andeeuibr-rr? 120-13. UNCLASSIFIED US. Department of State Case No. Doc No. 005745688 Date: 11/16/2015 UNCLASSIFIED Department Of State Case NO. NO. 005745688 pate: 11/16/2015 Refugees ivere picked up ?from'thezairport by?th?einUS. ties, who-provided? at least temporary; initialhousing,eulturally and-adequate food supplies; Refugeessrepo?ed receiving, home visits and peeket money'within ?Veudays {of arrival a few days later ia-eh?eck for the?remainirig RELP giant, in all totaling $925 per- person. Onerefugee family visited told monitors that they felt unsafe in the apartment the af?liate fdund for them after their US. tie. couldi- no 3longer provide any assistance.- They .saidhomel?es?s people often loitered? on the building stepsand?neighbots often acted loud and the father didnot tea comfortable. leasing his wife- ?md?yomg_ :chil'dren alone diiring'the day" to look-fer Wofk. The apartment-had a clogged drain in. the kitchen a flickering overhead ?uorescent light;~ and a, pureorted insect infestation; all .had'been ?epo?ed' to the landlord. The couple. and their baby and toddler. shared-one small bedsoom thatse?arc'ely ?t a full-sitae-bed and a; crib. Thefather told monitors that he slept on theeouch in theli?ving room. Thefamily-?hadzarrived' close to three months prior to themed-itors? visit and was not-enrolled in the and program. They. said. they planned. tofjoin family in the end._.of the month when thergental assistance presided by'th?e af?liate ended. The case manager did not assist the family with WIC enrollment, know'about Sthe safety issues reported, or know about the family?s intent to move. Other housing appeareddeoent, safe, and affordable; One large family, hQWever; did not aphearito he liVingfih?the. house Visited by monitors; mend-additional furnitm'e could-be: found: to aeeommodate them and monitorscoul'd not detect any-signs of their?presencein. the When asked about sleeping arrangements, the family insisted they lived in two o'ft'heit'htee bedroomsdespite-the' lack "of additional mattresses. They told monitors they werefghouse hunting and plannedto-?move- into their own- house in the near future. They also Etold monitors they'had no desire to apply for public bene?ts stamps, nor. did they want. to .enroll?th'eir ?Ve school-aged children in school until'they found permanent housing. The easemanager told monitors" that she was also skepticalef the family?s tan-ezl'ivi-ng: Situation buydi?dnot ask to see-the bedrooms during the 30-day home- -morefthan encourage-the amuse enroll the?chisldren in school when she 'leameizl they Were still unregisteredBOdays afferar'rii?ail; The that they-had. tjrouble case manager?s aceent-when speaking English on the- telephone? Refugees irisited had timely health screenings and knew how to access medical cafe. Orieifamzijly visited arrin witha- father? and nineeyear-old ehildiboth suffering fifoni :mediealeenditions listed on theabio-data, and caseljiot'es indicated that thegaf?liate did notattem?tjto obtain an expedited medical appo'imment nor assiSt the refugees to schedule dr?attend their health s'ereenings. Althoughboth refugees did obtain timely- health assessments and receive the care they- needed, they complained to, monitors that the affiliate showed little care- for their well?'being. - All four faimil?iesf'visited reported that the case manager visited them in their-home me to three times-to discuss their wellsbein?g, any information i UNCLASSIFIED US. Department of State Case No. F-2013-13106 Doc No. 005745688 Date: 11/16/2015 UNCLASSIFIED US. Department of State Case No. DoeNo. (20535688 Date: 11/16/2915 regarding pulturaleri'entation beyond home safety isSues. Refugees told monitors that af?liate stja'ff informed them, ofithe servicesand'bene?ts available to them and" . encourageii their US. ties to provide-the necessaany a?SSiStanee to; access such services. in a timely maimer. Documeniation? of Services Monitorsfe'viewed 20? case ?les; All requested ?les, Were available?, caSenote-logs' :incl?u?ded. descriptions ofp?r?e?a'rrival. prepafati?c'ms, by the U.S. ties, phone calls with iefugees, and follow up regarding medical English language glasses (ESL) attendanc,e,;and job "search. TheLZIi?heur home visit form included descriptions of homesafety and community safety orientation, intake interview, and referrals. for health ,?aSSessments, Welfare and food stamp. applications, and