Family Reunification Monthly Update

September 2023

ORR Program Updates

  • For a complete list of ORR policies and procedures, click here.
  • Here is the latest UAC program assignment list. Please use this updated list to find the Federal Field Specialist (FFS) when submitting home study reports.
  • USCCB HS/PRS ORR Project Officer (PO) is Rebecca Packer as of July 14th, 2023 (rebecca.packer@acf.hhs.gov). The PO is to be copied on certain NOC submissions (i.e., media attention, death of a UC, and/or trafficking concerns)
  • ORR and Department of Education - Explained Rights of UC to Enroll in School - Click here.
  • ORR UAC Portal Changes: 8.23.23, 9.7.23, 9.20.23, 10/4/2023

Updates on Mandated Reporter Guidance: NOC Submission


Please see email from ORR linked below and read carefully as there is information related to submission of NOCs that are relevant to the network.


Please click here for NOC guidance provided by ORR.


  • As a reminder, NOCs now need to be submitted within 24 hours of providers learning of the incident.
  • Failure to report within required timeframes results in USCCB being out of compliance with ORR policy and procedure.
  • You are responsible for uploading the NOC form to the UC Portal (UCP) and flagging sponsors if needed (this must also be done within 24 hours).
  • The NOC that is uploaded to the UCP does not need to be password protected.
  • However, the email attachment must be password protected utilizing the standard ORR PW.
  • Therefore, we recommend you upload the NOC to the UCP prior to emailing to avoid adding and then removing protections (similar to HS submission).


Mandated Reporter Requirements:


ORR representatives including PRS providers, care providers and ORRNCC staff are considered mandated reporters when interacting with released children and sponsors. The following reporting requirements apply when interacting with released children and sponsors, whether through the delivery of PRS, conducting Safety and Well-Being (SWB) calls, and any time individuals place calls to the ORRNCC. Representatives of ORR must follow all applicable local, state, and/or federal mandated reporting laws and all applicable state-licensing laws when implementing the following notification.


Clarification on school enrollment:

  • minors beyond compulsory age- representatives of ORR must follow all applicable local, state, and/or federal mandated reporting laws and all applicable state-licensing laws when implementing notification procedures.
  • If the state does not require that this be reported, then a report would not be necessary. However, the information should be documented in the PRS Report (please include state law citation) and will not require an NOC.


 

Please contact me or your CSS should you have any questions!


NEW ORR NOC FORM & SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS


We would like to provide a re-cap on the new ORR NOC form and email template. (Attached is an example below.)


Please connect with your team and familiarize yourselves with the updated guidance and template and ensure the template is being used and we are uploading NOC's to the UC Portal moving forward.

 

NOC Update: 9/12/2023

NOC Update: 9/21/2023

NOC Update: 10/2/2023


NEW ORR NOC Template

Adding Flags in the UC Portal


  • ORR has asked PRS providers to add our own flags for sponsors/address in the UC Portal ​
  • We can add flags where a flag does not already exist​
  • If flag already exists, please include a request in the NOC email for the flag to be edited ​
  • Cannot flag new caregivers or HHMs that are not in the Portal, but can flag the official sponsor or address and include the name of the person we want to flag​.


USCCB Sub-Recipient Instructions here

ORR App Laucher Sign On


The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Unaccompanied Children (UC) program is rolling out a new Single Sign-On (SSO) login process for UC Portal, Tableau, and UC Bed Census. ORR and its provider network are working towards unifying all UC tech software application products into a single ‘front-door’ experience called ORR App Launcher. This new login process allows users to log into one URL to reach all UC Program software applications. Additionally, it helps the UC program to meet new cybersecurity requirements by requiring Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for login. 

 

To implement this process, we are asking that users complete the below necessary requirements for the registration process effective immediately.   

 

Please bookmark the following link as it will be your ONLY access point for UC Portal, Tableau, UCBC, and ORR Learning Center: ORR APP Launcher URL: https://orr-uc-apps.acf.hhs.gov/s/login/ 


Please click here for the email instructions

Please click here for the PDF Guide to set up your account.


