[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 84 (Monday, May 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25341-25345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10782]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Refugee Resettlement Program; Proposed Availability of Formula 
Allocation Funding for FY 2000 Targeted Assistance Grants for Services 
to Refugees in Local Areas of High Need

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of proposed availability of formula allocation funding 
for FY 2000 targeted assistance grants to States for services to 
refugees in local areas of high need.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the proposed availability of funds and 
award procedures for FY 2000 targeted assistance grants for services to 
refugees under the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP). These grants are 
for service provision in localities with large refugee populations, 
high refugee concentrations, and high use of public assistance, and 
where specific needs exist for supplementation of currently available 
resources.
    This notice continues the eligibility of those 50 counties located 
in 29 States that previously qualified for and received targeted 
assistance program (TAP) grants beginning in FY 1999 as a result of the 
three-year qualification process. The FY 2000 TAP formula allocations 
are based on the same formula as in FY 1999, updated to reflect 
arrivals during the five-year period from FY 1995 through FY 1999.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 31, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Address written comments, in duplicate, to: Gayle A. Smith, 
Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and 
Families, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20447.

Application Deadline:  The deadline for applications will be 
established by the final notice. Applications should not be sent in 
response to this notice of proposed allocations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gayle Smith, Director, Division of 
Refugee Self-Sufficiency, (202) 205-3590.

[[Page 25342]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Purpose and Scope

    This notice announces the proposed availability of funds for grants 
for targeted assistance for services to refugees in counties where, 
because of factors such as unusually large refugee populations, high 
refugee concentrations, and high use of public assistance, there exists 
and can be demonstrated a specific need for supplementation of 
resources for services to this population.
    The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has available $49,477,000 
in FY 2000 funds for the targeted assistance program (TAP) as part of 
the FY 2000 appropriation for the Department of Health and Human 
Services (Pub. L. No. 106-113).
    The Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) proposes 
to use the $49,477,000 in targeted assistance funds as follows:
    $44,529,300 will be allocated to States under the five-year 
population formula, as set forth in this notice.
    $4,947,700 (10 percent of the total) will be used to award 
discretionary grants to States under a separate grant announcement.
    The purpose of targeted assistance grants is to provide, through a 
process of local planning and implementation, direct services intended 
to result in the economic self-sufficiency and reduced welfare 
dependency of refugees through job placements.
    The targeted assistance program reflects the requirements of 
section 412(c)(2)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 
which provides that targeted assistance grants shall be made available 
``(i) primarily for the purpose of facilitating refugee employment and 
achievement of self-sufficiency, (ii) in a manner that does not 
supplant other refugee program funds and that assures that not less 
than 95 percent of the amount of the grant award is made available to 
the county or other local entity.''

II. Authorization

    Targeted assistance projects are funded under the authority of 
section 412(c)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as 
amended by the Refugee Assistance Extension Act of 1986 (Pub. L. No. 
99-605), 8 U.S.C. 1522(c); section 501(a) of the Refugee Education 
Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. No. 96-422), 8 U.S.C. 1522 note, 
insofar as it incorporates by reference with respect to Cuban and 
Haitian entrants the authorities pertaining to assistance for refugees 
established by section 412(c)(2) of the INA, as cited above; section 
584(c) of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related 
Programs Appropriations Act, 1988, as included in the FY 1988 
Continuing Resolution (Pub. L. No. 100-202), insofar as it incorporates 
by reference with respect to certain Amerasians from Vietnam the 
authorities pertaining to assistance for refugees established by 
section 412(c)(2) of the INA, as cited above, including certain 
Amerasians from Vietnam who are U.S. citizens, as provided under title 
II of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs 
Appropriations Acts, 1989 (Pub. L. No. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. No. 101-
167), and 1991 (Pub. L. No. 101-513).