so?eial -_jsec arity applications. Case note logs also generally describ?dan of?ce visit within the ?rst. seven, days when refugees and US. ties forsocialsecurity cards; food stamps-mashaidtandMedi-Cai. The visit form included? individualized details regarding the outeomeof Weliare-andfood stamp applicati?onsand health screening attendan?Ce. Eta-150 generally doeufaenfed'refugees? enrollment. in employment services, con?rmed children were enrolled in school 5by' the 30th daya?er' arrival, and, for-rougth-zhalf refugees were attending, English language "classes. Case, ?les?did not contain evidence beyond: a referral. that the af?liate assisted the refugees saith enrollment?in English language programs oremployment services within ten working days of arr-5V3}. Bight?les indieated that health assessments oecurred .-bey?ond the requii?ed ?30 daysya'nd' ?les?di-dmoteontai-n any eVidenee of ahealth .sereeningj Staff ioldmonitorsxhat scheduled'by "the eliinic'upon receipt of the Ibio~data from the Utilize; whenirefugees or their US. ties fail to call to con?rm the appointment, the health clinic calls the? (3900' case manager iorensure refugee attendance, The one .?le pertaining to afani'i?ly with young children did not include-evidence of WIC enrollment. Every case ?le contained evidence of timely initial home. visits, and all but two ?les also indicated timer 30-day home 'visits. One-?le. did net contain 1-94 forms fer four ofthe ?ve family/members, and nine ?les required redaction dueto the presence of other refugees" personal information. Financial documentation in each :?le was complete-and indieajted that the af?liate often disbursed 'additionali?mds' beyond $1.125 per person.? period: reports were found in all eligible; ?les. Complete sen/ice two ?les, Which contained blank plans signed by Iher?efugee. The one??lerevieWed Epertainin'g te-h'ousing Secured by the af?liate irgeludedj a late home safety inspection doe?mentl; all. other ?les: contained evidence-that hen-sing met housing q'Ual-ity standards atlof beforemOVe-in. UNCLASSIFIED US. Department of State Case No. Doc No. 005745688 Date: 11/16/2015 UNCLASSIFIED US. Department of State Case No. _F:gg13-13106 Doc No. C05745688 Date: 11/16/2015 Outcomes?. Re?zggzeifs? in al?Safe, Stable En vironment- Ho?mef?visits and case ?le'review indicated that refugees Were picked up at the airport by their- U.S. ties and received basic~nece33itics., One refugee family reportedi not feeling-safe in the apartment inwhich "the af?liate placcd?them and complained of'a'n insect infestation. Other-housinglappearedrdecent, safe, and affordable given the assistance re?igee's were receiving from Us. Re?tgfee can Navigate-Appropriate and Relevant. syst'eim Re?lgecs visited were using the ?bnS-or obtaining rides fromjfriends. or relatives to do their shopping and navigate their community; Af?liate staff. rcp0rtcd that they rely on US. ties to provide almost'all transportation. One family visited reported that their children were not yet enrolled in school, and the same family was awaiting the arrival of-theigr green cards. and two social security cards. Homev?isitsand case ?le review other families. experienced enrollment and. posggessed necesls?aty' identi?cation. One-fainin reported'tliat they their case managegespecial?ly-when communicating. by?phoncl All. refugees Visited Lknew'how to Contact Casef?le?s in_c1ud'ed3evidence that refugees received .infonnation-abcut personal, safety within-five days of arrival. RefugeeFamin is Connected to Means? of Home-fvisits, case ?le review,gand sta?li'ntervie?vs indicate that affiliate staff inform US. ties of ?the services for which?eac?h refugee .iste'lsigible? and expect the US. tie to aSSi'st'them with. access totiiose services, . One-family die not receive-support from a US. tie, and in that case theaf?liate instructed the faciin och-ow to access-gametes themselves" and. did not infonn themo? o'r assist-therth apply ?fon?WIC- bene?ts. The fixinily who was not receiving support?omi theixi'US. tie planned to move out of state the hopes of finding-employment anti recei?V-ing family support elsewhere. Other families visited, and case ?les reviewed, indicated that refugees. achieved self? suf?ciency through a combination of Us; tie assistance-and. public-bene?ts. Refugees could tell monitors the length of their cash assistance and all expressed the desire lto ?nd