SR 22-15 Dated 05/22

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF ECONOMIC AND HOUSING STABILITY

Bureau of family assistance (bfa)

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This Supervisory Release (SR) releases changes in the eligibility period for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA). Individuals who are eligible for RCA and/or RMA whose date of entry into the United States (U.S.), or date they were granted asylum, is on or after October 1, 2021 are eligible to receive up to 12 months of RCA and/or RMA.

BACKGROUND

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) regulations (45 CFR 400.211(a)) authorizes the ORR Director to determine the time-eligibility period for RCA and RMA each year based on the appropriated funds available for the fiscal year. After Congress passed the Refugee Act of 1980, ORR provided refugees with RCA and/or RMA for up to 36 months after a refugee's arrival into the United States. However, due to reduced appropriations, ORR had to decrease this assistance from 36 months to 18 months, then to 12 months, and finally, fiscal year (FY) 1992, it was reduced to 8 months. ORR has not increased the eligibility period for Refugee Assistance for 30 years.  The eligibility period is now being increased to 12 months.

POLICY

Effective March 28, 2022, ORR, issued DCL-22-12 announcing the expansion of the eligibility period for RCA and RMA.  Pursuant to 45 CFR 400.211, the ORR Director authorized expanding the eligibility period for RCA and/or RMA from 8 months 12 months.  The expansion was published in a final notice in the Federal Register (FR Doc. 2022-06356 filed 3-25-2022).

An expanded eligibility period will allow ORR-eligible populations who are unable to find immediate employment with additional time to acquire English language proficiency, receive employment training, and secure employment. Extending this eligibility period will lead to more effective resettlement, by providing ORR-eligible populations with additional time to become self-sufficient.

NEW HEIGHTS & NH EASY SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

New HEIGHTS Update(s)

New HEIGHTS will automatically expand the eligibility period for RCA and RMA from 8 months to 12 months for individuals eligible for Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance.  This will be based on the date entered in the “US Entry” field, and “Date Granted” field for Asylees, in the “Details” tab of the “Alien” screen. 

Redeterminations will also be expanded based on their new 12 month period.

NH Easy Update(s)

There are no changes to NH Easy.

UNRELATED OR RELATED POLICY CLARIFICATIONS OR TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS

There are no unrelated or related policy clarifications or technical corrections with this policy.

DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONS MADE TO FORMS

There are no forms associated with this policy.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

PART 247             REFUGEE CASH ASSISTANCE (RCA)

Section 247.07    RCA Eligibility Criteria

Section 247.11    RCA Length of Eligibility

Section 247.13    Changes During the RCA Eligibility Period

Section 247.19    Termination of RCA

Revised Medical Assistance Manual Topics

PART 263             REFUGEE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (RMA)

Section 263.07    RMA Eligibility Criteria

Section 263.11    RMA Length of Eligibility

Section 263.13    Changes During the RMA Eligibility Period

Section 263.19    Termination of RMA

IMPLEMENTATION

The revised policy is effective October 1, 2021 and applies to any new cases processed on or after that date.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

No special client notification is planned or needed.

TRAINING

No special training is planned or needed.

FORMS MANUAL POSTING INSTRUCTIONS

There are no forms associated with this policy.

DISPOSITION

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the On-line Manuals.

DISTRIBUTION

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for BFA policy releases. This SR, and revised On-Line Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at www.dhhs.nh.gov/dfa/publications.htm, effective June 1, 2022.

DES:cm