Office of Refugee Resettlement


Home Welcome Agenda Session Descriptions Conference Registration Hotel Information Contact Information	Session Descriptions Wednesday, May 28 2:15 – 3:45 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions A Track 1 – Eligibility Policy SSA: Refugees as Applicants for Social Security Numbers: Procedures for Verification of Immigration Status Speaker: Ann Augustine, Social Insurance Specialist, Office of Eligibility and Enumeration Policy, Office of Income Security Programs, Social Security Administration Moderator: Thomas Pabst, ORR The speaker will give an overview of the Social Security Enumeration Application Process, required documentation, Databases (Central Index System, SAVE access, RAPS, Form G-845, response times and POMS), and problems and delays encountered by refugees in obtaining SSA cards. Refugee Eligibility Issues Speakers: Gayle Smith, ORR Moushumi Beltangady, ORR This session will provide an overview of eligibility issues for refugee populations, including opportunity for questions and answers. Track 2 – Child Welfare Consultation with the field: Standards for Best Practice in Child-Serving ORR Programs Moderator: Ken Tota, ORR This session is designed as an opportunity for ORR to discuss with participants ORR’s current focus on child welfare issues in ORR programs and the need for improved consistency in standards and practice across programs. The will provide background on the genesis of this topic, discuss the direction ORR would like to persue and invite audience participation regarding their experiences with accreditation, program standards, what we have and what we needed. Track 3 – Highlighted Client Services The Employment and Training Administration Workforce System: Composition, Contributions, and Collaboration Proposed Speakers: Janet Sten, Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration Robin Fernkas, DOL/ETA Moderator: Laura Garcia, ORR The session is designed for providers who work with their local Department of Labor offices and One-stop career centers, or who would like to know where these centers are and what services are available to refugees. It will be led by members of the ORR/DOL Collaborative that came about after the 2007 ORR Consultation, and will describe the Workforce Investment System, how it relates to the refugee service network, and successful models of collaboration. Mental Health Issues: the Refugee Program (SAMHSA) Speakers: Captain John Tuskan, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Moderator: Marta Brenden, ORR Captain John Tuskan of SAMHSA provides technical assistance to ORR for refugee mental health. He will speak about the experiences of refugees (which can be similar to other ORR clients, including trafficked victims and unaccompanied alien children) and impacts on their well-being and behavioral health. He will also address potential issues/impacts that federal professionals face by working with and hearing stories of such vulnerable clients. Refugee Healthy Marriage: Aspects of Domestic Violence Speakers Rosie Hidalgo, Director of Policy & Research, National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence (Alianza) Moderator: Jill Morris, ORR Domestic violence is a violation of the fundamental, universal human right to security of person and freedom from violence. Due to previous experiences of trauma it is believed that refugee women may suffer a triple burden based on their gender, race, and immigration status. Increasing evidence indicates there are large numbers of refugee women trapped and isolated in violent relationships. This session provides an overview of domestic violence, and its junction with immigration and refugee communities. Track 4 – Innovation, Research, and Updates Evaluations of Refugee Resettlement Services Speakers Mary Farrell, Lewin Group Sam Elkin, Lewin Group Peggy Halpern, Office of HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Moderator: Henley Portner, ORR Representatives of the Lewin Group and the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) will present their findings from studies they have conducted on refugee resettlement services. The study conducted by Lewin focuses on employment services; the study conducted by ASPE evaluates lessons learned in the refugee resettlement self-sufficiency programs that may be applicable to mainstream programs. Serving Survivors of Torture – Emerging Iraqi Needs Speakers: Husam Abdulkhaleq, ACCESS Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center Abdallah Boumediene, ACCESS Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center Abigail Alexander, National Partnership for Community Training, Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services Moderator: Holly Herrera, ORR According to recent figures, the United States is expecting to resettle approximately 12,000 Iraqi refugees this year. For the new arrivals their resettlement path may include periods of time in countries such as Syria or Jordan, while others, specifically those working closely with the Multi-National Coalition, may come directly from Iraq with special immigrant visas. They will arrive in their new communities having lived a ranged of experiences: from tribal and religious discrimination to surviving torture and extreme trauma. In this workshop, presenters will address the historical context for the contemporary Iraqi experience; describe the cultural, ethnic and religious characteristics; and discuss the service needs including medical, mental health, legal and social service needs. Participants will gain an understanding of the impact of torture within the Iraqi experience. Particular attention will be given to key practices service providers can utilize to best serve this Iraqi population using existing resources. 