State Refugee Office

The State Refugee Office works closely with the two Vermont voluntary resettlement agencies, the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) and the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC). The Refugee Office also collaborates with other community partners and service providers to implement and provide the below services. Partners include AALV, Age Well, Burlington and Winooski School Districts, Health Care and Rehabilitative Services, and World Learning, among many others!

Vermont’s nonprofit voluntary resettlement agencies (USCRI and ECDC) receive public and private funding and agree to resettle a number of refugees at the start of the fiscal year based on their capacity to provide services for new arrivals and the number of refugees coming into the United States. Additional money is provided to states by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement to provide self-sufficiency services. These services include:

• Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA):  Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA): Funds are designed to assist refugees during their 8- month, initial resettlement period. All refugees are entitled to Refugee Cash Assistance for their first eight months in the US. To be eligible for RCA, however, a refugee must be ineligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF - also called Reach Up in Vermont) and other cash support programs.
• Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA):  Most refugees are eligible to apply for Medicaid, in some cases where refugees do not meet Medicaid eligibility, Refugee Medical Assistance is provided.
• English Language Learning:  Resettlement agencies and community partners provide English Language Training. Classes are designed to help refugees achieve competencies in key linguistic areas, preparing them to meet their everyday language needs at work and in community life.
• Employment Services:  These include an assessment of vocational skills, job development, job placement, and follow-up services with local employers. 
• Preventive Health/Health Promotion:  Key goals of the Preventive Health Program are to promote the health and well-being of refugees and other ORR-eligible populations by connecting new arrivals to health care and health services, increasing health literacy, and organizing health education and wellness groups.
• School Impact:  Services support school-aged refugees to foster successful integration and academic achievement.
• Services for Older Refugees:  Services support older adult refugees in accessing programs available to all older adults in the state. Programming aims to help reduce isolation and to provide opportunities to engage in culturally appropriate and meaningful activities and events.