III. Use of Funds

    Targeted assistance funding must be used to assist refugee families 
to achieve economic independence in accordance with regulations at 45 
CFR Part 400. The term ``refugee'' includes persons who meet all 
requirements of 45 CFR 400.43 (as amended by 65 FR 15409 (March 22, 
2000)) and 45 CFR 401.2 (Cuban and Haitian entrants). In addition to 
the statutory requirement that TAP funds be used ``primarily for the 
purpose of facilitating refugee employment'' (section 412(c)(2)(B)(i)), 
funds awarded under this program are intended to help fulfill the 
Congressional intent that ``employable refugees should be placed on 
jobs as soon as possible after their arrival in the United States'' 
(section 412(a)(1)(B)(i) of the INA). Therefore, in accordance with 45 
CFR 400.313, targeted assistance funds must be used primarily for 
employability services designed to enable refugees to obtain jobs with 
less than one year's participation in the targeted assistance program 
in order to achieve economic self-sufficiency as soon as possible. 
Under 45 CFR 400.316, a State may provide the same scope of services 
under targeted assistance as may be provided to refugees under 45 CFR 
400.154 and 45 CFR 400.155, with the exception of 45 CFR 400.155(h). 
Targeted assistance services may continue to be provided after a 
refugee has entered a job to help the refugee retain employment or move 
to a better job. Targeted assistance funds may not be used for long-
term training programs such as vocational training that last for more 
than a year or educational programs that are not intended to lead to 
employment within a year.
    States may not provide services funded under this notice, except 
for referral and interpreter services, to refugees who have been in the 
United States for more than 60 months (five years).
    In accordance with 45 CFR 400.314, States are required to provide 
targeted assistance services to refugees in the following order of 
priority, except in certain individual extreme circumstances: (a) 
Refugees who are cash assistance recipients, particularly long-term 
recipients; (b) unemployed refugees who are not receiving cash 
assistance; and (c) employed refugees in need of services to retain 
employment or to attain economic independence.
    In accordance with 45 CFR 400.317, if targeted assistance funds are 
used for the provision of English language training, such training must 
be provided in a concurrent, rather than sequential, time period with 
employment or with other employment-related activities.
    Refugees who are participating in TAP-funded or social services-
funded employment services or have accepted employment are eligible for 
day care services for children. For an employed refugee, TAP-funded day 
care should be limited to one year after the refugee becomes employed. 
States and counties, however, are expected to use day care funding from 
other publicly funded mainstream programs as a prior resource and are 
encouraged to work with service providers to assure maximum access to 
other publicly funded resources for day care.
    Reflecting section 412(a)(1)(A)(iv) of the INA, States must 
``ensure that women have the same opportunities as men to participate 
in training and instruction.'' In addition, in accordance with 45 CFR 
400.317, targeted assistance services must be provided, to the maximum 
extent feasible, in a manner that includes the use of bilingual/
bicultural women on service agency staffs to ensure adequate service 
access by refugee women.
    In accordance with 45 CFR 400.317, targeted assistance services 
must be provided in a manner that is culturally and linguistically 
compatible with a refugee's language and cultural background, to the 
maximum extent feasible. In light of the increasingly diverse 
population of refugees who are resettling in this country, refugee 
service agencies will need to develop practical ways of providing 
culturally and linguistically appropriate services to a changing ethnic 
population. Services funded under this notice must be refugee-specific 
services that are designed specifically to meet refugee needs and are 
in keeping with the rules and objectives of the refugee program. 
Vocational or job-skills training, on-the-job training, or English 
language training, however, need not be refugee-specific.

[[Page 25343]]

    Finally, in order to provide culturally and linguistically 
compatible services in as cost-efficient a manner as possible in a time 
of limited resources, ORR strongly encourages States and counties to 
promote and give special consideration to the provision of services 
through coalitions of refugee service organizations, such as coalitions 
of Mutual Assistance Associations (MAAs), voluntary resettlement 
agencies, or a variety of service providers. ORR believes it is 
essential for refugee-serving organizations to form close partnerships 
in the provision of services to refugees in order to be able to respond 
adequately to a changing refugee picture. Coalition-building and 
consolidation of providers is particularly important in communities 
with multiple service providers in order to ensure better coordination 
of services and maximum use of funding for services by minimizing the 
funds used for multiple administrative overhead costs.
    The award of funds to States under this notice will be contingent 
upon the completeness of a State's application as described in section 
VIII below.