3:45 – 4:00 pm Break 4:00 – 5:30 pm Concurrent Sessions B Track 1 – Eligibility Policy New ORR Populations: Iraqi Special Immigrants, Afghan Special Immigrants, and Cuban Medical Professionals and Family Members Speakers: Gayle Smith, ORR Barbara Day, DOS/PRM Moderator: Thomas Pabst, ORR Overview of Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa-holders (SIVs), and their eligibility for State Department and ORR benefits and services, as well as other federal benefits such as Food Stamps, TANF, Medicaid, SSI. Issues covered will include eligibility time limitations, paths to SIV status and date of LPR status, logistics of arrival in U.S., private sponsors, housing, and professional recertification. Speakers will also be available to discuss the eligibility of Cuban Medical Professionals and their families for ORR benefits and services. Track 2 – Child Welfare “101” – Orientation to ORR Programs Serving Children (UAC, URM, Trafficking) INTENDED FOR GENERAL AUDIENCE Speakers : Pam Green-Smith, ORR Mimi Kleiner, ORR Ann Lane, ORR Maureen Dunn, ORR Sue Benjamin, ORR Moderator: Catherine Nolan, ACF Children’s Bureau This will be a panel discussion for anyone who is interested in learning about the ORR programs for children. Staff members from each of the Divisions who have the lead on Unaccompanied Alien Children, Unaccompanied Refugee Minors, Trafficking and BRYCS TA programs will each give a didactic presentation for 10-15 minutes (including clarification questions from the audience) on the program itself, updates or programmatic trends, key issues such as the DUCS/URM intersection, how to identify trafficking victims, collaboration and interaction across programs. Then the discussion will be opened to the audience, for their questions, comments and consultation, including sharing their experiences and challenges with implementing the programs “on the ground.” Track 3 – Highlighted Client Services Career Laddering & Recertification for Refugees with Professional Backgrounds Speakers: Jonathan Lucas, RefugeeWorks Daniel Sturm, RefugeeWorks Moderators: Miki Kim, ORR Laura Garcia, ORR Recertification allows refugees with university degrees and professional training to remain in their chosen career fields. Job upgrading through recertification can lift refugees out of entry-level employment and increase their income and economic self-sufficiency. Job developers acknowledge that it is nearly impossible to provide additional services such as re-credentialing programs, due to the high volume of clients they have to assist on a limited budget. In this session, RefugeeWorks will introduce you to resources that exist for clients who want to reclaim their careers or build new ones. In light of the fact that 63 percent of recent Iraqi refugees entering the US hold college degrees, this is a topic of particular timeliness. This session is based on ORR’s Collaborative work with the Department of Labor and RefugeeWorks' recent research findings on recertification in the medical career fields. Refugee Medical Screening: Progress & Issues with Developing the Protocol Speakers: Ann O’Fallon, Minnesota Department of Health Annelise Casano, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Moderator: Marta Brenden, ORR The speakers will discuss issues in the current refugee medical screening program and raise concerns faced by incoming refugees. CDC will discuss responses to specific disease conditions in the refugee camps where refugees reside prior to departure for the U.S. The developing medical screening protocol will be presented in light of the disease conditions. Questions and comments from the participants will be welcome as part of the consultation on medical screening. Refugee Healthy Marriage: What is the Healthy Marriage Initiative? Speakers: Carlis Williams, Region IV Director, Office of Regional Operations (ACF) Moderator: Jill Morris, ORR It is believed that the flight from persecution and long periods of insecurity create unique difficulties for refugee couples. Marriage education is a social service that can help refugees cope with these difficulties. Evidence has shown that there are benefits to marriage that extend to children, adults and to society. This session provides an overview of ACF’s Healthy Marriage Initiative and its connection with the Refugee Healthy Marriage Program. School Challenges for Refugee Children – Collaborative Solutions Speakers: Carola Suarez-Orozco, Ph.D., New York University Laura Gardner, MSW, Bridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services (BRYCS) Olivia Byler, ORR Moderators: Mitiku Ashebir, ORR Schools serve refugee children and their families as means to successful integration into society for both academic learning and social adjustment. Yet, teachers, refugee resettlement workers, and other Refugee School Impact Grant staff face serious challenges on a day-to-day basis in helping refugee children in the schools. These challenges include serving refugee children with little formal education, dealing with bullying, involving refugee parents in their children's education, and teaching refugee children in schools with few resources. This session will explore collaborative solutions addressing these and similar issues at the local, state, and federal levels. Track 4 – Innovation, Research, and Updates Setting and Achieving SMART Objectives within a Defined Project Period Speakers: Danya Pastuszek, Project Officer, Training and Technical Assistance, International Rescue Committee Emily Holland, Communications Officer, International Rescue Committee Moderator: Tom Giossi, ORR ORR has recently introduced SMART objectives into several of its funding announcements. They are an essential component in improving program management, measuring program impact, increasing