Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
(a) Refugee cash
assistance (RCA). The RCA program is a Federal program that provides cash
assistance to refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants and asylees eligible under this
Part in order to assist them to achieve self-sufficiency as soon as possible.
RCA is a publicly administered program through the social services district in
which refugees, entrants and asylees reside.
(b) Relationship to other regulations of the
office. To the extent consistent with this Subpart, regulations of the office
governing public assistance will apply to RCA. Such regulations include Part
349 (General Provisions), Part 350 (Application), Part 351 (Investigation and
Eligibility), Part 352 (Standards of Assistance), Part 355 (Information
Pamphlets; Notification of Decisions), Part 356 (Inquiries and Complaints),
Part 357 (Confidential Nature of Records) and Part 358 (Fair Hearings) all of
this Title.
(c) Definitions.
(1) Employability plan means an
individualized written plan for a refugee, asylee or entrant registered for
employment services that sets forth a program of services intended to result in
the earliest possible employment of the refugee or entrant.
(2) Employable means not exempt from
registration for employability services as set forth in section
373-1.8(b)
of this Subpart.
(3) Family
self-sufficiency plan means a plan that addresses the employability service
needs of the employable members of a family for the purpose of enabling the
family to become self-supporting through the employment of one or more family
members.
(4) Filing unit means the
individual or individuals whose needs are considered in determining eligibility
for, and the amount of, a payment of RCA for which Federal funding is
claimed.
(5) Registrant means an
individual who has registered for employability services set forth in this
Subpart.
(6) Authorized service
provider means a public or private community agency that has entered into a
contract with the office to provide employment services to recipients of
RCA.
(7) Employability services
means services designed to enable an individual to obtain employment and to
improve the employability or work skills of the individual.
(8) Local resettlement agency means a local
affiliate or subcontractor of a national voluntary agency that has entered into
a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement with the United State Department of
State or other appropriate Federal agency to provide for the reception and
initial placement of refugees in the United States.
(d) Opportunity to apply for cash assistance.
(1) A social services district must provide
any individual wishing to do so, an opportunity to apply for cash assistance
and must determine the eligibility of each application as promptly as possible
within no more than 30 days from the date of application.
(2) A social services district must inform
applicants about the eligibility requirements and the rights and
responsibilities of applicants and recipients under the RCA program.
(3) In determining eligibility for cash
assistance, a social services district must promptly refer elderly or disabled
refugees and refugees with dependent children to other cash assistance programs
to apply for assistance.
