The Net Effect on our Programming at CCFCS
Given that 1) the federal Administration has halted refugee resettlement and has not yet defined when, if or how the U.S Refugee Program will be restarted, 2) our parent agency, USCCB, has terminated its partnership with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, and 3) federal support and reimbursement for our program has effectively ceased, CCFCS has been forced to close some but not all of our programs. Programs that are closing include refugee resettlement, the Matching Grant Program, and some of our specialized programming for Afghans and refugee families with special health needs. We are working to ensure that clients in programs that are slated to close are appropriately referred to other department programs or external providers as appropriate. The program losses also involve staff reductions, and we are planning to lose approximately 30 staff positions. We have been working diligently with staff who are losing their positions to absorb them to the extent we can in other positions in the Refugee Department or other areas of the agency. However, we expect that not all will find such landing spots. Due to this transitional time, we are no longer able to accept new volunteers in our Refugee Department, but we hope to define new volunteer opportunities once our long-term capacity picture becomes clearer.
Despite this reduction, our refugee and immigration service capacity at CCFCS remains strong. We are still maintaining our usual walk-in hours at our offices at 87 N. Clinton Ave., and through other funding streams, we are still delivering a range of refugee and immigrant services in the areas of employment, post-resettlement integration and self-sufficiency services, refugee health, and legal immigration assistance. If the federal administration decides to restart the admission of refugees, we stand ready to undertake that work as well.
In these most difficult and harrowing times for all New Americans, it's more important than ever that we stand in the breach and continue to provide critical services and advocate for New Americans of all classes. We are committed to doing so.