Please reach out to Kailey Cano - Kcano@usccb.org if you have issues.

Revised Family Reunification Packet


ORR revised the Family Reunification Packet (FRP) and new the version is effective today, 10/02/2023. Please ensure you are using the revised version (Version 14) moving forward. 


Note that HHS/Program Support Center will not accept previous versions of the Authorization for Release of Information after 10/30/2023.

 

The revised FRP is available on the Key Documents page of the ORR website in English, Spanish, Dari, Haitian Creole, Pashto, Russian, and Ukrainian, and will be available on the UC Portal homepage within the next few days. Corresponding updates have also been made in the Sponsor Application tool.

 

Revisions Notes: ORR updated the Sponsor Care Agreement to require that sponsors report a missing child to the ORR National Call Center (in addition to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children).


USCCB/MRS Program Updates

Kudos and Shoutouts


As of 10/4/2023, we have accepted 1638 new cases! This is amazing! We are right on track for our capacity goals for FY23!

Current Capacity Numbers as of 10/4/23

Recommended

Accepted

Percentage

HS

300

253

84%

PRS

1920

1385

72%

Total

2220

1638

74%

USCCB Office Closures & Holidays


USCCB will be closed on the following days:


  • October 9th, for Indigenous Peoples Day


USCCB Staff Contact List

Simy Cuervo, Associate Director of Family Reunification

scuervo@usccb.org

Minh Martinez, Referral and Placement Specialist

mmartinez@usccb.org


Kailey Cano, Children's Services Specialist

kcano@usccb.org

McKenna Heap Garner, Children's Services Specialist

mgarner@usccb.org

Dory Dinoto, Children's Services Specialist

ddinoto@usccb.org

Asma Rehan, Children's Services Specialist

arehman@usccb.org

Elizabeth Throm, Program Specialist

ethrom@usccb.org

Yesenia Abrigo

yabrigo@usccb.org

USCCB Family Reunification Program Assignment


Please see below for the new program assignment list. You should have been notified by your previously assigned CSS of the transition. Please note that for the next month, Asma and Dory will still be shadowed by previous CSS's to complete their last phase of CSS's training. Please let us know if you have any questions.


Simy Cuervo, Associate Director, Family Reunification

  • At Promise Youth Solutions


Kailey Cano, CSS

  • Catholic Charites of Atlanta
  • Catholic Charities of San Diego
  • Catholic Charities of Nashville
  • Bethany Christian Services of Florida


McKenna Heap-Garner, CSS

  • Catholic Charities of Ohio
  • Bethany Christian Services of Maryland
  • Catholic Charities of Newark
  • Catholic Charities of Baltimore


Dory Dinoto, CSS

  • Catholic Charities Arlington
  • Catholic Charities Boston
  • Catholic Charities of Los Angeles
  • International Christian Adoptions, Inc.


Asma Rehman, CSS

  • Catholic Charities of New York
  • Catholic Charities of San Antonio
  • Catholic Charities of Trenton
  • Catholic Charities of Houston

Upcoming Calls & Events

Quarterly Network Call


The 4th network call of FY23 is scheduled for:


Wednesday, October 11th, 2023

2 -3:30 PM EST


Use this LINK to access the call via Zoom on the indicated day/time.

Meeting ID: 993 6384 8850

Passcode: 108855


Should you have any questions to submit prior to the call, please do so using this link. Questions must be submitted by 5pm EST on October 9th.


To find recordings of past meetings see resource section below.

Community of Practice Call


The next Community of Practice Call is scheduled for:


Friday, October 20th

1:00 PM EST


Use this LINK to access the call via Zoom on the indicated day/time.

Meeting ID: 873 8791 7055

Passcode: 523485



Please reach out to Kailey Cano at kcano@usccb.org if you would like to volunteer to chair the meeting or submit a topic for discussion.