IV. (Reserved for Discussion of Comments in the Final Notice)

V. Eligible Grantees

    Eligible grantees are those agencies of State governments that are 
responsible for the refugee program under 45 CFR 400.5 in States 
containing counties that qualify for FY 2000 targeted assistance 
awards.
    The Director of ORR proposes to determine the eligibility of 
counties for inclusion in the FY 2000 targeted assistance program on 
the basis of the method described in section VI of this notice.
    The use of targeted assistance funds for services to Cuban and 
Haitian entrants are limited to States that have an approved State plan 
under the Cuban/Haitian Entrant Program (CHEP). The State agency will 
submit a single application on behalf of all county governments that 
are qualified counties in that State. Subsequent to the approval of the 
State's application by ORR, local targeted assistance plans will be 
developed by the county government or other designated entity and 
submitted to the State.
    A State with more than one qualified county is permitted, but not 
required, to determine the allocation amount for each qualified county 
within the State. However, if a State chooses to determine county 
allocations differently from those set forth in the final notice, in 
accordance with Sec. 400.319, the FY 2000 allocations proposed by the 
State must be based on the State's population of refugees who arrived 
in the U.S. during the most recent five-year period. A State may use 
welfare data as an additional factor in the allocation of its targeted 
assistance funds if it so chooses; however, a State may not assign a 
greater weight to welfare data than it has assigned to population data 
in its allocation formula. In addition, if a State chooses to allocate 
its FY 2000 targeted assistance funds in a manner different from the 
formula set forth in the final notice, the FY 2000 allocations and 
methodology proposed by the State must be included in the State's 
application for ORR review and approval.
    Applications submitted in response to the final notice are not 
subject to review by State and area-wide clearinghouses under Executive 
Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''

VI. Qualification and Allocation

A. Qualification

    The Director of ORR will determine the qualification of counties 
for targeted assistance once every three years, as stated in the FY 
1999 notice of proposed availability of targeted assistance allocations 
to States which was published in the Federal Register on March 10, 1999 
(64 FR 11927). Since ORR determined the qualification of counties for 
targeted assistance in FY 1999, those qualifying counties determined 
eligible in FY 1999 and listed in this notice as qualified to apply for 
FY 2000 TAP funding would remain qualified for TAP funding through FY 
2001 on the basis of the most current five-year refugee/entrant arrival 
data. ORR does not plan to consider the eligibility of additional 
counties for TAP funding until FY 2002, when ORR will again review data 
on all counties that could potentially qualify for TAP funds.

B. Allocation Formula

    Of the funds available for FY 2000 for targeted assistance, 
$44,529,300 would be allocated by formula to States for qualified 
counties based on the initial placements of refugees, Amerasians, 
entrants (including Havana parolees), and Kurdish asylees in these 
counties during the five-year period from FY 1995 through FY 1999 
(October 1, 1994-September 30, 1999).
    With regard to Havana parolees, in the absence of reliable data on 
the State-by-State resettlement of this population, we are crediting 
47,805 Havana parolees who arrived in the U.S. during the past five 
years according to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), 
using the following methodology. For FY 1999, we credited the 
qualifying counties with Havana parolees according to arrival numbers 
supplied to us by the Parolee Orientation Program funded by the 
International Affairs Office of the INS. For FY 1995 through FY 1998, 
the Havana parolees for each qualifying county in Florida are based on 
actual arrival data submitted by the State of Florida; Havana parolees 
credited to qualifying counties in other States were prorated based on 
the counties' proportion of the four-year (FY 1995 through FY 1998) 
entrant population in the U.S.
    If a qualifying county does not agree with ORR's population 
estimate and believes that its five-year population for FY 1995-FY 1999 
was undercounted and wishes ORR to reconsider its population estimate, 
the county must provide the following evidence: The county must submit 
to ORR a letter from each local voluntary agency that resettled 
refugees in the county that attests to the fact that the refugees/
entrants listed in an attachment to the letter were resettled as 
initial placements during the five-year period from FY 1995-FY 1999 in 
the county making the claim. Documentation must include the name, alien 
number, date of birth and date of arrival in the U.S. for each refugee/
entrant claimed. Listings of refugees who are not identified by their 
alien numbers will not be considered. Counties should submit such 
evidence separately from comments on the proposed formula no later than 
30 days from the date of publication of this notice and should be 
addressed to: Loren Bussert, Division of Refugee Self-Sufficiency, 
Office of Refugee Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20447; telephone, (202) 401-4732; E-mail: 
[email protected]. Failure to submit the required documentation 
within the required time period will result in forfeiture of 
consideration.

VII. Allocations

    Table 1 lists the qualifying counties; the number of refugee 
(column 3) and entrant (column 4) arrivals in those counties during the 
five-year period from October 1, 1994-September 30, 1999; the number of 
Havana parolees (column 5) credited to each county during this period, 
the total number of arrivals; and the proposed amount of each county's 
allocation based on its five-year arrival population.

