State Refugee Office
The mission of the State Refugee Office is to promote and provide a safe and welcoming home for refugees and immigrants, and to promote their full participation as self-sufficient individuals and families in the economic, social, and civic life of Vermont. Eligible groups include: Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa Holders, Amerasians, Asylees, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, Human Trafficking Victims, Legal Permanent Residents, and Refugees.
The State Refugee Office is part of the Agency of Human Services and works through a network of service providers in Vermont to meet the educational, cultural, and linguistic needs of refugees and immigrants. The Vermont Refugee Office is directed by Tracy Dolan Tracy.Dolan@vermont.gov.
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.
USCRI: Serving northern Vermont
Phone: 802-655-1963
Email: vrrp@uscrivt.org
462 Hegeman Ave, Suite 101, Colchester, VT 05446
ECDC: Serving southern Vermont
ECDC; ECDC Vermont Facebook page
112 Hardwood Way, Suite 1, Brattleboro, VT 05301
English Language Learning
- USCRI English Language Learning Program: USCRI Office in Vermont - U.S. Committee for Refugees & Immigrants
- Burlington School District: Parent University Classes
- World Learning: World Learning Inc. – World Learning Inc.
- Northeast Kingdom Learning Services: https://neklsvt.org/adult-education-in-vermont/
- Central Vermont Adult Basic Education: https://cvabe.org/english-language/
- The Tutorial Center: https://tutoringvermont.org/full-services-list/#toggle-id-7
- Vermont Adult Learning: https://vtadultlearning.org/services/#english-language-learning-el
Employment Services
Employment services include an assessment of vocational skills, job development, job placement, and follow-up services with local employers. Refugees often find full-time employment within the first two or three months of arrival.
- AALV
- Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation: Welcome to Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation - Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation
- ECDC
- USCRI Vermont
- Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
Legal Assistance
- Legal Resources for Afghan Parolees and Co-sponsorship Teams in Vermont
- Afghan legal assistance:
Language Access
- USCRI Vermont: Interpretation and translation services available for service providers. In-person and phone-based interpretation options available.
- AALV: Interpretation and translation services available for service providers.
- Vermont Language Justice Project: Translated video series on wide variety of health and social services topics.
Refugee Resettlement: Resources and technical assistance
- Who are Refugees and How Do They Arrive in the United States? Understanding the Refugee Resettlement Process - Switchboard (switchboardta.org)
- Switchboard is a technical assistance organization funded by The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to provide free consultation and training to U.S. resettlement agencies and affiliates, state agencies, community-based organizations, and others. This includes support by phone or email, virtual training, and, where feasible, in-person training. They also maintain a research database to help refugee service providers develop and implement programs based on the best available evidence. They publish periodic evidence summaries that compile relevant research and implications for practice within programs serving refugees and other ORR eligible populations.
- Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)
- U.S. State Department, Bureau of Population, Refugees & Migration (PRM)
Cultural Backgrounders
- Afghan Cultural Quick Reference Guide
- A Round-up of Resources for Serving Afghan Evacuees
- Cultural Orientation Resource Center: Introduction to the people, history and cultures of different refugee groups and populations
- Afghan Backgrounder
- Ukrainian Backgrounder
To get health insurance from Vermont Health Connect, immigrants must have eligible immigration status. This means they must be in the U.S. legally. This includes refugees, asylees, victims of trafficking, and many others. To learn more, please visit https://dvha.vermont.gov/information-for-non-citizens. The Immigrant Health Insurance Plan (IHIP) is a state-funded health care program for pregnant individuals and children under age 19 who have an immigration status for which Vermont Medicaid is not available. To learn more, visit Immigrant Health Insurance Plan (IHIP) | Department of Vermont Health Access.
- Domestic Health Assessment: The domestic medical screening program was established as part of the Refugee Act of 1980. All refugees and other eligible individuals should receive this comprehensive medical examination that screens for a wide range of infectious diseases and non-communicable conditions.
- Forms
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- Vermont Refugee Medical Screening Form, updated 11/8/2022 (Domestic Health Assessment/DHA). (Note that the DHA is formatted as a dynamic form. These forms are not compatible with many of the internet browser previews. See Dynamic PDF Forms and Web Browser Incompatibility for more information).
- Vermont Domestic Health Assessment Cover Letter
- Screening Guidance and Protocol
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- Health care providers that have questions or are interested in participating in Vermont's medical screening program can contact the Refugee Health Program for more information: Allie Perline, Refugee Health Coordinator, Allison.Perline@Vermont.gov.
- Immigration medical exam for change of status application: When you apply for a green card (adjustment of status) in the United States, you are required to undergo an immigration medical examination. The examination must be done by a doctor who is designated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS designates certain doctors (known as civil surgeons) to perform the immigration medical examination required for most green card applicants. To find a designated civil surgeon in Vermont, visit Find a Civil Surgeon | USCIS.