USCCB FR Network Meeting Recordings and Handouts:



  • First Network Call:
  • The recording and handout for the first network call of FY23 (held January 11, 2023) can be accessed here.
  • Password= Standard ORR PW.
  • Network Call to discuss HS Expansion
  • The recording and handout for the network call on February 2nd.
  • Password= Standard ORR PW.
  • Network Call to discuss new forms on February 17th.
  • The recording for the network call on February 17th.
  • Password=Standard ORR PW.
  • Second Network Call:
  • The recording and handout for the most recent network call held on April 12th, 2023 can be accessed here.
  • Password = Standard ORR PW.
  • Third Network Call:
  • The recording and handout for the most recent network call held on July 12th, 2023.
  • Meeting minutes - Click here
  • Password = mA@8hj#H
  • Community of Practice Call:
  • The recording from the last CoP call held on April 21st, 2023 can be accessed here.
  • Password = Standard ORR PW.
  • The materials shared can be accessed here.
  • USCCB FR Network Call to Discuss PRS Sprint
  • Click here for the Recording.
  • Password = Standard ORR PW

Children's Services Convening

November 1- 3, 2023

Washington, DC

2023 USCCB Children’s Services Convening


When:

The Convening will take place, Wednesday, November 1st starting at 9:00AM

through Friday, November 3rd ending at 12:00PM.


Where:

The convening workshops and events at the Holiday Inn

Capitol Hill/National Mall Hotel (550 C St SW, Washington, DC 20024)


Questions:

Please feel free to email Angela Taylor at ATaylor@usccb.org with any questions.

Safe Passages Family Reunification Training

Mandatory Training

As a reminder, all NEW staff are required to complete 40 hours of pre-training prior to case assignment.



New Directors Orientation


New Program/Staff Onboarding Training:


Program Directors/Managers:


*Partial recordings due to technical difficulties


All New Staff MUST complete Child Abuse and Neglect Background Checks before serving children. These must be completed for every state the employee has lived in for the past 5 years.


In the event that you are unable to print the certificate of completion for any mandatory training, please take a screenshot of the final screen, including your training score, and forward it to your assigned CSS.

Additional Training Opportunities



New trainings completed in 2023 should be noted in this FY23 Training Tracker

Monthly Webinars: Responding to Foreign National Minor Victims of Trafficking


This training will help participants understand the resources available to assist foreign national minor victims of sex and labor trafficking as well as the reporting requirements under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended. Participants will receive an overview of the process to submit a Request for Assistance to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) as well as gain an understanding of Interim Assistance Letters, Eligibility Letters, and the benefits and services provided to minors who are potential and determined victims of trafficking.


Website Link for Webinar Details

ORR Learning Center


ORR has created a learning center where required trainings for ALL HS/PRS staff complete.


Please log on to the UC portal and click on the ORR OLC tile to start your courses.

 

Please reach out to Kailey Cano kcano@usccb.org if you have issues.  

Resources & News

MRS Connect Library


We have started updating and making changes to MRS Connect. Please be patient as we will be redesigning and restructuring but the content is up to date and accessible for use.


If you do not have access please reach out Kailey Cano and Elizabeth Throm.


MRS Connect Link

New York Times | Opinion Piece


New York Times Magazine just published a long-form piece on child labor, focusing on one unaccompanied child from Guatemala as the main profile. The link there should be unlocked.

 

I’d also flag the problematic summary from David Leonhardt’s morning newsletter (pasted below), which paints the TVPRA as the problem. Click here.


The Leonhardt summary deeply disturbing. We need to disrupt that narrative quickly.


The Kids on the Night Shift

USCCB FR New Staff Onboarding Tools


As many of our programs continue to hire for FY23, and in anticipation of expansion for FY24, we wanted to provide you with a few new resources to utilize in the process of onboarding new staff. Attached, you will find the following:

 

  1. New Hire Checklist - Updated as of 10/4/2023
  2. Pre-Service Training Tracker for New Hires - Updated as of 10/4/2023

 

The New Hire Checklist contains a list of all the items that are required to be in staff personnel files as well as the items that need to be confirmed with USCCB before new staff may begin serving children. For all new hires moving forward, please complete this checklist and send it to your assigned CSS. This will help us ensure that all pre-service requirements are completed for new staff.

