373-1.1 General.
(a) Refugee cash assistance (RCA).
The RCA program is a Federal program that provides cash assistance to
refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants and asylees eligible under this Part in order to assist
them to achieve self-sufficiency as soon as possible. RCA is a publicly administered
program through the social services district in which refugees, entrants and asylees
reside.
(b) Relationship to other regulations of the office.
To the extent consistent with this subpart, regulations of the office governing public
assistance will apply to RCA. Such regulations include Part 349 (General Provisions), Part
350 (Application), Part 351 (Investigation and Eligibility), Part 352 (Standards of
Assistance), Part 355 (Information Pamphlets, Notification of Decisions), Part 356
(Inquiries and Complaints), Part 357 (Confidential Nature of Records) and Part 358 (Fair
Hearings) all of this Title.
(c) Definitions.
(1) Employability plan means
an individualized written plan for a refugee, asylee or entrant registered for employment
services that sets forth a program of services intended to result in the earliest possible
employment of the refugee or entrant.
(2) Employable means not exempt from
registration for employability services as set forth in section 373-1.8 (b) of this
subpart.
(3) Family self-sufficiency plan means a plan
that addresses the employability service needs of the employable members of a family for
the purpose of enabling the family to become self-supporting through the employment of one
or more family members.
(4) Filing unit means the individual or
individuals whose needs are considered in determining eligibility for, and the amount of,
a payment of RCA for which Federal funding is claimed.
(5) Registrant means an individual who has
registered for employability services set forth in this sub-part.
(6) Authorized service provider means a public
or private community agency that has entered into a contract with the office to provide
employment services to recipients of RCA.
(7) Employability services means services
designed to enable an individual to obtain employment and to improve the employability or
work skills of the individual.
(8) Local resettlement agency means a local
affiliate or subcontractor of a national voluntary agency that has entered into a grant,
contract, or cooperative agreement with the United States Department of State or other
appropriate Federal agency to provide for the reception and initial placement of refugees
in the United States.
(d) Opportunity to apply for cash assistance.
(1) A social services district must provide any
individual wishing to do so, an opportunity to apply for cash assistance and must
determine the eligibility of each application as promptly as possible within no more than
30 days from the date of application.
(2) A social services district must inform
applicants about the eligibility requirements and the rights and responsibilities of
applicants and recipients under the RCA program.
(3) In determining eligibility for cash
assistance, a social services district must promptly refer elderly or disabled refugees
and refugees with dependent children to other cash assistance programs to apply for
assistance.