69205 A Refugee Cash Assistance RCA Program Table of The Refugee Cash Assistance RCA Program section includes the Contents following information Topics Background RCA Eligibility Determination Timeframe RCA Eligibility Factors Persons Ineligible for RCA RCA Time Eligibility RCA Income Eligibility and Aid Payments RCA Income Limits RCA Resource Limits Required FRC Contact With VOLAGs RCA Sponsors Provision of SSN Info for RCA Applicants Assistance Units AU for RCA Mandatory SSA Referrals RCA Case File Documentation Full Time Students and RCA RCA for Previous TCVAP Recipients RCA Notification Requirements Access to RCA Program Policies Civil Rights Refugee Employment Services Background Family Resource Centers FRCs shall determine the eligibility of refugees in the Refugee Resettlement Program RRP for CalWORKs or Refugee Cash Assistance RCA RCA is cash assistance provided to refugees who have been determined to be ineligible for CalWORKs or SSISSP and who have resided in the United States for no longer than the time eligibility period outlined by federal regulations which is currently 8 months In San Diego County single refugees and couples without children are served by the WilsonFish Alternative Project operated by Catholic Charities under direct contract with the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement ORR As the WilsonFish Alternative Project does not serve refugee families FRCs should not refer refugee families to them for services RCA EligibilityDetermination Timeframe The eligibility of each RCA applicant shall be determined as promptly as possible within no more than 30 days from the date of application The date of application is the date to use for the beginning date of RCA Persons receiving RCA also receive full scope MediCal benefits Refugees who qualify for assistance under the CalWORKs program shall be aided under the CalWORKs program Those who do not qualify for CalWORKs shall have their eligibility determined for RCA Note If the refugee refuses to provide information regarding hisher sponsor or VOLAG FRC staff shall deny or discontinue aid RCA EligibilityFactors Top Persons Ineligible forRCA Factors which must be evaluated when determining RCA eligibility include Time Eligibility Refugee Status see CPG 42400 E Eligible NonCitizen Status Income and resources Attendance in an institution of higher education see Full Time Students and RCA below Employment Requirements see CPG 10200 A Refugee Employment Services Provision of information regarding sponsor or responsible Volunteer Agency VOLAG The following persons are not eligible for RCA Families eligible for CalWORKs Individualsfamilies whose Date of Entry is over 8 months see RCA Time Eligibility below Fulltime college students see Full Time Students and RCA below Individuals without INS Refugee Status see CPG 42400 E Eligible NonCitizen Status RCA Time Regardless of the date an applicant applies for RCA benefits the month Eligibility of arrival date of entry as indicated on the USCIS Form I94 is counted as the first month in determining time eligibility Time eligibility for RCA recipients is currently 8 months RCA Income Unless specifically superseded by RCA regulations cash aid payments Eligibility and under RCA follow CalWORKs program regulations relating to financial Aid Payments eligibility and payments RCA Income Limits Top Income for the RCA Program shall be determined based on CalWORKs program regulations see CPG Section 44100 Income for determining need and computing the assistance payment with the following exceptions The sponsored alien provisions in the CalWORKs program shall not be applied to RCA cases and Any reception and placement RP cash received by a refugee after their arrival into the US shall be exempted from consideration when determining income eligibility RCA RCA follows the real and personal property resource limits for Resource CalWORKs Program see CPG Section 42200 B Property Resource Limits Limit with the following exceptions The sponsored alien provisions in the CalWORKs program shall not be applied to RCA cases and Any resources remaining in the applicants country of origin shall not be considered in determining resource eligibility Any reception and placement RP cash received by a refugee after their arrival into the US shall be exempted from consideration when determining resource eligibility Required FRC Contact with VOLAGs Top National voluntary agencies VOLAGs work with the Federal Government to assist in resettling refugees As part of the application process for RCA FRC staff shall Notify the responsible VOLAG Obtain details regarding the assistance if any the Sponsor or VOLAG is providing for the refugee and Inquire whether the refugee has refused an offer of employment or has voluntarily quit a job Contact Requirements A telephone call in the absence of an inperson contact is sufficient to fulfill these requirements Whenever possible a written statement from the sponsor or VOLAG shall be obtained All information received by means of an inperson contact telephone call or written statement shall o Be made part of the case record o Include the name of the VOLAG and o Be documented in CalWIN Case Comments When a VOLAG or sponsor requests the address and telephone number for a timeeligible refugee FRC staff shall provide this information to the VOLAG or sponsor Where there is an emergency need for financial assistance or the VOLAG fails to respond in a timely manner these requirements shall be temporarily waived in order to meet the emergency or case approval needs RCA Some applications for cash assistance may be made when the sponsor Sponsors is unable or unwilling to meet the total needs of the refugees for whom heshe has accepted responsibility When this occurs aid is to be granted in an amount sufficient to meet the unmet needs as determined by the CalWORKs standard If following the loss of contact with a sponsor and subsequent to the granting of aid to the refugee the resettlement agency secures a new sponsor for the refugee who accepts the responsibilities of sponsorship and meets the needs of the refugees in full in accordance with the CalWORKs standard of assistance cash assistance shall be terminated Only if the subsequent sponsor fails to meet the full needs of the refugee will the county again grant cash assistance to the refugee Provision of SSN Info for RCA Applicants Top RCA applicants must apply for a social security number SSN however FRC staff cannot deny an RCA applicant for failure to disclose hisher SSN FRC staff shall follow these steps when requesting the applicant to provide a SSN Inform the applicant the disclosure is voluntary Advise the applicant how the SSN will be