 

The Pre-Service Training Tracker for New Hires is an updated version of the current training tracker, specific to pre-service training requirements. You will notice that we are now requiring a statement on how knowledge of each topic has been assessed and a supervisor signature to confirm completion of the training. This training tracker will only be used for new hires; all other staff will continue to use the current training tracker to document their 40 hours of annual training. Please ensure that this new training tracker is completed for all new staff moving forward within one month of their start date and send the completed tracker to your assigned CSS.

 

*Important Note: ORR recently clarified that staff are NOT to have direct access to children until they complete the pre-service training requirements. New staff may still shadow visits before taking their own cases, but this will need to begin AFTER the 40 hours of initial training have been completed and the tracker as been submitted to USCCB.



Please each out to your assigned CSS if you have questions.

OTIP 1 Pager - Benefits Application Guideance.


Minors with HHS Interim Assistance/Eligibility Letters are eligible for public benefits to the same extent as a refugee. If a minor is denied for public benefits and/or a non-work Social Security Number (SSN), advocate up the chain and educate office staff on the minor’s eligibility.

Reminders/Action Items

CA/N Checks, FBI Clearance, and ORR CA/N Check Waiver Guidance


All New Staff MUST complete Child Abuse and Neglect Background Checks before serving children. These must be completed for every state the employee has lived in for the past 5 years.




Monthly reports


  • Monthly Reports are due the 2nd Friday of the following month. There are several data components from the reports that are used to complete subsequent reports that USCCB/MRS Safe Passages Family Reunification submits to ORR. Please remember to submit your monthly reports on time. This month, please submit your team's training trackers along with the monthly report.


  • The 2023 Updated Monthly Report Form can be found here.
  • Next Monthly Report is due today - October 13th, 2023

New HS Template Form and Write-Up Guide


New HS Template Form Here.

New HS Write-up Guide Here.

* Please note due to the type of PDF, these files must be saved to your computer and opened with Adobe Pro. The forms are not compatible with browser pdf viewers. However, you can still save the PDF from the browser view. Please reached out to your CSS if you have questions.




  • Please remember that you may use this form now if you would like, however it is not mandatory until we sign our Cooperative Agreement Addendum with ORR.
  • When using:
  • Please remember to add HHM interviews to the additional comments section.
  • Print the form to PDF to be able to include revisions.

FY 23 Budget Revisions and Reimbursements


Any site thinking about modifying their budgets should submit a new budget to Michelle Peterson - mpeterson@usccb.org (cc Simy Cuervo scuervo@usccb.org) for review and approval. This is for USCCB Programs who budgeted for Level 3 and need to modify their budgets to hire for PRS Level 1 & 2.

 

Reminder: All subgrantee programs are required to submit reimbursement requests not later than 30 calendar days following the end of the month in which the expenditure being submitted for reimbursement is incurred. This policy applies to specifically to all Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Unaccompanied Children’s Programs- Family Reunification/Home Study and Post Release Services and Foster Care Providers. Requests for reimbursement that are older than 30 days from the date of the expense will be subject to denial by USCCB.


NEW BUDGET REVISION REQUEST FORM

Please use this form to submit a budget reimbursement request. Click here.


Do you have questions about reimbursements, 2024 NOFO, or experiencing difficulty submitting in MRIS? If so, please contact Michelle Peterson - mpeterson@usccb.org (cc Simy Cuervo scuervo@usccb.org) and your CSS.

General Reminders


Capacity Issues - If any sub-recipient program experiences capacity issues due to staffing challenges, medical leave, etc., please notify your CSS immediately via email and be sure to include Minh Martinez, Referral and Placement Specialist.


MRIS Updates:

  • We are actively working on adjusting MRIS to reflect the new FY23 Level System inputted by ORR. However, in the meantime, 
  • Please indicate the level of the case in the PRS reports.


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