employment, with the'exception off one refugee who was. working full- time'at the time of the mon'itors? visit. The. full-time case manager could-(not adequately describe how a service- plan is developedxinstead describing how-he encoui?ages to learn English immediately. REfugfee Understands Surroundingsand?ituciion 7 All refiigees'svis'ited could'fec?it?in. English phone?number, but none of the Ere?ljgees recalled tecci?tting any orientation. and only one rergec demonstrated any/knowledge of l?le?an?ditcfultural practite?. None of-?the? familiesvisited knew the cifects of-movingcr the-importance of'completing-an AR- ll should they change their address, Eachfcageg?l'c included a cultu'ral orientation checklist as Well as orientation mpi?cs listed tun-the ?veday?home visit: form. Staff i UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No. Doc: No. 005745688 Date: 11/16/2015 US. Department, of State Case No. No. C05745688 Date: 11/16/2015 Could not deseribe any'for?mal orientation progrsm anddi?d-nm have anywrit-ten orientetion materials avail able to refugees. ?T?h'e ?be?lox?frecommendations are to be implemented immediately. Citations'belong?to {he FY 2013' Eooperative- Agreement. 2 1, U-SCCB should halt glaeement-ofrefugees- zit this-site" untilsuch time?th.at reguirements can: be- ful'?lled and {esumpti?on of placement. The af?liate shall ensure'that'housing. issues foundjduringz'the monitors? home visitsmfe address ed, namely ?the'ki'tehen. drain and non?fitne?oning light, and insect. infestation, so that in ihei'Coopera?vez Agreement, 5., and 7. The af?liate shall also fellow up with the la?ge family to ensure'rthartheir children areienroll?ed in School immediately.? and thaij they, and all refugees, safe, and sanitary have all required by'thie Geopex??ve Agreement, Section and b. 5 3., af?liate shall provide'basio needs S?prI't and core services, with appropriate interpretation,-as required by the. Connerative Agreement, Section and 5-. 4. The af?liateshall ensure thatevery refugee-receiVes-a health assessment within 3,0;de of arrival and thafxefugees ?smegma health care requirements receive apinopri ate and timely medical attention. asjrequi'red. by the :Co?operative Agreement, Section if health assessments cannot oeour?withinr required ?tne?axnes the-case note log- inelnde' a?reaS'on'for the delay, es required by. Co'op'erati'x?ze Agreement?, Section 8.6.3. .5. af?liate shall ensure that all-refugee children are assisted with meeting .so'hool eniollm'ent requirements and for school" within 30613313 of angival, as requiredjby the CooperatiVe Agfefement, sect-ion 3.0.4.1. headquarters shall-ensurefthizlt the af?liate has in place a mining plan and new staff, as. required. Agreement, Section 7. affiliate shall. ensure, thatlit assists refugees-with. enrollment inemployment- selfviees, English language programs, and other Servicestr-whi'ch the ?refngee is eligible. such as W1C, Within-the reqn'ie?ed :fime'?ames afteraarfl'val asrequired by Cooperative Agreement, Section 8.64.11, 1, and j. 8. Th}: af?liate shall ensure the mitial-reoeption and placement period,_it proyides orientatglon, with approp?at?e lengne?ge. interpretation if needed Within. 30 {lag/s o'ff'arrival. To the extent practical, W??en orientation materials in the re?ngeels nativelanguage cave-ring?the topics listed. in the Cooperative Agreement UNCLASSIFIED US. Department of State Case No. Doc No. (305745688 Date: 11/16/2015 UNCLASSIELED us. Departmentgf State Case No. F?2o1_??_1_?_106 Doc No. 005745688 Date: 11/16/2015 10. II. sh?ll be made available to the re?agee upon as required b'yrthe Cooperative Agreement, Section 8.C.5.e. Thgaf?iiate shall ensure that case; note togs include a detailed record of?basic ne?ds-suppon and Cora-service i?cl?udii?g'the date assistance with a?c?c-?ess to ??mp?ioyment programs and English language classes? healthassessments, sc?ool enrollment, and social security and-piibl-ic bene?t appiiCa?ons cecurr-ed, as? reziuired by' the Cooperative Agrwmeng Sc??t?i?on 81.10.53. 1. af?liate shall ensure that; all ?les-,afe' coiz?denti'al, as required by the Ccioperat'ive This af?liate shall ensure that eachcase file include a legib?l'egcopy' ofthe front and? ba?k ofthe- 1-94 formfor each refuge: in thq?seasc, as required by the. Cooperative 8.0.5.6;15. UNCLASSIFIED U58. Department of State Case NO. F-2013-13106 DOC No. C05745688 Date: 11/16/2015