Updated APA Cooperative Agreement
PRM has released a revised APA Cooperative Agreement. An updated agreement can be found on MRSConnect here (must be logged into MRSConnect to open the link).
All changes to the Cooperative Agreement have been highlighted in yellow for convenience. Notable changes include the addition of new CO topics (polygamy, public assistance, health, and transportation); reviewing beneficiary grievance policies during client intake; and the inclusion of nutrition assistance as eligible expenses for APA additional direct assistance applications. CORE is working to create additional CO resources to incorporate discussion of the new CO topics.
APA Core Services Checklist
Housing Assistance Funding Notice
USCCB has raised $650,000 in private funds from welcome.us and Latter-day Saint Charities. These funds will soon be available to support housing related costs (rent, deposit, utility bills, temporary hotel stays) for Afghan clients. USCCB would like to ensure that these funds are used where most needed within our network. If your agency still has unmet housing assistance needs, and would benefit from receiving these funds, please complete the following brief survey by Friday, January 14.
Housing on Demand
Housing on Demand is now available nation-wide. This change goes into effect immediately, so any of our APA-serving affiliates are welcome to utilize this resource to meet their short-term housing needs. HOD is designed to be a last-resort solution when affiliates have exhausted other housing options, and will hopefully help relieve some of the housing strain from local staff.
HOD requests should be sent to Rebekah Korver (rkorver@usccb.org) by noon on Tuesdays of the week prior to when the housing is required. Expedited housing needs can sometimes be accommodated, but are not guaranteed. Please use the updated Ordering Template to submit requests going forward.
Housing at Hilton
Hilton has created a housing portal for Resettlement Agencies to book hotels with reduced rates for Afghan arrivals. Terms, conditions and booking instructions can be found here and on the APA page on MRSConnect.
Resettlement Agency Meeting Invite from Community Sponsorship Hub
In response to the incredible outpouring of support to welcome Afghan newcomers, and to augment resettlement capacity, the US Department of State partnered with the Community Sponsorship Hub (CSH) to create the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans (SCPA). People across the US are forming Sponsor Circles to directly welcome Afghans into their communities. As Sponsor Circles around the country are now being matched with Afghan newcomers CSH thought it would be helpful to offer an information session about the program and how the SCPA fits in to the resettlement landscape. This session is tailored to the interests of local resettlement agencies and will respond to the most frequently asked questions we have received from you thus far.
Please join us on Tuesday, January 11 from 4:00-5:00pm EST for what we hope will be an informative and lively discussion.
Register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
CLINIC Webinar Training Opportunity - Assisting Citizens of Afghanistan
Jan. 14, 2022 | 2-3:30 p.m. ET | CA MCLE: 1.5 | Free
Afghan evacuees who are being resettled in the United States will require support and legal assistance over the coming months and years. The majority of evacuees arrived on parole and will need to take steps to obtain permanent legal status before the expiration of their parole documents. The presenters will discuss the current legal status of the Afghan arrivals and their options for moving forward to obtain permanent status, including the SIV process, applying for adjustment of status based on a family petition, or asylum. We will also cover options for vulnerable Afghan citizens who remain outside the United States, including humanitarian parole or refugee processing. Finally, we will discuss eligibility for federal services and benefits that may be available to arriving Afghan evacuees, including health and other public benefits.
Register here. A recorded version of this webinar will be posted on CLINIC’s website.
CLINIC Speakers:
· Elizabeth Carlson, Senior Attorney, Training and Legal Support
· Kristina Karpinski, Managing Attorney, Training and Legal Support
· Charles Wheeler, Director of Training and Legal Support
