Afghan Placement & Assistance
UPDATE
APA UPDATE is broadcast separately from the Resettlement Connection to release important time sensitive information regarding the Afghan Placement & Assistance Program.
Dear Resettlement Partners-

Please see important updates on the APA program, below.

Afghanistan Resettlement Stakeholders Town Hall
The Department of State is hosting a virtual town hall on Tuesday, November 9 at 1:30pm ET. The event will provide the growing community of Americans working to support the resettlement of our Afghan allies with inter-agency updates on Operation Allies Welcome, information from key supporting partners, and an overview of opportunities for individuals, communities, and organizations to help welcome our new neighbors. Click here to learn more about the event and register for the event here.

APA Forms on MRSConnect
USCCB has updated the APA Housing Supply Checklist and added a sample policy for the Cash-Based APA Program Model. Both forms can be found on the APA page on MRSConnect.

New CORE Resources
CORE has developed several new resources related to Cultural Orientation for Afghan Arrivals. The resources include:

  • CORE Webinar: Cultural Orientation for Afghan Arrivals: This webinar included guidance and also tips for delivering CO under APA. The full set of materials including Q&A responses are currently available on learning platform. The recording is on YouTube. 
  • APA Cultural Orientation Objectives and Indicators: CORE has taken R&P CO Objectives and Indicators and updated them to align with APA topics, including the addition of Parole Status. The Parole Status section is based on the approved objectives and key messages from PRM. 
  • Updated Activity Bank – US Laws and Parole Status – There are three activities for teaching objectives and key messages for Parole Status. 
  • CORE: Afghan Backgrounder – This is the first iteration of the Afghan Backgrounder. It includes basic information and has links to additional resources. We will be adding additional content to this in the weeks to come. Switchboard also offered a webinar about working with Afghan newcomers. 
  • Pashto Videos available on topics such as education, employment, housing, healthcare, public transportation, and the role of the resettlement agency. Also available in Dari.  

CMS: Health Coverage Options for Afghan Evacuees 
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently released an updated fact sheet on current Medicaid and CHIP health coverage options available for Afghan Evacuees. Click to view related documents on Afghan TANF and SNAP eligibility. 

APA Frequently Asked Questions  
If you have questions about the APA program, please check the APA FAQ document on MRSConnect. This document is updated regularly. If you have additional questions, email APA_Questions@usccb.org for general programmatic inquiries.

In Solidarity,

Rachel Pollock
Director, Resettlement Services
‌