used ie explain IEVS process and Document the request and required explanation in CalWIN case comments Note If the refugee household is also applying for CalFresh benefits please refer to CalFresh Program Guide section 63161 Social Security Number Requirement for CalFresh regulations pertaining to Social Security Number requirements for the CalFresh Program Assistance Units AU forRCA Assistance Units AUs shall be established as follows Refugee parents and their children under 18 years of age shall be in the same AU Single adult refugees and minor refugees emancipated pursuant to state law shall each be established in their own AU Married refugee couples without children shall be in the same AU Unemancipated minor refugees shall not be established in their own AU Note US citizen children born of a refugee and a US citizen are not eligible for assistance or services funded by RRP if the household unit includes the US citizen parent In these cases the refugee parent may be eligible for RRP funded RCA and the US citizen parent and the children if eligible may be aided under the regular nonRRP funded CalWORKs program Mandatory SSA Referrals All aged blind or disabled refugee applicants shall be referred to the appropriate Social Security Administration District Office to apply for SSISSP This program is a primary resource for refugees who meet the eligibility requirements Application for and receipt of SSISSP is mandatory if determined eligible RCA Case File Documentation Top RCA case files shall include the following information in addition to that required by CalWORKs program regulations The Passport or Alien Registration Number which appears on the appropriate USCIS form This number shall be entered in the NonCitizen field of the Demographics Detail tab in the Collect Individual Demographics Detail window in CalWIN The name and address of the local sponsor or voluntary resettlement agency which resettled the refugee Documentation obtained from the sponsor or voluntary resettlement agency as part of the eligibility determination process For each refugee in the AU a copy of the I94 both front and back and any other USCIS documentation that identifies o Refugee status and o Date of entry Entry date shall also be entered in the ORR LetterEntry Date field of the Collect NonCitizen Detail window in CalWIN Full Time Students and RCA Refugees are ineligible for RCA if they are fulltime students in a college program attending an institution of higher education A fulltime student is a student attending an institution of higher education at least 12 semester hours or 12 quarter hours for institutions using standard semester trimester or quarter hour systems 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours for institutions using credit hours to measure progress and not using semester trimester or quarter hour systems 24 clock hours per week for institutions using clock hours The program includes both credit and clock hours and the number of Top credit hours per term divided by 12 plus the number of clock hours per week divided by 24 is equal to or greater than one A series of courses or seminars which equal 12 semester hours or 12 quarter hours in a maximum of 18 weeks or The work portion of a cooperative education program in which the amount of work performed is equivalent to the academic workload of a fulltime student An Institution of Higher Education is a public or private nonprofit educational institution which provides An educational program which awards an associate baccalaureate degree At least a twoway program which is acceptable for full credit toward a baccalaureate degree At least a oneyear training program which leads to a certificate or degree and prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation or Proprietary institution privately owned of higher education which provides at least a sixmonth program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation RCA for Previous TCVAP Recipients When a Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program TCVAP recipient obtains ORR certification a determination shall be made of RCA eligibility If all eligibility factors for RCA are met the TCVAP case shall be discontinued and a new eligibility period for RCA shall be granted for the maximum period allowable currently 8 months from the date of USCIS adjusted entry date RCA Notification Requirements Top In cases of proposed action to reduce suspend or terminate RCA FRC staff shall provide timely and adequate notice FRC staff shall send or provide a written notice in English and a written translated notice or a verbal translation of the notice to RCA recipients at least 10 days before the date the action is to become effective If verbal translation is needed FRC staff shall follow procedures outlined in the Civil Rights Section No 3 Services to NonEnglish Speaking and Limited English Proficient LEP ApplicantsRecipients and Individuals with DisabilitiesReasonable AccommodationsModifications Access to To ensure that refugees understand what they are eligible for what is RCA expected of them and what protections are available to them FRC staff Program shall make available to RCA applicants the written policies of the RCA Policies program including Agency policies regarding eligibility standards Duration and amount of cash assistance payments Requirements for participation in services Penalties for noncooperation and Client rights and responsibilities Clients can be referred to CPG 19000 D Client Request for Information Civil Rights FRC staff shall follow current HHSA Civil Rights policies to ensure that program information and requirements are communicated effectively for nonEnglish speaking and limited English proficient clients Refer to Civil Rights Section No 3 Services to NonEnglish Speaking and Limited English Proficient LEP ApplicantsRecipients and Individuals with DisabilitiesReasonable AccommodationsModifications Refugee EmploymentServices Top Eligibility Staff play a major role in ensuring that RCA recipients are referred timely and appropriately to the CalWORKs WelfaretoWork WTWRefugee Employment Services RES Program All nonexempt RCA recipients shall be referred to WTWRES in accordance with CPG 10005 B Overview of Eligibility Staff Responsibilities It is both the responsibility of eligibility and employment staff to ensure that RCA cases are assigned to the correct regioncaseload number Once referred employment staff shall provide case management services in accordance to the policy outlined in the CalWORKs Program Guide Recipients participating in the RES Program are eligible to Stage 1 Child Care according to CPG 10010 D Eligibility Requirements for CalWORKs Stage 1 Child Care