UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2016-04483 Doc No. C06334611 Date: 06/15/2017

AFFILIATE MONITORING REPORT
RECEPTION AND PLACEMENT PROGRAM
OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS
BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEES, AND MIGRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
NATIONAL AGENCIES:

United States Conference. of Catholic Bishops

LOCAL AFFILIATE:

Catholic Charities, Diocese of San Diego

LOCATION:

San Diego, California

MONITORING DATES:

June 15-16, 2016

PRM MONITORS:

Makenzie Brookes and June Tancredi

STAFF INTERVIEWED:

Lejla Voloder, Program Manager
Blanca De Los Rios, Senior Resettlement Specialist.
Malila Monololo, Case Manager

RELEASE IN FULL

FINDINGS

(

Summary of Findinzs
Monitors found Catholic Charities, Diocese of San Diego (CCDSD) mostly compliant
with Reception and Placement Prograrn (R&P) requirements. Housing is overcrowded,
not always affordable, and does not consistently contain all required furnishings and
supplies. Refugees are connected to and enrolled in eligible services soon after arrival.
Monitors visited well-oriented refugees who are navigating San Diego independently and
with the help of U.S. ties. Documentation is complete and case notes paint a clear and
detailed picture of R&P services, including deficiencies in core services and basic need
support and use of appropriate interpretation. Monitors reviewed one M5 refugee minor
case file that documented inappropriate interpretation and unsuitable living conditions
and sleeping arrangements.
REVIEW AUTHORITY: Charles Lahiguera, Senior
Reviewer
R&P Praeram Overview
According to information provided by the affiliate in a written questionnaire, CCDSD has
been resettling refugees in San Diego since 1975. Ten staff members, a total of 7.9-FTEs,
provide R&P services, of which 7.5 are funded by R&P. Resettlement staff members
speak Arabic, Bosnian, French, German, Italian, Lingala, Portuguese, Spanish, and
Swahili. When CCDSD staff cannot provide interpretation, they choose from a group of
12 on-call interpreters, or occasionally ask refugee community members to volunteer "
their time. According to fiscal year (FY) 2016 Department of State data, as of May 23,
the affiliate had resettled 86 refugee cases comprising 235 individuals. Of this refugeé
caseload, 70 percent are Iraqi, ten percent are Congolese, and smaller percentages are
Afghan, Burmese, Ethiopian, Iranian, Somali, and Syrian. The affiliate also assisted 27
Afghan special immigrant visa (SIV) cases comprising 99 individuals and five Iraqi SIV

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cases comprising 17 individuals. EightY-five percent of this combined total caseload has
U.S. ties.
In addition to R&P services, CCDSD administers Refugee Cash Assistance through the
Wilson-Fish program for all refugees in San Diego. Refugees can also access a host of
employment services through the Wilson-Fish program, as well as through the Office of
Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-funded Matching Grant program. CCDSD offers
immigration services as well as acculturation training, which includes a variety of
sessions regarding cultural assessment, orientation, and adjustment. Refugees can also
benefit from services offered under the umbrella of CCDSD, including counseling and a
food pantryand thrift store. CCSD also operates an onsite county-funded Refugee Health
Assessment Program (RHAP), providing immunizations and health assessments for the
majority of San Diego's refugees. The affiliate reported that eight trained and supervised
volunteers provide hands-on bus trainings, teach refugees English, lead acculturation
sessions, drive refugees to appointments, and serve as mentors. Additional resources that
bolster the R&P Program include furniture and supply donations and small cash
contributions; the program manager said their fundraising program is under development.

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Communitv Coordination
The program manager reported strohg collaboration with the state and county refugee
coordinators and the state and county refugee health coordinators. As the administrator
for Wilson-Fish and RHAP, the director described close, longstanding relationships with
the state, county, and public health personnel as well as with the three other resettlement
affiliates in San Diego. The State Advisory Council on Refugee Assistance and Services
(SAC) quarterly community consultations occur via teleconference, while county-level
Community Action Partnership (CAP) quarterly meetings happen in person. With the
exception of regular attendance by local- elected officials from either El Cajon or San
Diego, both meetings satisfy the requirements of the Cooperative Agreement. CCDSD
also participates in monthly meetings of the San Diego Refugee Forum where refugee
service providers, ethnic and faith-based community support groups, and community
members convene to share information and address issues relating to refugee resettlement
in the area.
Staff Understandinz
Monitors interviewed the program manager of 18 years who oversees the R&P Program;
a senior resettlement specialist of 12 years who conducts 30-day home visits and
manages donations; and a case manager of six months who manages most core services
and basic needs support, with the exception of airport pick-ups, home visits, and cultural
orientation.
The program manager presented monitors a comprehensive training plan for new staff
and an FY 2016 training plan for all R&P staff, which consisted of 14 USCCB R&P
webinar topics and other CCDSD-wide trainings. The newly hired case manager
described a variety of training activities, but said she had never Orticipated in a USCCB
webinar. Both the case manager and the senior resettlement specialist demonstrated a
thorough understanding of the Cooperative Agreement topics that fell under their specific