[[Page 25344]]



                                          Table 1.--Proposed Targeted Assistance Allocations by County: FY 2000
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                                                                                                                  Total
                  County                              State               Refugees     Entrants      Havana    arrivals FY     Total FY 2000 proposed
                                                                            \1\                     parolees    1995-1999
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------------------------------
  1Maricopa County.......................  Arizona....................        8,929          818          514       10,261                    $1,214,851
 2 Fresno County.........................  California.................        1,799            2            1        1,802                       213,348
 3 Los Angeles County....................  California.................       13,313          351          390       14,054                     1,663,923
 4 Orange County.........................  California.................        8,367           24           19        8,410                       995,702
 5 Sacramento County.....................  California.................       11,646            4            7       11,657                     1,380,130
 6 San Diego County......................  California.................        6,973          397          344        7,714                       913,299
 7 San Francisco.........................  California.................        6,288           33           34        6,355                       752,400
 8 Santa Clara County....................  California.................        8,322           47           37        8,406                       995,228
 9 Yolo County...........................  California.................        1,341            5            3        1,349                       159,715
10 Denver County.........................  Colorado...................        3,085            1            5        3,091                       365,959
11 District of Columbia..................  Dist. of Col...............        3,626           15           14        3,655                       432,734
12 Broward County........................  Florida....................          788        1,402        1,277        3,467                       410,475
13 Dade County...........................  Florida....................        7,870       26,214       37,721       71,805                     8,501,350
14 Duval County..........................  Florida....................        4,236           21           51        4,308                       510,046
15 Hillsborough County...................  Florida....................        1,648          634        1,120        3,402                       402,780
16 DeKalb County.........................  Georgia....................        7,902           12            9        7,923                       938,043
17 Fulton County.........................  Georgia....................        5,145          196          153        5,494                       650,462
18 Cook/Kane.............................  Illinois...................       15,790          368          297       16,455                     1,948,189
19 Polk County...........................  Iowa.......................        3,612            1            3        3,616                       428,116
20 Jefferson County \3\..................  Kentucky...................        3,813        1,353          621        5,787                       685,152
21 Hampden County........................  Massachusetts..............        2,281            9            6        2,296                       271,835
22 Suffolk County........................  Massachusetts..............        4,285           53           59        4,397                       520,583
23 Ingham County.........................  Michigan...................        1,927          647          290        2,864                       339,083
24 Kent County...........................  Michigan...................        2,836           73           34        2,943                       348,436
25 Hennepin County.......................  Minnesota..................        6,601            3            4        6,608                       782,354
26 Ramsey County.........................  Minnesota..................        2,024           10            7        2,041                       241,644
27 City of St. Louis.....................  Missouri...................        8,606            1            1        8,608                     1,019,144
28 Lancaster County......................  Nebraska...................        2,378           38           25        2,441                       289,002
29 Clark County \4\......................  Nevada.....................        1,566        1,261          867        3,694                       437,351
30 Hudson County.........................  New Jersey.................        1,327          665          825        2,817                       333,519
31 Bernalillo County.....................  New Mexico.................        1,051        1,006          828        2,885                       341,570
32 Monroe County.........................  New York...................        2,730          833          453        4,016                       475,474
33 New York..............................  New York...................       42,317          590          532       43,439                     5,142,960
34 Oneida County.........................  New York...................        4,698            1            1        4,700                       556,456
35 Guilford County.......................  North Carolina.............        2,430            7           11        2,448                       289,831
36 Cass County...........................  North Dakota...............        1,791            3            2        1,796                       212,637
37 Cuyahoga County.......................  Ohio.......................        3,600            7            8        3,615                       427,998
38 Multnomah.............................  Oregon.....................       11,319          776          404       12,499                     1,479,819
39 Erie County...........................  Pennsylvania...............        1,922            0            0        1,922                       227,555
40 Philadelphia County...................  Pennsylvania...............        4,833           44           37        4,914                       581,793
41 Minnehaha County \5\..................  South Dakota...............        1,592            0            0       01,592                       188,485
42 Davidson County.......................  Tennessee..................        3,248           54           42        3,344                       395,913
43 Dallas/Tarrant........................  Texas......................       11,248          525          485       12,258                     1,451,286
44 Harris County.........................  Texas......................        8,525          348          137        9,010                     1,066,739
45 Davis/Salt Lake.......................  Utah.......................        5,135            1            3        5,139                       608,432
46 Fairfax County........................  Virginia...................        3,152            7           10        3,169                       375,194
48 City of Richmond......................  Virginia...................        2,310          103           72        2,485                       294,212
48 King/Snohomish........................  Washington.................       13,378           51           34       13,463                     1,593,952
49 Pierce County.........................  Washington.................        2,421           10            7        2,438                       288,647
50 Spokane County........................  Washington.................        3,255            0            1        3,256                       385,494
                                                                       ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total................................  ...........................      289,279       39,024       47,805      376,108                   44,529,300
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\1\ Refugees includes refugees, Kurdish asylees, and Amerasian immigrants from Vietnam.
\2\ For FY 1999, the Havana parolees for all counties are based on actual data. For previous years, the Havana parolees of Florida counties are based on
  actual data, while parolees from other counties are prorated based on each county's proportion. of the four-year (FY 1995-1998) entrant population.
\3\ The allocation for Jefferson County, Kentucky will be awarded to the Kentucky Wilson/Fish project.
\4\ The allocation for Clark County, Nevada will be awarded to the Nevada Wilson/Fish.
\5\ The allocation for Minnehaha County, South Dakota will be awarded to the South Dakota Wilson/Fish project.


