Federal Government Grants To Support USCCB MRS Programs and Services

Reception And Placement Grant This grant is funded on a per capita basis by the U.S. Department of State/Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (DOS/BPRM). The grant supports basic resettlement services to newly arriving refugees sponsored under USCCB/MRS auspices.

Cuban/Haitian Program The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides USCCB/MRS a grant for the processing, reception and placement of Cuban and Haitian Entrants paroled by DHS into the U.S. through a program called the Cuban/Haitian Primary/Secondary Resettlement Program.

Matching Grant Program The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement (DHHS/ORR) Voluntary Agency Matching Grant Program facilitates early economic self-sufficiency through intensive employment and other services for newly-arrived refugees. USCCB/MRS and the more than sixty participating dioceses generate at least $1 in cash and in-kind contributions for each $2 in federal funds expended.

Services To Newly Arrived Refugees This grant, funded through DHHS/ORR, provides enhanced services to newly arrived refugees at sites selected for their proven success in resettlement, under the Preferred Communities program.

Refugee Marriage And Family Strengthening
The DHHS/ORR funded grant supports USCCB/MRS in a project to pilot marriage and family strengthening models in sites across the United States in order to promote and assist in sustaining healthy marriages for refugee families.

Safe Passages I
The Safe Passages Program is funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement/Division of Unaccompanied Childrens Services (ORR/DUCS). The program serves unaccompanied children who have been apprehended by immigration officials and who are in federal custody. The program provides family reunification services through a suitability assessment process and follow up services. It also places some of these children who are in federal custody in the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor programs for long-term placement. Finally the program funds sub-recipient Catholic social service agencies (foster care/group homes/shelter care) for immediate placement of children in federal custody.

Safe Passages II
This program is also funded by ORR/DUCS and serves unaccompanied children who have been apprehended by immigration officials. Through a team of USCCB/MRS and International Catholic Migration Commission field coordinators, recommendations regarding the placement, transfer and release of children in federal custody are made. The field coordinators are assigned to locations where there are high apprehensions of unaccompanied children and are housed within USCCB/MRS or Catholic Charities offices. This program includes initiatives to assist with capacity development, and drafting of guidelines and criteria related to the system of care for unaccompanied children.

Services To Victims Of Trafficking  Technical Assistance
The DHHS/ORR-funded grant supports a joint USCCB/MRS and Catholic Charities USA project to implement a national program of technical assistance and training to organized groups, service providers and communities regarding human trafficking and the provisions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.

Technical Assistance For Refugee Child Welfare Services
This DHHS/ORR funded cooperative agreement supports a joint USCCB/MRS and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) effort to develop and implement a national program of technical assistance to address the needs of refugee youth, children, and families  Bridging Refugee Youth and Childrens Services (BRYCS). This grant has received supplemental funds to provide placement services to trafficked children.

Trafficking In Unserved Areas
This grant funded through DHHS/ORR provides services to adult individuals who have been certified by ORR as trafficking victims, but are not located in an area of the United States which is serviced by an authorized provider funded by ORR. Once an individual has been certified by ORR and determined to be outside the area of any other providers, ORR will contact USCCB/MRS and request that we make contact with this individual and establish a service plan to meet their needs.