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purviews but could not elaborate on other requirements. The program manager, who
demonstrated a complete understanding of R&P requirements, holds weekly resettlement
meetings to review active cases, and bimonthly department meetings to train staff and
present on special topics. She conducts a quality assurance review on 20% of R&P case
files as well as reviewing cases in order to submit accurate R&P Period Reports.
Home Visits
Monitors visited four refugee families who arrived between February and March 2016.
Three families were met at the airport by their U.S. ties and one family was met by a
CCDSD staff member who could not communicate with the family in a common
language. All families stayed with their U.S. ties for at least a few days after arrival. One
family of seven moved into.a spacious, unaffordable two-bedroom apartment that the
U.S. tie secured for them. Pre-arrival case notes documented that the affiliate had found
an affordable two-bedroom apartment for the family but abandoned it after the U.S. tie
rejected the neighborhood, saying he would rent an apartment closer to him and ask his
relatives to reimburse him with R&P funds. The family said they received their R&P
funds within the first ten days of arrival and after paying for rent and basic supplies did
not have enough to buy furniture. When monitors visited, three male teenagers slept on
three mattresses on the floor while the parents slept on a queen-sized bed and bedframe;
the two youngest children reportedly slept on two of the three couches in the living room.
The family said they bought their couches, table and chairs, and mattresses over the
course of two months. The case file documented that at the 30-day home visit the family
was) sleeping on the floor and the senior resettlement specialist counseled them about the
importance of having beds.
Another family of five lived in a small one-bedroom apartment in an apartment complex
managed and inhabited by members of the family's ethnic group. All five family
members slept in a small bedroom that contained a queen-sized bed and bedframe and a
bunk bed missing its top bunk's mattress due to bed bugs. The family reported that the
two adolescent boys shared the bottom bunk while the three-year-old girl slept in the
large bed with the parents. The apartment did not contain a couch. The family reported
seeing many cockroaches since moving -in, despite the landlord's efforts to eradicate the
infestation with insecticide. The case file documented that the family requested that the
affiliate purchase their furniture and supplies but did not provide a reason for the missing
couch or beds.
All refugees received culturally appropriate ready-to-eat foodl, a housing and personal
safety orientation, food supplies, and pocket money upon arrival. Refugees described
receiving two home visits that assessed their wellbeing and current or expected needs, but •
one family said their U.S. tie did not speak enough English to properly interpret at either
home visit, one family said the affiliate used a phone interpreter for both visits, and one
family never received a home visit after moving from their U.S. tie's apartment to
permanent housing after 30 days.
Refugees were assisted with all required enrollments and applications soon after arrival.
The three families with young children used car seats and were enrolled in the Special

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Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, and
both families with school-aged children described timely enrollment in the local
elementary school. One refugee had started a part-time job and others were participating
in an employment program. Monitors visited three families with English speaking adults,
and those adults who did not speak English had been assisted to enroll in English
language classes, with all but one regularly attending. Refugees visited could explain
their public benefit amounts and all but one could explain the parameters of the benefits
they were receiving, but two families expressed concern about paying for future
household expenses.
Refugees reported receiving cultural orientation (CO), though for two families
interpretation was inadequate. All adults could recall certain orientation topics they
learned and knew their address and phone numbers in English, how to dial 911, how to
ask for an interpreter, where to go if they became sick, how to ride the bus, and where to
get help to apply for family members to join them in the U.S. One family did not know
about the requirements regarding address changes.
Documentation of Service
Monitors reviewed 18 case files. All requested files were available. Case note logs
included the date, mode, and substance of regular contact between CCDSD staff and
refugees and a detailed record of basic needs support and core service delivery. All case
files indicated that refugees had timely intake interviews, applied for social security cards
within seven days, and acknowledged receipt of their full per capita funds within ten days
of arrival. One file documented that a refugee out-migrated after one .week and did not
include evidence of an attempt to transfer the case or counsel the refugee regarding the
consequences of out-migration; the refugee received and signed for the full R&P per
capita amount on the same day he reported his intention to out-migrate. Case files
included evidence that refugees applied for health insurance, cash assistance, and food
stamps within seven'working days of arrival and also included a complete record of
public assistance, including outcomes, and start dates. All files documented timely
assistance with enrollment in English language programs, employment services, and
other services for which refugees were eligible. Case files evidenced timely health
assessments, school enrollments, and home visits. All files contained Form I-94s, timely
and complete service plans, and accurate R&P Period Reports, where applicable. One file
did not include evidence that the family received any necessary furnishings or supplies,
three files documented that furniture was missing at the 30-day home visit, one file
documented that temporary housing was too small, and one file only included home
safety checklists for permanent housing, not temporary housing. Files documented that
refugees attend CO, with the exception of a family who could not participate because the
affiliate could not secure appropriate interpretation. Five files did not include CO
assessments and two files included late assessments. Two of the five case files with males
between 18 and 26 years of age did not include any record of Selective Service
registration.
Monitors reviewed one file for two M5 refugee minors and it documented a complete
suitability determination and regular and personal contact throughout the 90-day period.

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However, the file documented that during all home visits and the follow up evaluation the
legally adoptive mother served as the interpreter. The family of four lived in a onebedroom apartment and the teenaged sisters shared a twin bed in the same bedroom as
their mother and stepfather.
Outcomes
Refugee Is in a Safe, Stable Environment
Overall, refugees are met at the airport with appropriate language interpretation. Housing
is overcrowded, not always affordable or sanitary, and does not always contain all
required fiirnishings and supplies. Refugees generally receive required home visits, but
not always with appropriate language interpretation. Case files, staff interviews, and
home visits confirm these findings.
Refugee Can Navigate Appropriate and Relevant Systems
Home visits confirm that refugees are using public transportation, walking, or driving to
go shopping, to English class, and to appointments. Home visits, case files, and staff
interviews establish that refugees apply for and receive social security cards in a timely
manner. Refugees possess health insurance, can access health care, and know how to
contact emergency services. Refugee children are enrolled in school within 30 days of
arriyal. According to home visits, refugees know how to ask for an interpreter and
refugees know where to get help to file paperwork to bring family members to the U.S.
Refugee Is Connected to Means of Ongoing Support
Home visits, case files, and staff interviews indicate timely applications for public
assistance and enrollment in eligible services, including employment services. Generally,
refugees understood the source and timeframe of their primarily welfare-based income.
Two refugees visited expressed concern about meeting future household expenses.
Refugee Understands Surroundings and Situation
Home visits confirm that refugees know their address and phone humber and most
understand the effects of moving. Refugees demonstrated that they understand various
U.S. laws and cultural practices, and case files include evidence of CO but not always
evidence that refugees understand orientation topics. Home visits and staff interviews
indicate thatrefugees generally understand their role as well as the affiliate's role in the
resettlement process.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Unless otherwise specified, the following recommendations are to be implemented
immediately. Reference is to the FY 2016 Cooperative Agreement.
1. The affiliate should ensure that it provides core services, including required home
visits, refugee minor follow up evaluations, and CO with appropriate language
interpretation, as required by the Cooperative Agreement, Section 16.g.5).

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• 2. The affiliate should ensure that upon arrival refugees are provided decent, safe,
and sanitary housing based on federal housing quality standards or local or state
standards if local or state standards are higher than federal standards. Housing
should provide minimum habitable area for each occupant, including number of
bedrooms or sleeping areas; housing should be affordable and to the extent
possible, the family should be able to assume payment of rent at the end of the
R&P period, based upon projected family income from all sources; and each
residence shall be free of rodent and insect infestation., as required by the
Cooperative Agreement, Sections 16.g.4).a) and 16.g.4).a).iii, vi, and viii.
3. The affiliate should ensure that upon arrival refugees receive all furniture and
supplies, including sufficient beds (only married couples or small children of the
same gender may be expected to share beds) and bedframes and one couch,
required by the Cooperative Agreement, Section 16.g.4).b).
4. The affiliate should ensure that case files include evidence that housing, including
temporary housing, was provided in accordance with the Cooperative Agreement,
as required in Section 16.g.2).e).
5. The affiliate should ensure that case files include documentation of refugee
understanding of orientation topics, as required, by the Cooperative Agreement,
Section 16.g.2).g).
6. The affiliate should ensure that local governance (city and/or county, as
applicable) participate in quarterly consultations, as required by the Cooperative
Agreement, Section 16.e.1).
7. The affiliate should ensure that refugees register with the selective service within
30 days, as appropriate, and that case files include evidence of the registration and
that the refugee was provided with information on the requirement to notify the
Selective Service System of each change of address, as required by the
Cooperative Agreement, Section 16.g.5).c).viii and 16.g.2).1).

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