[[Page 25345]]

    Table 2 provides State totals for proposed targeted assistance 
allocations.

   Table 2.--Targeted Assistance Proposed Allocations by State: FY 2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          State                               FY 2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona.................................................      $1,214,851
California..............................................       7,073,745
Colorado................................................         365,959
District of Columbia....................................         432,734
Florida.................................................       9,824,651
Georgia.................................................       1,588,505
Illinois................................................       1,948,189
Iowa....................................................         428,116
Kentucky................................................         685,152
Massachusetts...........................................         792,418
Michigan................................................         687,519
Minnesota...............................................       1,023,998
Missouri................................................       1,019,144
Nebraska................................................         289,002
Nevada..................................................         437,351
New Jersey..............................................         333,519
New Mexico..............................................         341,570
New York................................................       6,174,890
North Carolina..........................................         289,831
North Dakota............................................         212,637
Ohio....................................................         427,998
Oregon..................................................       1,479,819
Pennsylvania............................................         809,348
South Dakota............................................         188,485
Tennesee................................................         395,913
Texas...................................................       2,518,025
Utah....................................................         608,432
Virginia................................................         669,406
Washington..............................................       2,268,093
                                                         ---------------
    Total...............................................     $44,529,300
------------------------------------------------------------------------

VIII. Application and Implementation Process

    States that are currently operating under approved management plans 
for their FY 1999 targeted assistance program and wish to continue to 
do so for their FY 2000 grants may provide the following in lieu of 
resubmitting the full currently approved plan:
    The State's application for FY 2000 funding shall provide:
     Assurance that the State's current management plan for the 
administration of the targeted assistance program, as approved by ORR 
in FY 1999, will continue to be in full force and effect for the FY 
2000 targeted assistance program, subject to any additional assurances 
or revisions required by this notice which are not reflected in the 
current plan. Any proposed modifications to the approved plan will be 
identified in the application and are subject to ORR review and 
approval, e.g., if the State assumes local administration of the 
program or if the State chooses to determine county allocations 
differently. Any proposed changes must address and reference all 
appropriate portions of the FY 1999 application content requirements to 
ensure complete incorporation in the State's management plan.
     A line item budget and justification for State 
administrative costs limited to a maximum of five percent of the total 
award to the State. Each total budget period funding amount requested 
must be necessary, reasonable, and allocable to the project.
     All applicants must submit targeted assistance performance 
goals as described under Section IX.

IX. Results or Benefits Expected

    All applicants must establish targeted assistance proposed 
performance goals for each of the six ORR performance outcome measures 
for each targeted assistance county's proposed service contract(s) or 
sub-grants for the next contracting cycle. Proposed performance goals 
must be included in the application for each performance measure. The 
six ORR performance measures are: entered employments, cash assistance 
reductions due to employment, cash assistance terminations due to 
employment, 90-day employment retentions, average wage at placement, 
and job placements with available health benefits. Targeted assistance 
program activity and progress achieved toward meeting performance 
outcome goals are to be reported quarterly on the ORR-6, the 
``Quarterly Performance Report.''

X. Reporting Requirements

    States will be required to submit quarterly reports on the outcomes 
of the targeted assistance program, using the same form which States 
use for reporting on refugee social services formula grants. This is 
Schedule A and Schedule C, pages 1 and 2 of the ORR-6 Quarterly 
Performance Report form (OMB #0970-0036).

XI. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)

    This notice does not create any reporting or recordkeeping 
requirements requiring OMB clearance.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 93.584

    Dated: April 25, 2000.
Lavinia Limon
Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement.
[FR Doc. 00-10782 Filed 4-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P