- Culturally responsive mental health providers:
- Connecting Cultures, Burlington, VT
- Health Care and Rehabilitation Services of Vermont, Brattleboro, VT
- United Counseling Service, Bennington, VT
- Resources for Health Care Providers
- CDC Refugee Domestic Screening Guidance: Key Considerations and Best Practices
- CareRef: Recommends screening tests and other preventive care to be included in the medical screening based on demographic and geographic factors that contribute to risk for a particular individual.
- Vermont Refugee Health Webinar Series, Vermont Medical Society: Deeper dive into elements of the medical screening as well as introduction to culturally and linguistically appropriate health care.
- Centers of Excellence in Newcomer Health: Includes a number of great refugee health resources and links to recorded webinars on the initial refugee domestic medical screening.
- Refugee Health Profiles: Each profile is a comprehensive resource describing the demographic, cultural, and health characteristics of specific populations.
- EthnoMed: Contains information about cultural beliefs, medical issues and related topics pertinent to the health care of many of whom are refugees.
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM)
- Updated I-693 Covid-Vaccine
- Designated Civil Surgeons: Notifications and alerts for current Civil Surgeons, as well as resources and guidance for clinicians interested in becoming a Civil Surgeon, (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services webpage)
- Translated Health Materials
- Vermont Department of Health COVID-19 Translations
- MedlinePlus: Health Information in Multiple Languages
- Translated Vaccine Information Statements
- NRC-RIM translated health fact sheets: Fact Sheets | National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM) (nrcrim.org)
- Health Information Translations: healthinfotranslations.org
Although there are no resources available directly through the Refugee Office to support asylum seekers, Vermont’s Asylum Assisting Network is available to provide linkage to services and supports based on current capacity.
Windham County:
CASP (Community Asylum Seekers Project)
PO Box 1355, Brattleboro VT 05302
www.caspvt.org
info@caspvt.org
Chittenden County:
CASAN (Chittenden Asylum Seekers Assistance Network)
PO Box 8045, Essex Junction, VT 05451
www.casanvermont.org
casanvermont@gmail.com
Asylum Seeker Assistance Project (ASAP), Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity
PO Box 1603, Burlington, VT 05402
Sandrine Kibuey
skibuey@cvoeo.org
Montpelier:
CVRAN (Central VT Refugee Action Network)
P.O. Box 910 Montpelier, VT 05601
www.cvran.org
cvran910@gmail.com
Northeast Kingdom:
NEKASAN (NorthEast Kingdom Asylum Seekers Assistance Network)
P.O. Box 4123
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
www.nekasan.org
nekasanvt@gmail.com
Randolph:
RAASS (Randolph Area Asylum Seekers Support)
www.raass.org
raassboard@gmail.com
Rutland:
B2R (Bridge to Rutland, Inc.)
8 Court Street, Rutland, VT 05701
bridgetorutland.wordpress.com
bridgetorutland@gmail.com
Upper Valley:
SHARe (Supporting and Helping Asylum Seekers and Refugees)
PO Box 264, Norwich, VT 05055
www.sharevtnh.org
sharevtnh@gmail.com
New arrivals continue to come to Vermont through the traditional resettlement pathway, which is in connection to one of the state’s Refugee Resettlement Agencies, USCRI Vermont and ECDC. A new and expanding resettlement pathway is via connection to private sponsors/financial supporters. Sponsors/financial sponsors who are supporting these newcomers have agreed through the sponsor process to provide some financial and other supports for newly arriving guests. This includes taking a lead role in assisting with securing initial housing and basic needs, applying for federal or state benefits, ensuring healthcare and medical needs are met, and accessing education.
Private sponsorship programs are operating independently from state Refugee Offices and their coordinated partnerships with resettlement agencies. However, the Vermont Refugee Office is available to provide any needed support or guidance to sponsors and/or beneficiaries in connecting with needed services and programs. Additionally, the state’s refugee resettlement agencies can and will assist with services after the initial 90 days of resettlement.
Currently, there are three main sponsor programs that newcomers may arrive through:
- Welcome Corps: Welcome Corps is a new federal private sponsorship program. Groups of at least five individuals can apply to privately sponsor refugees by securing and preparing initial housing, enrolling children in school, and helping adults find employment.
- Uniting for Ukraine | USCIS: Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a 2-year period of parole. Ukrainians participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a sponsor/supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the United States.
- Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans | USCIS: Individuals participating in this program must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their parole in the United States. Individuals eligible for consideration for parole under this program are Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, or Venezuelan nationals and their immediate family members. Cubans and Haitians paroled under this new supporter-based parole process are eligible for Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) refugee benefits and services and are eligible to apply for work authorization and a Social Security number. Nicaraguan and Venezuelan parolees are not currently eligible for ORR-funded refugee benefits and services but are eligible to apply for work authorization and a Social Security number.
If you are interested in helping newly arriving refugee families settle into Vermont by volunteering, donating items or donating money, please follow the links below.
In Chittenden County and surrounding areas, you can donate to or volunteer with USCRI:
- Volunteer or offer assistance with U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) please email volunteer@uscrivt.org to volunteer.
- Donate to Services for Vermont Refugees
In Brattleboro and surrounding areas, you can donate to or volunteer with ECDC and partners: