04/07/2021
Policy Memo
- Federal Administration for Children and Families/Office of Refugee Resettlement (ACF/ORR) has issued guidance regarding extending emergency support for refugees and asylees due to unemployment resulting from the COVID-19 health crisis.
- Individuals approved for the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) cash on or after April 01, 2019 who have successfully exited the program and subsequently lost employment or sustained a reduction in hours which would requalify them for RRP may reapply and receive additional benefits through April 30, 2021 if determined eligible.
- RRP cash EDG's will be identified centrally in IES and the benefit certification periods will be extended through April 30, 2021.
- The eligibility period will remain at eight months for customers who became eligible for RRP on or after September 1, 2020.
- A Client Notice CN 21.03/21.03S (pdf). will be mailed to the affected cases to inform customers of this change.
Due to the COVID-19 health crisis and resulting unemployment, ORR has approved an extension for RRP cash eligibility period for customers who previously received an extension, have successfully exited the program and then subsequently either lost employment, sustained a reduction in hours, or any other COVID-19 pandemic employment assistance that would requalify them for RRP. This policy does not apply to RRP applications filed on or after June 01, 2020.
Inactive RRP
RRP customers that were approved on or after April 01, 2019 and have had their case canceled due to receiving 8 months of benefits or due to change of circumstances may reapply and receive additional benefits through April 30, 2021, if determined eligible. These applications should be sent to Special Units at DHS.FCS.VTTC@illinois.gov. RRP customers that became eligible after September 1, 2020 will remain at an 8 month eligibility period.
Client Notice
A client notice CN 21.03/21.03S (pdf) will be mailed to inform customers of the change in their RRP cash certification period.
[signed copy on file]
Grace B. Hou
Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services
