Notice2021-21369
Public/Private Refugee Cash Assistance Inflationary Increase
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 1, 2021
Effective
October 1, 2021
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentRefugee Resettlement Office
Abstract
In accordance with ORR regulations, the Director of ORR is announcing an inflationary increase to the public/private Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) program's monthly payment ceilings, effective October 1, 2021. The current payment ceilings have remained fixed since March 22, 2000, despite inflation. The new payment ceilings accommodate that inflation and will provide arriving ORR-eligible populations greater economic stability as they transition to self-sufficiency.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 188 (Friday, October 1, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 188 (Friday, October 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 54466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21369]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of Refugee Resettlement
Public/Private Refugee Cash Assistance Inflationary Increase
AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration for
Children and Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS).
ACTION: Notice of change in payment ceilings.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with ORR regulations, the Director of ORR is
announcing an inflationary increase to the public/private Refugee Cash
Assistance (RCA) program's monthly payment ceilings, effective October
1, 2021. The current payment ceilings have remained fixed since March
22, 2000, despite inflation. The new payment ceilings accommodate that
inflation and will provide arriving ORR-eligible populations greater
economic stability as they transition to self-sufficiency.
DATES: The changes described in this Federal Register Notice are
effective October 1, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colleen Mahar-Piersma, Refugee Policy
Unit, Division of Policy and Procedures, Office of the Director, Office
of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, by
phone at (202) 260-5493, and email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9ae8fffceffdffffeaf5f6f3f9e3dafbf9fcb4f2f2e9b4fdf5ec"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bdcfd8dbc8dad8d8cdd2d1d4dec4fddcdedb93d5d5ce93dad2cb">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ORR-eligible populations are eligible for up to eight months of RCA
after their initial ORR eligibility date if they are deemed ineligible
for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. When
TANF was established in 1996, ORR gave states the option to either
establish a publicly administered RCA program modeled after their TANF
program in terms of eligibility determinations and benefits levels, or
the option to establish a public/private partnership (PPP) RCA program.
States that chose the PPP RCA model proposed a plan to ORR that created
their income eligibility standard and may have included sliding scale
payments or incentives for early employment aimed at refugee self-
sufficiency, as long as they remained within the established payment
ceilings.
ORR established the PPP RCA monthly payment ceilings codified at 45
CFR 400.60(a) using the poverty guidelines developed by the Assistant
Secretary for Planning and Evaluation within HHS. These poverty
guidelines, which are updated annually, are mainly used for
administrative purposes such as determining an individual's eligibility
for certain programs. When ORR established the current PPP RCA monthly
payment ceilings, it used the 1998 HHS Poverty Guidelines with the
following formula: ``50% of the 1998 HHS Poverty Guidelines for each
family size, divided by 12 months. . . .'' Where family units were
greater than four people, the monthly payment ceiling was increased by
$70 for each additional person.
These PPP RCA payment ceilings have remained fixed since March 22,
2000, despite inflation and an increased cost of living nationwide. The
payment ceilings are insufficient to meet refugees' initial expenses
for housing, utilities, transportation, food, and other essentials, as
they acclimate to their new communities and try to secure employment.
Refugees generally have no other means of assistance such as savings or
family resources to assist in the early days of arrival. Additionally,
more than half of current projected ORR-eligible arrivals do not
benefit from assistance from the Department of State's Reception and
Placement Program, making RCA a critical source of support as they
strive for economic self-sufficiency and integration.
As such, in accordance with ORR regulations at 45 CFR 400.60(d),
the ORR Director has determined that the PPP RCA payment ceilings need
to be adjusted for inflation.
Using ORR's original formula in relation to the 2021 HHS poverty
guidelines, the adjusted PPP RCA payment ceilings are:
Public/Private RCA Payment Ceilings
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Monthly
Size of family unit payment
ceiling
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1....................................................... $537
2....................................................... 726
3....................................................... 915
4....................................................... 1,104
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Where family units are greater than four people, the monthly
payment ceiling is increased by $113 for each additional person.
These payment ceilings only apply to RCA recipients within PPP-
administered programs. All remaining RCA programs must continue to
follow their established TANF rate.
To implement the RCA payment ceilings outlined in this Notice, the
State/Replacement Designee (RD) must first revise its State Plan and
ORR-1 CMA estimate. ORR will issue further guidance on how a State/RD
should address implementation of the new public/private partnership RCA
rate in its State Plan and ORR-1 prior to the implementation of the
increased rate.
ORR will also conduct minimally, a bi-annual review of the HHS
Poverty Guidelines, the established PPP rates, and the availability of
funding with the goal of enacting more responsive and equitable cash
assistance rates in the public/private RCA program.
(Authority: 45 CFR 400.60)
Dated: September 24, 2021.
Cindy Huang,
Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
[FR Doc. 2021-21369 Filed 9-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-27-P
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This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.