accountability. "SMART" objectives are: Specific – with references to observable actions, behaviors, or achievements; Measurable – with numbers, percentages, frequencies, or ratios, so that you can monitor your progress; Appropriate – with measures that fit your organization and your community’s challenges Realistic – with achievable, yet challenging and meaningful, statements; and Time-Bound – with a specific time for achieving them. This interactive workshop – designed for staff working on all types of resettlement programming – will take the mystery out of writing SMART objectives. After attending this workshop, you will able to distinguish between goals, objectives, activities, and inputs; and write objectives that will provide motivation and direction to your staff and satisfy your funders; We will discuss how to use SMART objectives to clarify program strategy, identify your resources and needs, and build understanding of your program, its outcomes, and your timelines for achieving results. During the workshop, you will have the opportunity to write SMART objectives for your own programs, and to receive feedback on them from your peers. Responding to Refugee Resistance: Building Community Through Conversation Speaker: Cheryl Hamilton, Immigrant Integration Consultant Moderator: Laura Barker, ORR “They are taking our jobs.” “They could be terrorists.” “They don’t understand our culture.” Wherever refugees resettle, some community members will raise concerns. In this workshop, learn communication strategies for responding to resistance and hear how the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence has helped bridge relationships between long-term residents and newly arrived immigrants in Maine through their engaging community conversation series. Evening Social Event Thursday, May 29 1:45 – 3:15 pm Concurrent Sessions C Track 1 – Eligibility Policy Refugee Eligibility Issues (repeat) Speakers: Gayle Smith, DBPDA Director, ORR Thomas Pabst, ORR DBPDA This session will provide an overview of eligibility issues for refugee populations, including opportunity for questions and answers. The USCIS SAVE and E-Verify Systems Speaker: Katherine Lotspeich, Acting Chief, Verification Division, USCIS/DHS Moderator: Moushumi Beltangady, ORR Overview of SAVE and E-Verify, which are used to verify the immigration status of refugees when they apply for benefits and services, employment, drivers licenses. The speaker will also discuss procedures followed when immigration documentation presented does not match records in USCIS Central Index System per SAVE or E-Verify. Track 2 – Child Welfare (UAC, Trafficking, URM) Immigrants, Refugees and Trauma: What to Know and How to Help Speakers: Heidi Ellis, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital Moderator: Janet Zinn, ORR The goal of the workshop is to teach the audience about the concept of trauma, the impact it has on the children they serve, what that means for you as a program director or worker as you incorporate that knowledge into your daily work with children and finally the impact of vicarious trauma on staff. The A speaker is from the SAMHSA –funded National Child Traumatic Stress Network . State Role in Building a Safety Net for Refugee Children INTENDED FOR GENERAL AUDIENCE Speakers: Pamela Green-Smith, ORR Linda Schell, Refugee State Coordinator, North Dakota Lyn Morland, BRYCS Molly Daggett, Lutheran Community Services Moderator: Mimi Kleiner, ORR This session will address how states and grantees can coordinate to support families, and the safety of vulnerable children in their state. Panelists will address: services when families are in crisis, innovative state responses to support family stability, child protection measures, and the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) program as a resource for youth who lack caregivers. There will be opportunity for small group discussion with panelists and resource people. Track 3 – Highlighted Client Services Youth Build & Job Corps; a closer look at DOL services for youth Speakers: Ann Stom, DOL/Youth Build Marcus Gray, DOL/Job Corps Moderator: Laura Garcia, ORR This session will give an in-depth presentation on the Department of Labor’s Youth Build and Job Corps programs, how they work, and how they can be accessed. It is designed for providers who work with refugee youth and who are interested in learning more about programs specifically designed to train and employ disadvantaged youth, such as vocational training focused on specific trades. Overseas Cultural Orientation Issues - the Bhutanese and other new populations Speakers: Mangala K. Sharma Dr. Chhabilall Sharma. MD Sanja Bebic, Center for Applied Linguistics Moderator: Tom Giossi, ORR In March the first of several thousand Bhutanese refugees began arriving in the United States. This new population is expected to be largely made up of “free cases” as there are only approximately 150 individuals of Bhutanese origin residing in the US. In this “backgrounder” session, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the unique cultural characteristics of this population from Dr. Chhabi Sharma and Mangala Sharma, two Bhutanese who have already successfully transitioned from refugee camps to life and community in America. Track 4 – Innovation, Research, and Updates Connecting Agriculture, Food, Nutrition, and Health, Part I Speakers: Larry Laverentz, ORR John Tuskan, SAMHSA Bob Montgomery, International Rescue Committee/San Diego Vicky Robinson, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services Moderator: Marta Brenden, ORR This session, one of two on this topic, will look at programs and initiatives that can support and improve the nutrition, health and overall well being of refugees in a community. It will demonstrate how partnerships that support