Refugee Assistance Program

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Refugee Assistance Program

Overview

The Office of Community Services of the Department of Social Services (DSS) is responsible for disbursing federal funds related to the resettlement of refugees in Connecticut. Refugees are assigned by the U.S. State Department to local affiliates of national voluntary resettlement agencies in Connecticut. DSS disburses federal refugee assistance program funds, administers refugee cash and medical assistance programs and monitors resettlement activity for individuals who qualify as refugees under international law. A refugee can request to become a legal permanent resident after one-year residence in the U.S. and can apply for U.S. citizenship five years after their date of entry to the U.S.

DSS regional offices administer the Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) programs for refugees for up to twelve months from their date of entry to the U.S. DSS also provides refugees with temporary family assistance/cash assistance, medical coverage and food stamp assistance under those public assistance programs since refugees qualify as legal non-citizens.

The State contracts with the following agencies to provide resettlement services including case management, employment assistance, and additional supportive services to refugees:

Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants, 670 Clinton Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605, (203) 336-0141, https://cirict.org/ Opens in a new window
Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, 235 Nicoll Street, New Haven, CT 06511, (203) 562-2095, www.irisct.org Opens in a new window
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, 67 Holly Hill Lane, Suite 102, Greenwich, CT 06830, (203) 622-1881, Jewish Family Services of Greenwich (jfsgreenwich.org)
Jewish Federation of CT, Inc., 40 Woodland Street, Hartford, CT 06105, (860) 727-5701, www.jfact.org Opens in a new window

The following are the total number of new refugee arrivals to Connecticut for the corresponding federal fiscal years (October 1 through September 30):

FFY 2009 351	FFY 2012 436	FFY 2015 819	FFY 2018 156
FFY 2010 507	FFY 2013 548	FFY 2016 837	FFY 2019 142
FFY 2011 447	FFY 2014 545	FFY 2017 452	FFY 2020 57