a progression of activities such as agriculture/community gardens, promoting the consumption of familiar foods, accessing fresh produce at farmers markets and local stores through government programs, and health and nutrition classes can improve the psychosocial adjustment and integration of refugees in a community. Topics include: Perspective on the Eating Habits and Health Concerns of our Society and Their Relevance and Impact on the Resettlement Process and the Refugee Family How Initiatives under the RAPP have Developed and Evolved to Foster The Adjustment of Refugee Families The Rationale, Initiatives and Successes of the San Diego IRC Program Benefits and Ways of Accessing USDA Food & Nutrition Service Programs of WIC and EBT/Food Stamps Updates on the ORR Integration Workgroup and Housing Workgroup Speakers: Henley Portner, ORR Susan Downs-Karkos, Spring Institute Peggy Gilbert, Institute for Social and Economic Development Representatives of the Integration Workgroup and the Housing Workgroup will present on the activities of the workgroups since the last ORR consultation. The presentations will also include discussions of the current status and ongoing activities of each workgroup. 3:15 – 3:30 pm Break 3:30 – 5:00 pm Concurrent Sessions D Track 1 – Eligibility Policy TANF Final Rule Impact on Refugees Speakers: Julie Siegel, ACF Office of Family Assistance (OFA) Elaine Richman, ACF/OFA Robert Shelbourne, ACF/OFA Moderator: Gayle Smith, ORR Office of Family Assistance staff will provide an overview of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Final Rule, with an emphasis on the definitions of work activities under the rule, as well as related changes in program design. UNHCR: Incoming Populations Speakers: Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Larry Yungk, UNHCR Moderator: Ron Munia, ORR Speakers will discuss issues related to incoming refugee populations, with time for questions and answers. Track 2 – Child Welfare Head Start and Children’s Bureau Partnerships with ORR Programs Speakers: Sharon Yandian, Office of Head Start Huda Farah, Center for Inclusive Child Care, Minneapolis, MN Mary Sullivan, Child Welfare Information Gateway Lyn Morland, BRYCS Moderator: Laura Barker, ORR Catherine Nolan, ACF Children’s Bureau This session will highlight federal partnerships, as well as programs and resources outside the traditional refugee resettlement network that are available to refugee children. Participants will learn of federal resources on child welfare, such as the clearinghouse Child Welfare Information Gateway; the federally-funded National Child Welfare Resource Centers for Child Protective Services and Youth Development; the partnership between BRYCS and the NRC-CPS, the Office of Head Start; and local efforts to integrate refugee families into Head Start programs. Track 3 – Highlighted Client Services Identifying and Serving Victims of Trafficking Speakers: Representative, Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) Brad Myles, Polaris Project Christa Stewart, NY State Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Moderator: Maggie Wynne, ORR Anyone serving a vulnerable population may come into contact with a victim of human trafficking, or someone at risk of being trafficked. Knowing what questions to ask, how to ask them, and what signs to look for will help you discern whether you might be working with a victim of trafficking, and, if so, connect them with appropriate services. This session will offer identification techniques and practices, and provide a comprehensive review of Federal benefits and services eligible to trafficking victims. Domestic Cultural Orientation Proposed Speaker: Sanja Bebic, Center for Applied Linguistics Moderator: Lisa Campbell, ORR The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) will do a session focused on domestic cultural orientation. CAL has been traveling around the country for the past few months providing workshops to refugee providers, and has found that they are very useful. This is an interactive session that looks at how domestic orientation as it builds on the skills taught and orientation learned overseas. It will focus on specific models being used in the field, current issues and challenges, and strategies being employed. There will be time for sharing and discussion. Track 4 – Innovation, Research, and Updates Secondary Migration Issues Speakers: Scott Robbins, Mercy Housing, Inc. Nadia Kasvin, US Together, Inc. Debbie Schmidt, Catholic Charities, Ft Wayne IN Susan Anderson, Lutheran Family Services of Colorado Moderator: Constance Combs, ORR This session will look at causes and responses to secondary migration of refugees across and within state lines, and discuss designing strategies for implementing effective response to influxes of refugee populations that address the best interests of both refugees and the community, including: Ethnic community support Improved cost of living (affordable housing and higher income) Education opportunities Safer communities Employment recruitment Public assistance levels Connecting Agriculture, Food, Nutrition, and Health, Part II Speakers: Gus Schumacher, Consultant to Kellogg Foundation Susan Kyle, ORR Al Horn, Michigan State Refugee Coordinator Xuan Nguyen, U.S. Committee on Refugees and Immigrants Moderator: Marta Brenden, ORR This session, the second of two of this topic, will look at programs and initiatives that can support and improve the nutrition, health and overall well being of refugees in a community. Topics include: Perspective of Foundations and the Private Sector “The Michigan Meeting-A Way to Start” The Process and Findings of USCRI’s Health Education Program What’s Happening in your State, Community or Program and What Else Can Be Done? 5:00 – 5:15 pm Closing